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Required Application Materials:

• Complete your application. Apply using the  or the . 
  • Early Decision: If you choose to apply for Early Decision, you will be prompted to complete the Early Decision Agreement form (, ). Early Decision is binding. If you are accepted, you agree to enroll at the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and withdraw all other college applications. More about Early Decision.

• Submit your non-refundable $60 application fee. You will be prompted to submit your fee when submitting your application.

• Submit your high school transcripts: You may upload an unofficial copy (PDF) of your transcript with your application. Upon graduation you will need to send an official final transcript directly from your high school or credential management service (SCOIR, Parchment or Naviance).

• Dual Enrollment Transcripts: If you have taken dual enrollment courses while still in high school, transcripts may be submitted at any time but are not required to complete a first-year student application file. College transcripts must be submitted directly from the institution of record prior to beginning your classes at the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø.

• Standardized Test Scores: The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø is test optional. You can submit your SAT or ACT scores if you would like us to include your scores in your application evaluation.

• Letters of Recommendation: If you would like to send letters of recommendation, please limit them to two and request them from your college counselor and/or teachers. They may be submitted via email or Parchment upload.

• Art Submissions and Auditions: We do not require arts submissions or auditions for admission, and there is no separate application for the School of the Arts. However, there are some departmental scholarships available requiring auditions or portfolio reviews. Contact the School of the Arts for information on scholarship opportunities available for first-year students.
  
  
• Honors College: To be considered for the Honors College, indicate your interest on the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø application or Common App. You will be prompted to complete the supplemental Honors College essay.

After submitting your application, you can view your application checklist and track your application file in your .

And once you're admitted, congratulations! Continue your Next Steps as an admitted student by submitting your nonrefundable enrollment deposit through MyPortal and applying for housing.

Welcome to the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø!

If you are graduating high school in December and enrolling in the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø in January:

• Submit an official letter from your principal or counselor confirming completion of graduation requirements (include the date you will receive your diploma)
• Academic scholarships are generally not available for first-year students entering in the spring semester.
• South Carolina residents must complete the Early Graduation form on the SC Commission of Higher Education website.

Applicants who have earned a GED will need to submit the following materials:

• Official GED transcript and GED diploma. These must be submitted via your GED account.
• Official high school transcripts, if you were enrolled in high school prior to GED instruction.
• College transcript(s), if you have taken any dual enrollment classes while in high school.
• SAT/ACT are not required. However, submitting a standardized test score is strongly recommended if it has been less than one year since you received your GED diploma.

We value the unique experiences and perspectives homeschooled students bring to our community.

Please review the following recommendations and requirements to take the next step in applying to the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø:

• College-prep curriculum. Completion of a challenging college-preparatory high school curriculum. Consider adding dual-enrollment classes at a local community college to your curriculum.
• Homeschool Transcript. Submit a transcript that includes the following:
  • all classes with specific course titles and descriptions.
  • the rigor of each class (honors, AP, etc.).
  • your grades (and how your grades were determined).
  • credits per class.
  • academic year during which each class was completed.
• Official high school transcripts, if you were enrolled in high school prior to home instruction.
• College transcript(s), if you have taken any dual enrollment classes while in high school.
• Two years of a foreign language in high school is strongly recommended. Intermediate-level courses at a community college (201 and 202 level) can be substituted.
• ACT or SAT is required for homeschooled students. The testing requirement is waived for students who complete dual-enrollment classes, AP classes and/or IB classes. If you are taking a dual-enrollment class during the second semester of your senior year, we will require your midterm grades to make an admissions decision.
• Accredited homeschool organization. South Carolina homeschooled students must be registered with a fully accredited homeschool organization, otherwise a GED diploma and transcript are required. If your state does not require an accredited homeschool curriculum, we will abide by those rules for admission consideration.

We take a holistic view of your application that includes the following:

• High school coursework
• Test scores (if you choose to submit them)
• Essays, including ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø's supplemental essay (optional)
• Activities and leadership
• GPA (weighted or unweighted)
• Up to two letters of recommendation (optional)

We are test score optional.

However, students and parents often want to know how the typical first-year student scores on the SAT or ACT. The scores below represent students that opted to have their test scores considered*.

• SAT range: 1200-1340
• ACT range: 26-31
• Weighted GPA Range for South Carolina residents: 4.1-4.8 (SCUGS)
• Weighted GPA Range for non-residents: 3.7-4.2 (4.0 scale)

*Scores represent the middle 50% of admitted first-year students.

Admitted Students: Welcome to CougarNation!

We’re excited to have you join us. To secure your spot, be sure to complete the next steps: confirm your enrollment, finalize financial aid, secure housing and register for orientation.

Your admission is based on your continued academic excellence, so keep up the great work through the end of your senior year. The admissions committee will review your final transcript to ensure all coursework is successfully completed.

Enjoy every moment of your senior year while staying on track — we can’t wait to see all that you’ll achieve at the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø!

iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Pathway Program

Your decision letter may include an invitation to participate in the iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø program.

Through iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, select students who do not initially receive an offer of admission have the opportunity to gain guaranteed acceptance to the College by successfully completing a first semester abroad.

After successfully completing the program, you'll transfer your 15 hours of iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø credits and begin the spring semester enrolled at the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø.

A deferred decision means your application is still under consideration.

In most cases, deferred students are early applicants who may very well be eligible for admission once the admission committee has reviewed the entire pool of applicants or received addition information.

The admissions committee will review your full academic profile — including first-semester grades and any new test scores — before making a final decision.

To remain eligible for admission, be sure to submit your fall semester grades. Final decisions will be shared no later than early March.

While we would love to admit every applicant to the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, we must account for capacity limits in our student housing, course offerings and student services.

We know there are applicants that would be successful here, and we'd be pleased to admit them should space become available. For now, these students are offered a place on the waitlist.

Once a final admission decision is made, we will release decisions through the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø admissions portal and through email.

We will try to provide students with a final admission decision no later than June 15. The College will inform students selected for admission of their status for campus housing and any financial aid awards before requiring an enrollment decision. 

Denied applicants may opt to transfer to the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø in the future.

Denied applicants are only eligible to apply to the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø again as transfer students after completing at least 12 educational college-level credits and earning a cumulative college grade point average of 2.4.