How to get into Wofford College
How to get into Wofford: a small South Carolina liberal arts college with the Bonner Scholars program and binding ED leverage
51.9%
Acceptance rate
$56,005
In-state cost
What makes Wofford College admissions different
Wofford College is a small (~1,800 undergrad) private liberal arts college in Spartanburg, SC, founded in 1854 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The college is consistently ranked among the top regional liberal arts colleges in the South. The Wofford Interim — a January Term where students take one intensive course (often experiential or abroad) — is the curriculum's distinctive feature. The Bonner Scholars Program is a meaningful service-and-scholarship pipeline, and the Richardson Family Scholars Program is the school's flagship merit award. Wofford has historically strong pre-med, pre-law, and pre-business placement.
What an actually competitive application looks like
- 1.
Apply Early Decision I (Nov 15) or Early Decision II (Jan 1) if Wofford is your clear top choice. ED is binding and Wofford's ED admit rate runs meaningfully higher than RD.
- 2.
Apply Early Action (Nov 15) for non-binding early decision and merit consideration. Most strong applicants apply ED or EA at Wofford.
- 3.
Apply for the Bonner Scholars Program through the separate Bonner supplemental application by the published deadline. Bonner scholars receive merit aid plus a service stipend and join a multi-year cohort.
- 4.
Apply for the Richardson Family Scholars (Wofford's flagship merit award) and other named scholarships at the time of application — selection runs from the admit pool with additional consideration.
- 5.
Write the 'why Wofford' supplement around the Interim (and a specific Interim course you'd want to take), the Bonner program if applying, or a specific Wofford pre-professional pipeline.
- 6.
Maintain a strong GPA in rigorous coursework. Wofford has been test-optional and the policy continues; submit SAT 1290+ / ACT 28+ if scores reinforce.
Common mistakes that hurt applicants here
- ✕
Applying RD when ED would have worked. Wofford's ED bump is real and meaningful.
- ✕
Missing the Bonner deadline. The Bonner application is separate and missing it forecloses one of the most meaningful service-aid combinations at a Southern liberal arts college.
- ✕
Writing a generic 'small liberal arts' supplement. Name the Interim, name a specific Wofford program, name the Bonner if applying.
The specifics for Wofford College
Application deadlines
- Early Decision I2025-11-15Binding.
- Early Action2025-11-15Non-binding.
- Early Decision II2026-01-01Binding.
- Regular Decision2026-01-01
- Bonner Scholars applicationVariesSeparate Bonner supplemental application; verify deadline.
What makes this admissions process distinctive
Wofford Interim (January Term) ↗
Every January, students take one intensive course — often experiential, abroad, or research-based. The Interim is the curriculum's signature feature.
Bonner Scholars Program
A multi-year service-and-scholarship program. Bonner scholars receive merit aid plus a service stipend.
Wofford's flagship merit scholarship. Awarded competitively from the admit pool with additional consideration.
What graduates actually do
Wofford is a small Methodist liberal arts college in Spartanburg, South Carolina, with strong Southern professional networks in business, law, medicine, and ministry. Graduates feed BMW Spartanburg (the largest single-shift auto plant in the country), Charlotte banking (Bank of America, Wells Fargo), and MUSC and Vanderbilt med-school pipelines. Strong Rhodes and Fulbright placement for a school its size.
Notable alumni
- Jerry Richardson — Founder of the Carolina Panthers
- Frank Lee — Former South Carolina state senator
- Frank Mood — Methodist bishop
Transfer pathway
Wofford accepts a small number of transfer students each year, with a 3.0+ GPA expectation. The college honors credits from regionally accredited institutions and participates in the South Carolina Transfer and Articulation Center (SC TRAC) for state CC graduates. Spartanburg Community College and Greenville Technical College are common feeders.
Articulation partners
Spartanburg Community College · Greenville Technical College
Specifics verified 2026-05-18 from the school's own admissions page + Common App (supplements re-verified this pass). Always confirm current-year details directly on the school site before applying.
If you're on the bubble
Wofford rewards ED applicants with Wofford-specific supplements. Strong-stat applicants who apply for Bonner in parallel are competitive for the named merit pipelines. RD applicants with generic supplements compete in a smaller pool.
Next steps
Last updated: November 2025. Acceptance rate and cost data refreshed nightly from college reporting.