University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC
68%
Acceptance Rate
$13,178
Avg Cost (In-State)
$34,566
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
77%
Graduation Rate
35,364
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
December 1
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
1
Application Fee
$65
Interview
Not required
Essays: One personal essay required through Common App or Coalition App
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$39,689
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$45,603
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
40%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
What current students say
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Clemson Tiger Pride Scholarship
$2,500-$8,000/year
universityAutomatic for SC residents with top-percentile GPA + ACT/SAT.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗SC HOPE Scholarship
Up to $2,800 (freshman year only)
stateSC HS grads with 3.0+ GPA not meeting LIFE/Palmetto Fellows; freshman year only at SC institutions.
Deadline: Auto-determined
Learn more ↗SC LIFE Scholarship
Up to $5,000/year ($7,500 for STEM)
stateSC HS grads with 2 of 3: 3.0 GPA, top 30%, or 1100 SAT/24 ACT, at SC public/private institutions.
Deadline: Auto-determined
Learn more ↗University of South Carolina McNair Scholars Program
Tuition + fees + research stipend + study-abroad
universityTop 40 incoming USC freshmen nationally; full ride + enrichment programs.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗University of South Carolina Carolina Scholarship
Up to full cost of attendance + summer enrichment
universityTop USC SC incoming freshmen via competitive McNair/Stamps/Capstone process.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Clemson University Lyceum Scholars
$10,000/year + summer enrichment
universityTop Clemson incoming freshmen with academic merit + leadership.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Coastal Community Foundation of SC Scholarships
$500-$10,000 across 100+ named funds
localHS seniors from 9-county Lowcountry SC region (Charleston / Beaufort / Berkeley).
Deadline: February
Learn more ↗Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Education Fund
$500-$2,500
localGullah/Geechee descendants from coastal NC/SC/GA/FL.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗SC Palmetto Fellows Scholarship
Up to $6,700-$10,000/year
stateSC HS grads in top 6% of class with 3.5+ GPA + 1200 SAT/27 ACT at SC public/private 4-year.
Deadline: Multiple windows, June + December
Learn more ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
16.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
20.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
58.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
18.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
23.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
89.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
77.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Considered
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT
67.8% acceptance
Both admit around 68% of applicants, with 33k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, GA
69.2% acceptance
Both admit around 69% of applicants, with 41k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Arizona State University Digital Immersion
Scottsdale, AZ
66.7% acceptance
Both admit around 67% of applicants, with 54k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
University of Memphis
Memphis, TN
72% acceptance
Similar selectivity (72% vs 68%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $35k.
Tennessee Technological University
Cookeville, TN
76.1% acceptance
Similar selectivity (76% vs 68%) but out-of-state cost runs $16k — meaningfully less than $35k.
University of North Georgia
Dahlonega, GA
67.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (68% vs 68%) but out-of-state cost runs $17k — meaningfully less than $35k.
Reaches above this college
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
24.2% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but more selective (24% vs 68%) — a stretch target if University of South Carolina is already on your list.
University of Virginia-Main Campus
Charlottesville, VA
16.8% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but more selective (17% vs 68%) — a stretch target if University of South Carolina is already on your list.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
16.8% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but more selective (17% vs 68%) — a stretch target if University of South Carolina is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN
78% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but higher admit rate (78% vs 68%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL
80% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but higher admit rate (80% vs 68%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, LA
86.4% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but higher admit rate (86% vs 68%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Transfer pathways
Routes in from a community college.
From SC community colleges
articulation onlyUSC participates in the South Carolina Transfer Articulation Center, which maps courses across the state's technical college system. Common transfer feeders include Midlands Technical College, Trident Technical College, and Greenville Technical College. A 2.5+ GPA is generally re…
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