Enrollment: 9784
Average SAT: 609
Average ACT: 25
Most Popular Majors: Biology/Biological Sciences, General,Business Administration and Management, General,Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric,
Regular Application Deadline: 04/01
Student Faculty Ratio: 16.06:1

Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid: $3,052.00

School Says - General Information
The College of Charleston is a highly respected student-centered public liberal arts and sciences university located in historic Charleston, South Carolina. Founded in 1770, the College prepares nearly 10,000 undergraduate students for a lifetime of change through an innovative and practical liberal arts and sciences experience combined with professional preparation in a wide variety of fields. At the College, learning is not confined to the classroom. Students are encouraged to study abroad, participate in independent research projects, and engage in experiential learning opportunities that typically would be available only at the graduate level. The city and its environs are critical components of a College of Charleston education. Students can take advantage of a beautifully preserved historic city, a vibrant arts community, a diverse natural environment, an innovative business climate, and a consortium of area schools. The College is first and foremost a teaching institution. Students work closely with nationally recognized faculty and are valued as an integral part of the College's close-knit community of scholars experiences that are usually associated with small liberal arts colleges. They can select from among 44 majors, 80 minors, and 39 concentrations, many of which take advantage of Charleston's distinctive location and history. Graduates of the College receive excellent preparation for further academic study or entry into the professional world through an education that combines a comprehensive general education program and intensive study within a major field with opportunities for faculty-student collaborative research and off-campus internships. Students, faculty and alumni agree that the College of Charleston provides an education that is without equal a creative and intellectually stimulating environment where students are challenged by a committed and caring faculty, in an incomparable setting, and at an incredible value.

School Says - Student Body
The College of Charleston combines the best qualities of a small liberal arts and sciences institution with those of a mid-sized, urban university. Although this state-supported liberal arts and sciences university is home to approximately 10,000 undergraduate students, classes are kept small, so students can enjoy close relationships and one-on-one interactions with their professors. The College's location in the historic center of Charleston, South Carolina, with surrounding lands and waters rich in flora and fauna, is ideal for study, work, and play. When students are not occupied with their studies, they participate in a wide range of activities. They are encouraged to be involved in the more than 149 clubs, organizations, and co-curricular programs that are available. From business and educational organizations to Greek and health and wellness, international and multicultural organizations to honor societies, intramural and club sports, political, service and leadership, to religious, and student media organizations, there is a way for everyone to participate in the student life of the campus. Students also benefit from the many opportunities social outlets, jobs, and internships that the City of Charleston and surrounding areas offer. Situated in the historic downtown area, the College is only a few steps away from numerous historic sites, streets lined with shops and art galleries, and a vibrant nightlife. Consistent with its public mission, the College takes pride in its community ties. Students can volunteer or intern with a wide range of educational institutions, governments, businesses and industries, and community agencies. If a student is interested in a less urban setting, there are world-class beaches, a national forest, and the pristine landscape along the Lowcountry's marshes and rivers just a few minutes away. For the College of Charleston student, each day is the beginning of a new adventure. .

School Says - Academics
To succeed in a complex world, tomorrow's college graduates will need an education that gives them the confidence to think creatively, explore new ideas, challenge themselves, and work collaboratively. A College of Charleston education is fundamental in the shaping of successful individuals who are knowledgeable, flexible, and versatile; it produces good citizens and confident leaders. A College of Charleston education offers both breadth and depth. To earn a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science degree, students are required to successfully complete a core curriculum that introduces them to the principal areas of academic inquiry and teaches them basic intellectual skills. These courses provide students with a solid foundation for further study and are an essential part of their undergraduate education. Students can choose from 44 majors and complement their major course of study by selecting from 80 minors and 39 concentrations. Every academic program at the College that has been reviewed by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education has received a Commendation of Excellence, which cites the program's overall quality, quality of instruction, student-faculty research activities, number of graduates, success in job placement of graduates, facilities and equipment, and uniqueness. The College of Charleston has received more Commendations of Excellence for its academic offerings than any other institution of higher learning in the state. The College prides itself in fostering a close student-teacher community that is dedicated to engaging in original inquiry and creative expression in an atmosphere of intellectual freedom. Whether students choose to attend graduate or professional school or embark on a career following graduation, their undergraduate experience at the College of Charleston places them at a distinct advantage. .

School Says - Admissions
Office of Admissions College of Charleston Charleston, S.C. 29424-0001 Telephone: 843-953-5670 Fax: 843-953-6322 Website: www.cofc.edu/admissions ADMISSIONS Freshmen Academic Profile Average SAT: 1213 SAT I - Verbal Range (25-75%) 570-650 SAT I - Math Range (25-75%): 570-640 Average Verbal SAT: 609 Average Math SAT: 604 SAT II Test: Not used Average ACT: 24 Average High School GPA: 3.78 Students in top 10% of HS class: 25% Students in top 50% of HS class: 91% Freshmen Academic Requirements Academic Units Required: 20 Total academic units: English: 4 Mathematics: 3 Science: 3 Lab Science: 3 Foreign language: 2 Social Studies: 3 History: Academic electives: 4 Academic Units Recommended:24 Total academic units: English: 4 Mathematics: 4 Science: 4 Lab Science: 3 Foreign language: 3 Social Studies: 3 History: 2 Academic electives: 4 Application Information Application fee: $35 electronic $45 paper Priority application: 11/1 Early Action Closing date: 11/1 Early Action Notification date: 12/15 Regular application deadline: 04/01 Regular application notify: on a rolling basis Common application accepted: Yes Admissions for non-fall terms: Yes- spring Basis for candidate selection Very Important Factors: Academic GPA Standardized test scores State Residency Important Factors: Rigor of secondary school record Character/personal qualities Talent/ability First Generation Freshman Admission Statistics: Total applicants who are accepted: 63.5% Total of accepted students who enroll: 34.2% What College of Charleston Says About Admissions: A separate application (deadline of 01/15) is required for the Honors College. There is no application fee. Essay required for Honors College application may also be used for the regular admissions application. Early planning and a visit to campus are strongly encouraged.

Students Say - Academics
It's satisfaction guaranteed at the College of Charleston, where one enters "the gateway to Southern charm, grace, and hospitality" and gets "a private school atmosphere with a public school cost." Though the almost Siren-like appeal of the South Carolina location seems to have been the deciding factor for a fair number of students, the great value of the education (particularly for in-state residents) is cited by many as a definite perk to an already-perky school. As for the learning part of the easy living, the "very high faculty to student ratio makes it easy to get help when you need it," and the class sizes "are just a little bigger than in high school," which is "conducive to learning." Science and pre-med programs are singled out as being particularly solid, and strong academics also abound in the "challenging courses, especially upper-level classes." Some lament that it can be "sort of hard as an underclassman to get into the classes and sections you want". Registration can be hit or miss, but professors are "totally available and oftentimes brilliant," offering "many opportunities to help, whether it be office hours, meetings or review sessions." Those enrolled here are satisfied with the "enthusiastic" administration as well, who are trying to counteract the school's homogeneity by "really trying to expand the school."

Students Say - Campus Life
Students just love, love, love Charleston, and it's not often you find most students using the phrase "Elysian backdrop" outside of a term paper. "When I tell people that I go to school in Charleston, they say, 'You are not going to school, you are going on vacation!'" says one. "The water is a five-minute walk; the beach is a five minute drive," says another. "You read on the greenest grass in a scene from a movie. You walk around in 70-degree weather with smiling friends and classmates during November and December," says yet another starry-eyed student. The campus is located in the center of the city, so campus housing options can be somewhat limited. The food has been universally panned, but a new cafeteria, opened in August 2007, will likely improve the culinary quality. Most students walk rather than drive, and having a car "is actually a hindrance," which comes in handy for resisting the temptation on the weekends, since the school "has great parties and an atmosphere to support them." Not that this means students shirk their work, they just learn to allocate their time (upperclassmen usually manage this better than the party-happy freshmen). "The real issue at hand is deciding: bar or library?" The arts are also big here-"theatre and music mostly"-and the historic sites even get a fair amount of patronage, such as the popular walk along the "battery where the Civil War started."

Students Say - Student Body
The almost sickeningly happy student body is "upbeat and positive about being at C of C," and this collective group of "Southern belles, hard-core Northerners, surfers, nerds and party animals" are "all united by the beach." The simpler split is between preppy or the "the artsy/hippy type." It's interesting to note that there's a significantly larger number of women than men, and though the diversity is pretty low, students note that it is growing. Right now C of C has "mostly your typical sorority and frat type students." Politically, "it's definitely the most liberal school in South Carolina," and "most people are very open to other cultures and lifestyles." "For example, I had pink hair one time and everybody loved it!" says a sophomore. "It is highly implausible that you won't find your niche within the first weeks of school."

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