Top South Carolina Students Guaranteed Admission to USC
South Carolina high school students who graduate in the top 10% of their class are now guaranteed admission to the University of South Carolina. This will start with the Fall 2024 application process.
In announcing the new admissions policy, USC President Michael Amiridis said, “Across every corner of our state, talented students who aspire to a college degree can count on finding a home and a future at the University of South Carolina. By welcoming the top 10 percent of our state’s high school graduates, we are reinforcing our commitment to access and excellence in education for South Carolina citizens.”
Students in the top 10% of their class graduating from a public high school in South Carolina, or residents who will graduate from an independent school with a graduating class of 20 or more will automatically be accepted to USC. The new admissions policy says test scores won’t matter. But students must complete the required college prep high school course curriculum and be otherwise eligible for admission.
“Studies consistently show that high school grades and class rank are better predictors of freshman year success than standardized tests,” according to Scott Verzyl, USC’s vice president for enrollment management and dean of undergraduate admissions. He added that more than half of South Carolina residents ranked in the top 10% of their high school class already apply to USC.
University officials say demand for admission to the school has never been higher than this year. In fact, USC has received a record-breaking 42,000 applications for the upcoming fall semester.
Applications to attend USC in the fall of 2024 opened Tuesday, August 1.
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