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Freshman Admission
A freshman applicant is a person who has never
attended a regionally accredited college or university
after high-school graduation.
Requirements
Freshman applicants must have either a high-school
diploma or its equivalent (GED) prior to enrolling.
Accepted applicants must have senior grades and a
verification of graduation sent as soon as they are
available. Applicants who did not graduate from high
school must send transcripts of all available work and
a copy of a GED certificate or satisfactory GED test
scores.
Freshman applicants must submit:
- completed application
- specified nonrefundable application fee
- official high-school record complete up to the
time of application
- entrance examination scores (either SAT or
ACT).
Prospective students must have adequate preparation
for the curriculum in which they plan to enroll. At a
minimum, applicants for admission are required to
complete a college preparatory program with units
distributed among the following academic subjects:
- English (4 units). At least two units
must have strong grammar and composition
components, at least one must be in English
literature, and at least one must be in American
literature. Completion of college preparatory
English I, II, III, and IV will meet this
criterion.
- Mathematics (3 units). The three units
of mathematics must include Algebra I, Algebra II,
and geometry. (Applied Mathematics I and II may
count together as a substitute for Algebra I if a
student successfully completes Algebra II.) A
fourth, higher-level mathematics course is
strongly recommended (i.e., Algebra
III/trigonometry, precalculus, or calculus).
- Laboratory Science (3 units). Two units
must be taken in two different fields and selected
from among biology, chemistry, or physics. The
third unit may be from the same field as one of
the first two units (biology, chemistry, or
physics) or from laboratory science for which
biology and/or chemistry is a prerequisite.
Courses in earth science, general physical
science, or introductory or general environmental
science for which biology and/or chemistry is not
a prerequisite will not meet this requirement.
- Social Studies (3 units). Three units
of social studies. One unit of U.S. history is
required; a half unit of economics and a half unit
of government are strongly recommended.
- Foreign Language (2 units). The two
units of foreign language must be in the same
language.
- Academic Elective (4 units). Four
college preparatory units must be taken from at
least three different fields selected from
computer science, English, fine arts, foreign
languages, humanities, laboratory science
(excluding earth science, general physical
science, general environmental science, or other
introductory science courses for which biology
and/or chemistry is not a prerequisite),
mathematics above the level of Algebra II, or
social sciences. It is suggested that one unit be
in computer science, which includes programming,
and one unit in fine arts (appreciation of,
history, or performance).
- Physical Education (1 unit). One unit
of physical education or ROTC is required.
Units Required: 20
In addition to completion of the above units,
students must meet requirements based on entrance
examination scores and weighted core GPA.
Applicants must complete additional units to meet
or exceed state and local high-school graduation
requirements. In choosing these electives, students
should consider the recommendations given in the
preceding listing for specific prospective majors.
Applicants must apply for and take the required
entrance examinations well in advance of the term for
which they seek admission, and they are responsible
for having the results of these examinations sent to
the University. Applicants over the age of 25 may not
be required to submit entrance examination results;
however, they must submit other credentials which give
evidence of reasonable academic potential. Entrance
examination scores may be required in the absence of
satisfactory credentials or evidence of potential.
Some programs require entrance test scores for all
students, regardless of age.
Associate’s Degree Candidates
Students
seeking an associate’s degree may be admitted in this
category.
Branch Students
This is a special
admissions program open to students at the regional
campuses of the University of South Carolina. Students
who do not meet the regular admission requirements may
still be eligible for admission in the Branch Program.
For complete details about eligibility and
requirements, students should contact the Admissions Office.
Students in this program
must complete 30 semester hours at the Sumter campus
with a 2.00 GPA in order to move to the Columbia
campus. Further, they must meet the progression
requirements of the college on the Columbia campus
that awards the desired degree.
Assessment of Academic Records
Freshman applicants who satisfy the course
requirements listed above will be evaluated on the
basis of high-school grades, class rank , and entrance
examination scores. These factors will be used to
determine the applicant’s probability of completing
the requirements for the desired degree. Applicants
who have earned a cumulative average of C+ on
the defined preparatory courses listed above and who
score 1200 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT normally will
be admitted to USC. Higher grades may offset lower
entrance examination scores and higher examination
scores may offset lower grades. Exception to admission
requirements will be considered for applicants who
present extenuating circumstances.
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