university of south carolina admissions essay

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Write the University of South Carolina Essays 2019-2020

The University of South Carolina is a public research university in Columbia, South Carolina. UofSC offers over 320 degrees of study, as well as an Honors College, the Top Scholars Program, and Capstone Scholars Program. 

In the 2018-2019 admissions cycle, UofSC received 30,778 applications and ultimately accepted around 63%. The middle 50% GPA of those enrolled students was 3.78-4.5, and for SAT scores, it was 1200-1350. 

UofSC has one required prompt for all applicants, with 3 options. Applicants to the Music Composition Program have an additional prompt, and those invited to apply to the Honors College or Top Scholars Programs will have an additional two prompts. 

For All Applicants

Required: Respond to one of the personal statement prompts. (100-500 words)

The most important thing here—besides sticking to the word count—is choosing a prompt that speaks the most to you. Since you have choices, your essay should be as strong as possible. Think about how you might answer each prompt, and choose the story that is the strongest and conveys the most positive qualities about yourself, especially if it’s a trait you haven’t been able to discuss at all in the rest of your application! 

Option 1: Who in your life is depending on you? How are they depending on you? (100-500 words)

To answer this question, think about the people in your life—your family, your friends, your peers. How do you interact with them? You likely depend on your parents, but do your parents depend on you too? Your siblings? Remember that there are lots of ways to “depend” on someone. It could mean depending on a person for food and shelter, or for support and leadership. 

• Your sports team might depend on you to be a reliable, motivating captain who encourages everyone and pushes the team to be their best.
• Your younger siblings might depend on you for their after-school care—like snacks, rides and homework help—if your parents/guardians work during the day. 
• Your parents might depend on you to work hard in your education because they made sacrifices for you to have those opportunities. 

The best way for you to write this essay is to tell a story. Show your readers who depends on you and how they depend on you. Pick a snapshot in time and paint a picture with descriptive details and imagery. Try not to say “This person depends on me because…” It will make for bland writing, and you want admissions officers to be fully engaged in your interesting story. 

You have 500 words to tell this story—that’s plenty of space to not only describe who depends on you and how, but also how this impacts you. Show us your feelings and emotions; does their dependency overwhelm you? Are you honored by it? Do you feel like it has made you a more responsible person? Even though the prompt asks about someone else who depends on you, admissions officers still want to know who you are. 

Option 2: Tell us something about yourself that we have not already asked. (100-500 words)

This is a very open-ended essay, but a fantastic opportunity for you to present something about yourself that you haven’t been able to share in other parts of your application. This open-endedness means there are many different things you could write about:

• You play a sport that you haven’t written about.
• You come from a unique family dynamic (many siblings, multiple parents, same-sex parents, etc.) that has shaped you in some way.
• You speak more than one language.
• You have a medical condition that you have to deal with every day.
• You once summited a mountain. 

To write this, you want to tell a story. Show us what we don’t know about you. Use descriptions and details to place us in the same environment as you. Avoid explicitly stating “I am…” because that becomes dull to read. You want to ensure that admissions officers will hang on to every word you say because they’re so captivated by your story. 

It’s very important that any trait or activity you present here does not have any negative connotations. Saying that you binge watched five different TV shows in the last two months can have negative connotations for an admissions officer, as it suggests you might be more interested in Netflix than engaging with UofSC. Discussing how you failed a class is negative if you don’t show us how you grew and learned from it, but if you show us how you became a better student because of that failure, it shows your determination.

Think about a story about yourself that you want to tell! This is a chance to show that you’re a well-rounded person and offer insight to a side of you that we haven’t seen yet. 

Option 3: What advice would you give your 13-year-old self? (100-500 words)

The first thing to do is think about who you were as a thirteen-year-old. Reflect on how you’ve changed since then. Is there something you wish you would’ve realized earlier? Something you did that you shouldn’t have done? Something you didn’t do that you should have? 

• Maybe there was a year when you tried to do too many different activities and couldn’t devote proper time to any of them and you’d advise yourself to scale it back.
• Perhaps you said something unkind to someone and, looking back, realized that you shouldn’t have said so. 
• Maybe you tried to be someone else to fit in with a group of people who, ultimately, didn’t stick around. In that case, you might advise your younger self to not waste time pretending to be someone else. 

Avoid anything particularly juvenile or negative. Advising your thirteen-year-old self “don’t date that person” is likely to come off as trivial, unless you can back that advice up with an incredibly powerful and compelling story. Similarly, try not to be too cliche; offering advice to “study harder” is quite generic and, again, would require an extremely compelling story for an admissions officer to consider a strong essay. 

Whatever advice you choose to give your younger self, make sure to first give some context as to who you were as a thirteen-year-old. For your readers to understand why the advice you’re giving is important, we need to see details about who you were and how you behaved. This is especially important to show in the context of the advice—we need to see why you feel like you have to give this advice. 

Music Composition Program

Within the University of South Carolina’s School of Music, the composition major begins freshman year with an introductory class on the development of individual work. Upper-level composition classes focus on one-on-one private instruction, and weekly composition seminars allow students to connect with professionals regularly. Applicants are also required to submit a portfolio of written musical examples.

The statement of purpose should take the form of a short letter addressed to the coordinator of composition, Dr. Rogers, that describes why you wish to major in composition, what you hope to accomplish as a composition major, and what you plan to do with your degree when you graduate. (250 words)

You have three things to discuss in this short essay: why composition, what will you do in college, and what will you do post-college? It’s possible for you to merge your answers to the first two questions by explaining how you’ll be pursuing your passion for composition in college. 

Additionally, it’s okay if you don’t know exactly what you want to do following graduation—most freshmen don’t! However, you should have a general idea of how you want to use your composition major after college. 

Be sure to open your essay with a direct address to Dr. Rogers. From there, think about why you want to major in composition, and what you ultimately hope to get out of pursuing that field.

• You may have grown up surrounded by and writing music, so now you want to pursue composition as a career because you love it.
• Maybe you struggled with finding your passion until you discovered composition, and now you dream of composing music for other people who haven’t found their passions.

Your essay will stand out if you are authentic and true to yourself. Think about why you’ve chosen this path and how you intend for it to shape your future. Be straightforward and honest, because admissions officers really want to see that you would be an enthusiastic fit for the program. 

Honors College/Top Scholars Essay Prompts

Beginning September 1, students who are invited to apply to the Honors College will receive an email with additional instructions after submitting the general University of South Carolina application and application fee. Students who apply for the Honors College will also be considered for the Top Scholars Program. Honors College/Top Scholars applicants are strongly encouraged to submit the general admissions application by October 15, 2019. This gives you at least one month to complete the Honors College/Top Scholars application for the November 15, 2019 deadline. 

Doing: How are you doing? What have you accomplished and where do you seem to be heading? We’re not looking for a particular answer. What we are looking for is a thoughtful, vivid, well-written, detailed essay that reveals you think insightfully about yourself.

This prompt provides you with an opportunity to showcase one of your greatest accomplishments in high school. Strong responses to this prompt will address each of the following:

First, why was what you did important? Including achievements that touched a lot of people or left a lasting impact helps demonstrate that your actions extended beyond your own short-term interests.

Next, what did you bring to the table specifically? Lots of people make some impact on their community, but a truly talented leader, artist, mentor, etc. is irreplaceable. They bring something of themselves to the role that no one else has to offer. Use this essay as a space to unpack part of what would make you a unique contributor to UofSC’s campus culture.

Finally—and most important of all—what does this accomplishment reveal about your long-term purpose? Admissions officers want to know who you are and who you will be as you complete your undergraduate degree. 

As an example, a student who’s an avid violinist and who has made all-state orchestra might share the passion and dedication they have to music. They also enjoy using music as a way to evoke emotions, promote healing, and bring people together. After starting an organization in high school dedicated to playing music to hospice patients, the student hopes to continue combining music and community engagement. Academically, they hope to study the connection between music and psychology, to discover new ways music can be incorporated into healthcare.

This would be a strong topic choice, as the student clearly demonstrates what they’ve accomplished, why it’s important, and how they plan to grow from that accomplishment.

Thinking: What’s on your mind? Pick one thing that is particularly exciting, exasperating, moving, alarming—something that has captured your attention and intellect in some strong way—and tell us about it.

This prompt provides you with another great opportunity to share a bit more about yourself, specifically your inner life. Topic ideas include discussing a favorite podcast, cause you care about, or cultural experience. This prompt is extremely open-ended, so you can basically choose whatever you want.

The one caveat: if you hold any controversial opinions, avoid addressing those in your essay. You don’t want to accidentally offend an admissions officer by stumbling upon some cultural tripwires. 

Overall, try to make each of your essays feature different aspects of your profile and personality. You want to seem mature, thoughtful, and nuanced no matter what your essay topics wind up being.

Want help on your college essays to get into your dream schools?  Sign up for your free CollegeVine account  and get access to our essay guides and courses, as well as our Essay Manager.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

College essay resources

How to answer the 2018-19 university of south carolina application essay prompt, school supplements.

UPDATE!  The University of South Carolina application essay prompt has changed for 2019-20.   Take a look at our new guide!

Although the University of South Carolina application essay prompt is somewhat open-ended in terms of what you can write about, it does offer you guidance about the general subject matter: your potential for academic success in college .

At around 250 words, the University of South Carolina application essay isn’t very long as personal statements go. So how do you say something meaningful about yourself in the space that you have?

First, let’s check out the University of South Carolina supplemental essay prompt.

Tell us something that you have not already told us in this application that will help us to better understand your potential for academic success as a college student. Type your personal statement here. Statement limit is 2000 characters, which is approximately 250 words.

Follow this guide to develop material for a personal statement that concisely highlights your key strengths.

Step 1: Find potential topics

Brainstorm at least 5 things about yourself that make you (or will make you) a great student

• You might list specialized skills or knowledge, unique interests, relevant values or aspects of your character, or outstanding achievements.
• Here are some examples from a hypothetical student:
• Taught myself computer programming (Javascript, Java, and Python)
• Interested in artificial intelligence, especially machine learning
• Want to develop computer systems to make medical diagnoses more accurate
• Never give up until a problem is solved
• Built website for my family’s business

Step 2: Identify “what’s missing” from your application

• For each item you listed in step 1, look over your application and see if you’ve already addressed this particular topic. If so, cross it off your list.
• You’ll want to pick the most meaningful and exciting topic from what remains, but if one isn’t leaping out to you, move on to step 3 and complete the brainstorming steps for all of them. If a particular topic gives you a lot to write about, that’s a sign it’s a compelling choice!

Step 3: Make connections from your past to your future

• For each topic, think of 1-2 moments when it made a significant difference in your life or significantly affected your thinking—when you learned a valuable lesson or grew as a person.
• Now take the lessons you came up with and extrapolate how you’ll apply what you’ve learned in the future. Write down 1-2 ways these moments will impact your life, goals, and especially your academic potential.
• Keep in mind the values and ideals that U of SC cherishes. The school is big on leadership, experiential learning, and educating well-rounded students who will apply what they’ve learned outside of the classroom to make a difference in the “real world.” You don’t want to say things just because you think they’ll impress U of SC admissions, but it could help to touch on how your strengths and lessons will help you exemplify these core U of SC ideals.
• For example, the sample student above might note how making a website for the family business taught her how satisfying it is to use her coding knowledge to make a difference in people’s lives. Looking to the future, she might mention her goal of learning how to create AI software that hospitals can use to improve diagnoses.

Once you’ve completed these steps, you’ll have lots of compelling material for your University of South Carolina application essay. Begin by sharing a moment from step 3 that illustrates your academic strength, and discuss how you grew. Then, consider the potential impact of these moments in college and beyond.

If you’ve already written a Common App personal statement , you might be able to use some material from that. However, simply editing down a 650-word essay to 250 words is unlikely to work. Instead, take your Common App essay topic and apply the brainstorming process in step 3 above. If you borrow details (such as key moments or lessons learned) from your Common App material, make sure that they relate directly to your academic potential in college.

a general 250-word count essay- what's tricky is it's way shorter than the CA, so I think the guidance here might need to address saying something meaningful quickly

University of South Carolina Application Essay Prompt (note- as long as you use the full version in the title, you can use "University of South Carolina Application Essay" elsewhere if you need to- you should be able to get it into the title and once in the text.

How to (Answer) (Successfully Answer) the University of South Carolina Application Essay Prompt

At around 250 words, the University of South Carolina application essay really isn’t very long as personal statements go. So how do you say something meaningful about yourself in this many words?

Follow this guide to craft/develop material for a (concise) personal statement that (directly/concisely) highlights your key strengths (in a concise format/structure).

Step 1: Identify your key (academic) strengths

• Brainstorm to come up with 3-5 things about yourself that make you (or will make you) a great student
• You might list specialized skills or knowledge, unique interests, relevant values or aspects of your character, outstanding achievements.
• Examples? (probably not needed) (General advice: Be specific and make sure your list highlights aspects/qualities that make you stand out. If an item sounds like it might apply to lots of other people, look for something more unique and surprising to replace it.)
• For each item you listed in step 1, look over your application and see if you’ve already covered/addressed this strength of yours. If so, cross it off your list.
• If you cross everything out, go back to step 1 and keep digging for personal strengths.
• If you have more than one strength still on your list, that’s fine! Pick (1-2) (1-3) items from your list to focus on; the best ones are those that are most meaningful and exciting to you and that you can write the most about.

Step 3: (Connect your strengths) (Make (a) connection(s)) from your past to the future

• For each specific strength, come up with/think of 1-2 moments/times when it made a significant difference in your life or significantly affected your thinking—when you learned a valuable lesson or grew as a person.
• Now take the lessons/moments you came up with and extrapolate how you’ll apply what you’ve learned in the future—how these moments will affect your life, goals, and especially your academic potential. Write down 1-2 ways these lessons and this growth will impact you going forward.
• Keep in mind the values and ideals that U of SC cherishes. The school is big on promoting leadership, well-rounded students (??? diversity, world cultures, art, etc), experiential learning, and applying your education/what you’ve learned outside of the classroom to make a difference in the “real world.” You don’t want to sound/say things just because you think they’ll impress U of SC admissions, but it could help to touch on how your strengths and lessons will help you adhere to/exemplify these U of SC touchstones/foundations/these core U of SC ideals.
• Examples? (maybe helpful here….)

Once you’ve completed these steps, you’ll have lots of compelling material for/to write/for writing your University of South Carolina application essay. Open/Begin by sharing/Share the moments from step 3 that illustrate your main strength(s); bring the reader into the moment, show your thinking/thought processes, and discuss what you learned and how you grew. Then, discuss the potential impact of these moments in college and beyond.

(If you’ve already written a Common App personal statement, you might be able to use some of the material from that. Go through and look for (parts that mention) (specific details pertaining to) key strengths, significant moments, and future impacts. You can plug these details right into the steps provided here. But remember, the strengths and key moments in your U of SC essay must relate directly to your academic potential in college.)

Related Articles

How to Write Your Waitlist Essay

Cassandra Cloutier

Your Waitlist Essay (aka, Letter of Continued Interest) serve two primary purposes: (1) share new (or additional) information that will make you a more compelling candidate and (2) confirm your level of interest in the school.

The Simple “Why Us” Essay Strategy that Works

Brad Schiller

A successful Why Us essay indicates you’ll likely enroll if admitted and shows why you’re a good fit. Focus on how your academic interests match what the college offers.

How to Write Every Ross School of Business Essay for the University of Michigan

This guide will help you develop compelling topics for both Ross School of Business essay prompts.

• Become a Writing Coach
• Writing Center
• Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
• Sign Up for an Essay Coaching Package
• College Essay Feedback for High Schools
• Prompt for IECs

• Human Editing
• Free AI Essay Writer
• AI Outline Generator
• AI Paragraph Generator
• Paragraph Expander
• Essay Expander
• Literature Review Generator
• Research Paper Generator
• Thesis Generator
• Paraphrasing tool
• AI Rewording Tool
• AI Sentence Rewriter
• AI Rephraser
• AI Paragraph Rewriter
• Summarizing Tool
• AI Content Shortener
• Plagiarism Checker
• AI Detector
• AI Essay Checker
• Citation Generator
• Reference Finder
• Book Citation Generator
• Legal Citation Generator
• Journal Citation Generator
• Reference Citation Generator
• Scientific Citation Generator
• Source Citation Generator
• Website Citation Generator
• URL Citation Generator
• Proofreading Service
• Editing Service
• AI Writing Guides
• AI Detection Guides
• Citation Guides
• Grammar Guides
• Paraphrasing Guides
• Plagiarism Guides
• Summary Writing Guides
• STEM Guides
• Humanities Guides
• Language Learning Guides
• Coding Guides
• Top Lists and Recommendations
• AI Detectors
• AI Writing Services
• Coding Homework Help
• Citation Generators
• Editing Websites
• Essay Writing Websites
• Language Learning Websites
• Math Solvers
• Paraphrasers
• Plagiarism Checkers
• Reference Finders
• Spell Checkers
• Summarizers
• Tutoring Websites

Most Popular

12 days ago

AI or Not AI? A Student Suspects One Of Their Peer Reviewer Was A Bot

11 days ago

How To Summarize A Research Article

Loose vs lose, how to cite a blog, apa paraphrasing, south carolina university essay sample, example.

As long as I can remember, my favorite question has been, “What if?” As a child, I could turn any subject into a serious discussion following where this question led me. When I heard something was impossible, I would immediately ask: “What if it was possible?” When I heard something had or had not happened, I would start to imagine opposite situations. Even being on my own, I would constantly model various life situations, trying to figure out how I or other people would act, what would they say or feel.

For a rather long period of time, this habit remained a mind exercise; sometimes it caused me trouble, since I easily got absorbed in my thoughts, and almost always believed in their truthfulness. Considering that I loved to read books—all kinds of books, starting from fiction and ending up with popular science—I constantly had food for thought. Therefore, it seems strange to me that I attempted to write down my fantasies down only at the age of 17. One day, when I noticed I had once again started to unfold the “what-if chain of events,” as I called it, I took a piece of paper, a pencil, and started to write everything down that came to my mind.

I quickly realized that imagining events and trying to describe them is not the same; rather often, my brilliant ideas looked unconvincing and clunky on paper. I could draft one essay or story for weeks, and still be displeased with the result. At that time, I already knew that if I did not become a professional writer, I would become nothing, because no other career attracted me. I sharpened my skills day by day, I read many writing manuals and guidelines, I studied biographies of famous writers, and I continued to devour books of all genres—but I still felt discontent with my performance.

I went to writing workshops in my neighborhood weekly, and found that constructive criticism is invaluable. After a year or so of attending these workshops, and consistently writing new short stories, I sent my works to many publications and writing contests. I ended up in six literary magazines and one book, all of which were independent presses. I became a finalist in the South Carolina Youth Writing Contest, which was an honor for me. But after these publications and becoming a finalist in a nationwide contest, I realized I did not refer to the category of people who could rely entirely on their talent, and made a decision to enter a college and pick a specialty that would facilitate my development and help me accomplish my dream to become a professional writer.

This is why I chose the University of South Carolina—the faculty of Arts and Sciences, in particular. In my opinion, the department of English Literature and Culture would perfectly suit my needs. I find the set of disciplines offered by this department extremely useful for a person with my area of interests; classes on composition and rhetoric, literary and critical theory, linguistics, communication studies, and especially creative writing seem to be the most facilitating for my improvement and development as a writer.

I know the stereotype that creativity is not a skill one can obtain through training and thorough studying; it is presumed that talent and skills should be natural. On the other hand, personally I see nothing wrong in studying to become a writer or to be proficient in any other creative profession. From my perspective, it is a perfect opportunity to transform my accumulated knowledge and experience into a greater understanding; this way is much faster than comprehending my subject by the trial and error method. Thus, studying in your university is my chance to achieve my goals and dreams faster and easier. This is the main reason why I want to enter the University of South Carolina.

Follow us on Reddit for more insights and updates.

Comments (0)

Welcome to A*Help comments!

We’re all about debate and discussion at A*Help.

We value the diverse opinions of users, so you may find points of view that you don’t agree with. And that’s cool. However, there are certain things we’re not OK with: attempts to manipulate our data in any way, for example, or the posting of discriminative, offensive, hateful, or disparaging material.

Comments are closed.

More from Admission Essay Examples and Samples

Aug 12 2016

Describe a Person You Admire Essay Sample, Example

Jun 12 2012

Applying for Master’s Program in the University of Anthropological Research Essay Sample, Example

May 08 2012

Prompt: Please State Your Reasons for Applying for the Program You have Selected in Our University Essay Sample, Example

Related writing guides, writing an admission essay.

Remember Me

What is your profession ? Student Teacher Writer Other

Forgotten Password?

Username or Email

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

University of South Carolina Requirements for Admission

Choose your test.

What are University of South Carolina's admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:

• GPA requirements
• Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
• Application requirements

In this guide we'll cover what you need to get into University of South Carolina and build a strong application.

School location: Columbia, SC

This school is also known as: Carolina, SC

Admissions Rate: 64.1%

If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.

The acceptance rate at University of South Carolina is 64.1% . For every 100 applicants, 64 are admitted.

This means the school is moderately selective . The school expects you to meet their requirements for GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but they're more flexible than other schools. If you exceed their requirements, you have an excellent chance of getting in. But if you don't, you might be one of the unlucky minority that gets a rejection letter.

We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies . We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

University of South Carolina GPA Requirements

Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students.

Average GPA: 3.66

The average GPA at University of South Carolina is 3.66 .

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.

With a GPA of 3.66, University of South Carolina requires you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need at least a mix of A's and B's, with more A's than B's. You can compensate for a lower GPA with harder classes, like AP or IB classes. This will show that you're able to handle more difficult academics than the average high school student.

If you're currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 3.66, you'll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate . This will help you compete effectively against other applicants who have higher GPAs than you.

SAT and ACT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them.

University of South Carolina hasn't explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but because it's published average SAT or ACT scores (we'll cover this next), it's likely test flexible. Typically, these schools say, "if you feel your SAT or ACT score represents you well as a student, submit them. Otherwise, don't."

Despite this policy, the truth is that most students still take the SAT or ACT, and most applicants to University of South Carolina will submit their scores. If you don't submit scores, you'll have one fewer dimension to show that you're worthy of being admitted, compared to other students. We therefore recommend that you consider taking the SAT or ACT, and doing well.

University of South Carolina SAT Requirements

Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score.

Average SAT: 1275

The average SAT score composite at University of South Carolina is a 1275 on the 1600 SAT scale.

This score makes University of South Carolina Competitive for SAT test scores.

University of South Carolina SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

The 25th percentile SAT score is 1180, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1370. In other words, a 1180 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1370 will move you up to above average .

Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:

SAT Score Choice Policy

The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.

University of South Carolina has the Score Choice policy of "All Scores."

This means that University of South Carolina requires you to send all SAT scores you've ever taken to their office.

This sounds daunting, but most schools don't actually consider all your scores equally. For example, if you scored an 1300 on one test and a 1500 on another, they won't actually average the two tests.

More commonly, the school will take your highest score on a single test date. Even better, some schools form a Superscore - that is, they take your highest section score across all your test dates and combine them.

Some students are still worried about submitting too many test scores. They're afraid that University of South Carolina will look down on too many attempts to raise your score. But how many is too many?

From our research and talking to admissions officers, we've learned that 4-6 tests is a safe number to submit . The college understands that you want to have the best chance of admission, and retaking the test is a good way to do this. Within a reasonable number of tests, they honestly don't care how many times you've taken it. They'll just focus on your score.

If you take it more than 6 times, colleges start wondering why you're not improving with each test. They'll question your study skills and ability to improve.

But below 6 tests, we strongly encourage retaking the test to maximize your chances. If your SAT score is currently below a 1275, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it . You don't have much to lose, and you can potentially raise your score and significantly boost your chances of getting in.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

University of South Carolina ACT Requirements

Just like for the SAT, University of South Carolina likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.

Average ACT: 28

The average ACT score at University of South Carolina is 28. This score makes University of South Carolina Moderately Competitive for ACT scores.

The 25th percentile ACT score is 25, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 31.

Even though University of South Carolina likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 25 or below, you'll have a harder time getting in, unless you have something else impressive in your application.

ACT Score Sending Policy

If you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.

Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.

This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 28 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.

ACT Superscore Policy

By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.

We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to University of South Carolina, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 28.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

Currently, only the ACT has an optional essay section that all students can take. The SAT used to also have an optional Essay section, but since June 2021, this has been discontinued unless you are taking the test as part of school-day testing in a few states. Because of this, no school requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing section, but some schools do recommend certain students submit their results if they have them.

University of South Carolina considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration. You don't need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you're applying to may require it.

Final Admissions Verdict

Because this school is moderately selective, strong academic performance will almost guarantee you admission . Scoring a 1370 SAT or a 31 ACT or above will nearly guarantee you admission. Because the school admits 64.1% of all applicants, being far above average raises the admission rate for you to nearly 100%.

If you can achieve a high SAT/ACT score, the rest of your application essentially doesn't matter. You still need to meet the rest of the application requirements, and your GPA shouldn't be too far off from the school average of 3.66. But you won't need dazzling extracurriculars and breathtaking letters of recommendation to get in. You can get in based on the merits of your score alone.

But if your score is a 1180 SAT or a 25 ACT and below, you have a good chance of being one of the unlucky few to be rejected.

Admissions Calculator

Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are. Pick your test: SAT ACT

• 80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
• 50-80%: More likely than not getting in
• 20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
• 5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
• 0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in

How would your chances improve with a better score?

Take your current SAT score and add 160 points (or take your ACT score and add 4 points) to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?

At PrepScholar, we've created the leading online SAT/ACT prep program . We guarantee an improvement of 160 SAT points or 4 ACT points on your score, or your money back.

Here's a summary of why we're so much more effective than other prep programs:

• PrepScholar customizes your prep to your strengths and weaknesses . You don't waste time working on areas you already know, so you get more results in less time.
• We guide you through your program step-by-step so that you're never confused about what you should be studying. Focus all your time learning, not worrying about what to learn.
• Our team is made of national SAT/ACT experts . PrepScholar's founders are Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers . You'll be studying using the strategies that actually worked for them.
• We've gotten tremendous results with thousands of students across the country. Read about our score results and reviews from our happy customers .

There's a lot more to PrepScholar that makes it the best SAT/ACT prep program. Click to learn more about our program , or sign up for our 5-day free trial to check out PrepScholar for yourself:

Application Requirements

Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We'll cover the exact requirements of University of South Carolina here.

Application Requirements Overview

• Common Application Not accepted
• Electronic Application Available
• Essay or Personal Statement
• Letters of Recommendation
• Interview Not required
• Application Fee $65
• Fee Waiver Available? Available
• Other Notes

Testing Requirements

• SAT or ACT Considered if submitted
• SAT Essay or ACT Writing Optional
• SAT Subject Tests
• Scores Due in Office None

Coursework Requirements

• Subject Required Years
• Foreign Language 2
• Social Studies 2
• Electives 1

Deadlines and Early Admissions

• Offered? Deadline Notification
• Yes December 1 March 15
• Yes October 15 December 15

Admissions Office Information

• Address: 1244 Columbia, SC 29208
• Phone: (803) 777-7000 x7000
• Email: [email protected]

Our Expert's Notes

We did more detailed research into this school's admissions process and found the following information:

Complete a general application by December 1 to be considered for scholarships. A full list of scholarships for both in-state and out-of-state students is available here .

If you're interested in the Honors College, you will complete an honors application alongside your general university application, due November 15th. Additionally, if you apply by December 1 you will be considered for the Capstone Scholars program , a two-year enrichment program.

Other Schools For You

If you're interested in University of South Carolina, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to University of South Carolina.

Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into

These schools are have higher average SAT scores than University of South Carolina. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

If you're competitive for University of South Carolina, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.

Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

If you're currently competitive for University of South Carolina, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If University of South Carolina is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.

Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.

If You Liked Our Advice...

Our experts have written hundreds of useful articles on improving your SAT score and getting into college. You'll definitely find something useful here.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get FREE strategies and guides sent to your email. Learn how to ace the SAT with exclusive tips and insights that we share with our private newsletter subscribers.

You should definitely follow us on social media . You'll get updates on our latest articles right on your feed. Follow us on all of our social networks:

University of South Carolina Undergraduate College Application Essays

These University of South Carolina college application essays were written by students accepted at University of South Carolina. All of our sample college essays include the question prompt and the year written. Please use these sample admission essays responsibly.

Join Now to View Premium Content

GradeSaver provides access to 2359 study guide PDFs and quizzes, 11005 literature essays, 2763 sample college application essays, 926 lesson plans, and ad-free surfing in this premium content, “Members Only” section of the site! Membership includes a 10% discount on all editing orders.

• Browse College Application Essays
• Undergraduate

College Application Essays accepted by University of South Carolina

Stick with me amanda craig hudson, university of south carolina.

As I sit staring with droopy eyes at my computer, the mere thought of having to write another 1000 word essay describing the “most influential person in my life” or “a time that I made a bad decision” makes me cringe. With seven essays down, and...

The Performance Changed the Performer Anonymous

Two flamboyant characters sat in the center of the first row; I saw their hands dancing wildly in the air while I tiptoed quietly into the theatre so as not to pop their bubble of eccentricity. However, the heavy door’s loud click as it closed...

Kolbe Francis Roy Graham

Some of the most heroic people are those who aren’t tremendously famous. In 1941, after three prisoners had escaped a work camp, the SS selected ten men to die of starvation in an underground bunker in order to discourage escape attempts. Among...

Dream to Race Paige Dougherty

Turning around the sharp corner and onto the straightway, the car next to me, number 32, inched closer and closer to the inside of the track, forcing me to move to the outside. While trying to speed up my pace around the next curve, my car’s front...

Good ole days Jake Galante

"I think I'm ready to go home now," I inform my roommate Patrick, yet again, as we mix cement and shovel rocks for hours upon hours under the beating Mexican sun. It is Tuesday of our week-long mission trip to Nuevo Durango, and I already feel...

The Pastor's Daughter Lauren DeRoco

I nervously sat down to the computer and started typing. Creating an Evite wouldn’t seem like a big deal to most people, but it was to me. Always having been too shy to reach out to my teammates from soccer, I had never been included in their...

Selfishness Anonymous

I slowed my car outside of the soup kitchen and looked at the parking lot. There was one space left, and the only way I could park was to back up into it, which I was terrible at. My heart dropped into my stomach.

Nervously, I put my car in...

No Pain, No Gain Anonymous

First, it was my leg. I was three years old, running around the grassy backyard in my sparkly purple leotard, quietly catching glances of my neighbors flying up and down from across the lawn. With a misguided confidence, I determined that I,...

Recent Questions about University of South Carolina

The Question and Answer section for University of South Carolina is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

What does this tell us about Atticus when Heck says it is a one shot job?

Heck's comment tells us that there won't be another shot.... that killing Tim Johnson has to be accomplished by the best shot.... "One-Shot Finch".

Univ of South Carolina

I'm sorry, this question will require you to contact the University directly. This is a short-answer literature forum, I do not have that information. You might begin by looking at the University's website.

What are your top majors?

I'm not sure I understand the question. If you are seeking information about majors at the University of South Carolina, I'd advise you to go directly to the University's website.

Home — Application Essay — University — University of South Carolina

University of South Carolina Admission Essays

Financial aid appeal: why i need this opportunity.

I recently submitted a BJU Financial Aid Appeal. I am writing this sap appeal letter example because I need to say more. My parents and I are very thankful for the help BJU has given us in my financial aid package. I am very excited…

Stick With Me: College Admission Essay Sample

As I sit staring with droopy eyes at my computer, the mere thought of having to write another 1000 word essay describing the “most influential person in my life” or “a time that I made a bad decision” makes me cringe. With seven essays down,…

Kolbe: College Admission Essay Sample

Some of the most heroic people are those who aren’t tremendously famous. In 1941, after three prisoners had escaped a work camp, the SS selected ten men to die of starvation in an underground bunker in order to discourage escape attempts. Among the selected was…

Good ole days: College Admission Essay Sample

“I think I’m ready to go home now,” I inform my roommate Patrick, yet again, as we mix cement and shovel rocks for hours upon hours under the beating Mexican sun. It is Tuesday of our week-long mission trip to Nuevo Durango, and I already…

How Racing Helped Me Discover Who I Am

Turning around the sharp corner and onto the straightway, the car next to me, number 32, inched closer and closer to the inside of the track, forcing me to move to the outside. While trying to speed up my pace around the next curve, my…

Get professional help in 5 minutes

— EST. 1801 —

50,099 Students

Columbia, South Carolina 29208

Selected filters

Universities

• American University
• University of Colorado - Boulder
• University of Michigan
• University of Miami
• University of Maryland, College Park
• University of San Diego
• Rutgers University
• Wesleyan University
• University of Delaware
• University of Maine

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Ultimate Guide to Writing Your College Essay

Tips for writing an effective college essay.

College admissions essays are an important part of your college application and gives you the chance to show colleges and universities your character and experiences. This guide will give you tips to write an effective college essay.

Want free help with your college essay?

UPchieve connects you with knowledgeable and friendly college advisors—online, 24/7, and completely free. Get 1:1 help brainstorming topics, outlining your essay, revising a draft, or editing grammar.

Writing a strong college admissions essay

Learn about the elements of a solid admissions essay.

Avoiding common admissions essay mistakes

Learn some of the most common mistakes made on college essays

Brainstorming tips for your college essay

Stuck on what to write your college essay about? Here are some exercises to help you get started.

How formal should the tone of your college essay be?

Learn how formal your college essay should be and get tips on how to bring out your natural voice.

Taking your college essay to the next level

Hear an admissions expert discuss the appropriate level of depth necessary in your college essay.

Student Stories

Student Story: Admissions essay about a formative experience

Get the perspective of a current college student on how he approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about personal identity

Get the perspective of a current college student on how she approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about community impact

Student story: admissions essay about a past mistake, how to write a college application essay, tips for writing an effective application essay, sample college essay 1 with feedback, sample college essay 2 with feedback.

This content is licensed by Khan Academy and is available for free at www.khanacademy.org.

It's not too late to get feedback from experts on your essays! Use code ESSAY20 to save $$$

OTHER SCHOOLS

Edward via college of osteopathic medicine-carolina campus secondary application, medical university of south carolina college of medicine secondary application, university of south carolina-columbia school of medicine secondary application, university of south carolina-greenville school of medicine secondary application, search site.

5 MOST POPULAR PODCASTS

Secondary Essay Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

5 Common Med School Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Medical Ethics Questions You Can Expect In Your Interview

The MMI: Everything You Need to Know About the Multiple Mini Interview

Common Medical School Interview Mistakes and How to Fix Them

© Medical School Headquarters - All Rights Reserved. | Affiliate Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Website by MAP

Apply to USCB

• First Year Students
• Transfer Students
• International Students
• Online Students
• M.S. Computational Science
• M.Ed. Literacy
• Benefits for Honors Students
• Beaufort College Honors Handbook
• First Year Honors Cohorts
• Join Honors Program as a Current Student
• Honors Forms
• Current USCB Bulletin and Course Catalog
• Honors Contact
• Active Duty and Veterans
• Reduced Tuition for Military
• Military Dependents
• Returning Students
• Dual Enrollment
• Contact the Admissions Team

We're Excited You've Discovered USCB

Apply online by creating a student account and completing an application today!

apply online TODAY

What's Next?

The Office of Admissions will determine your acceptance status and notify you through your application email of a status change.  

Freshmen students must submit a high school transcript.  ACT or SAT test scores will not be considered as part of your admissions decision, but are required for South Carolina state scholarships.

Transfer students must submit ALL previous post-secondary institutions transcripts.  If student has less than 30 credit hours they must submit all previous post-secondary institution transcripts and high school transcript.

Please Note: 

While ACT/SAT scores will not be required for admission to the University, applicants are still encouraged to take the ACT or SAT if possible, as test scores continue to be required for consideration for SC state scholarships, as well as some institutional and private scholarships.

International students applying to USCB are also eligible to be test optional. However, a language proficiency through examination may still be required. Please review the International Requirements for additional information. 

USCB application deadlines:

• Fall semester application deadline is July 1st
• Spring semester application deadline is December 1st
• Summer semester application deadline is May 1st

Contact the Office of Admissions

Mailing address:.

University of South Carolina Beaufort Office of Admissions One University Boulevard Bluffton, SC 29909 Phone (843) 208-8055 Fax (843) 208-8290 Email [email protected]

admission staff

University of South Carolina-Union

• Cost & scholarships
• Essay prompt

Want to see your chances of admission at University of South Carolina-Union?

We take every aspect of your personal profile into consideration when calculating your admissions chances.

This school does not require essays or the essay prompts are not available yet.

Sign up to be notified of any changes.

Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Secondary Application Essay Prompts & Tips

• Cracking Med School Admissions

The Medical University of South Carolina secondary application has several medium-length essays. Being a public institution, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) prefers medical students who are from South Carolina or from nearby state. Read all our Medical University of South Carolina tips below so you can learn how to stand out question by question! 

Submitting a strong secondary application is essential in getting accepted. The MUSC secondary application prompts do not change frequently, so we suggest pre-writing these essays. This way, you can submit this seocndary earlier in the application cycle.  Stand out on your MUSC secondary application with our secondary essay editing packages ! 

• Personally Tailored Essays
• Edits by Stanford & Harvard-trained Doctors
• We study your application strengths to see what unique attributes we’ll bring to the medical school

Medical University of South Carolina Secondary Application Questions: 2023 – 2024

Medical University of South Carolina Secondary Application MD Prompts:   

• Please discuss your primary interest in attending the Medical University of South Carolina. (2,000 characters max)
• We desire to train students and physicians to work with the diverse patients of our state and nation. Please share any important aspects of your background, identity, and/or experiences that have impacted your ability to relate to and work with diverse communities and patient populations.  (2,000 characters max)
• (If applicable) For re-applicants- If you are a re-applicant, please describe what you have done since last applying (i.e. your activities, involvement, preparedness, etc.) to strengthen your candidacy for medical school. ( 2,000 characters max )
• (If applicable) For out-of-state applicants- If you are not a legal resident of South Carolina, please describe in detail your strong Close Ties to South Carolina. Close Ties are defined as: (1) Having lived in SC for multiple years, (2) Parents who currently live full-time in SC, (3) Completed the majority of your education in SC (i.e. enrolled in or graduate of an undergraduate and/or graduate degree from a South Carolina institution), (4) and/or Currently living in and/or working in South Carolina. ( 3,000 characters max )

Medical University of South Carolina Secondary Application MSTP Prompts: 

• Please attached a resume / personal history / CV. For the Resume/Personal History below, provide the following information in resume or curriculum vitae format:
• education with dates
• past employment
• undergraduate or summer research experience(s) including number of hours in each
• publications
• academic honors, awards
• extracurricular/community/professional activities
• membership in professional organizations

2. For the Essay section, write a paragraph that includes discussion of the following:

• Why do you want to come to MUSC
• Research you want to pursue in graduate school

Tips to Answer MUSC Secondary Application Essays

Medical University of South Carolina Secondary application Pre-Writing Guidance:  Because the prompts don’t change that often and because this is a long secondary application, we strongly encourage premedical school applicants to pre-write this. This is also a state school application, which means you should submit it earlier in the application cycle. If you are an out-of-state (OOS) applicant to MUSC, we strongly suggest you submit this application to the admissions committee by the end of July. Get all our secondary application essay tips by downloading our Cracking Med School Admissions secondary essay guide. 

MUSC Secondary Application Tip #1: Given that Medical University of South Carolina is a public institution, it is extremely important to write your affiliations with South Carolina. If you lived in South Carolina or even visited family in South Carolina, we highly mention that in your application! Additionally, if you’ve done clinical or volunteer experiences in South Carolina, include that in your application. Finally, if you plan to practice in South Carolina, mention it your MUSC secondary application!

MUSC Secondary Application Tip #2: The Medical University of South Carolina secondary application question, “ We desire to train students and physicians to work with the diverse patients of our state and nation. Please share any important aspects of your background, identity, and/or experiences that have impacted your ability to relate to and work with diverse communities and patient populations ” is similar to a diversity essay. Diversity does not necessarily mean your ethnic diversity, although you can write about your ethnic background if you feel like there is a unique aspect. We recommend students write about their strengths, including exceptional extracurricular activity endeavors.

• Read our tips on how to best answer diversity secondary essays:  Medical School Diversity Essay Examples and Tips

Most applicants will first go to writing about their family background – particularly their families’ immigrant background – when they see a diversity prompt. While that is not incorrect,  Drs. Rizal and Mediratta  ask: Is this the best topic to make you stand out? What topic will best convey your commitment to being an excellent physician? 

Don’t forget to answer this long character limit essay with at least one story!

MUSC Secondary Application Tip #3: Our Cracking Med School Admissions team strongly encourages our students to include stories in the MUSC secondary application. Stories can  show the reader a lot about you!

Here are examples of stories our students have written:

• A story from your gap year job. Many students scribe, and you can discuss a memorable patient encounter. Other students do research, so we’ve encouraged students to discuss a challenging research problem and how they solved it. 
• A patient experience you have encountered and connect it with the region of the country you are interested in. 
• Stories with rural patients. Especially for OOS applicants, you have to relate your experiences outside of South Carolina with the rural population of South Carolina. 

MUSC Secondary Application Tip #4: Don’t forget to incorporate a little bit about “Why MUSC” throughout the Medical University of South Carolina secondary application responses. Talk about the curriculum and specific volunteer / clinical opportunities you want to do at MUSC.

• Read our blog post why this medical school to gain insights on how to incorporate a strong “Why Medical University of South Carolina.” 

MUSC Secondary Application Tip #5: Get our help to edit your Medical University of South Carolina secondary application essays and your other secondary essays. We can help you through our secondary essay packages . Have questions about how you can stand out? Contact Dr. Rachel Rizal and Dr. Rishi Mediratta below. 

Your medical school application Coaches, Mentors, & Cheerleaders

We Personally Advise Every Student We Work With.

Rachel Rizal, M.D.

Changing the trajectory of people’s lives.

Undergraduate Princeton University, cum laude

Medical School Stanford School of Medicine

Residency Harvard, Emergency Medicine

Awards & Scholarships Fulbright Scholar USA Today Academic First Team Tylenol Scholarship

Rishi Mediratta, M.D., M.Sc., M.A.

Advising students to attend their dream schools.

Undergraduate Johns Hopkins University, Phi Beta Kappa

Residency Stanford, Pediatrics

Awards & Scholarships Marshall Scholar Tylenol Scholarship Global Health Scholar

stand out from other applicants with our secondary essay edit packages

Download your secondary essay guide.

Use this essay guide and workbook to write standout secondaries.

• First Name *
• Best Email *
• Year Applying to Medical School *
• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Medical University of South Carolina Secondary Application Questions: 2022 – 2023

Medical University of South Carolina Secondary Application MD Prompts: 

• What are your medical practice goals? (2,000 characters max)
• If it has been more than six months since you completed your bachelor’s degree, please describe your employment status since that time (part-time, full-time, and dates). (2,000 characters max)
• In what region of the country do you want to practice medicine? Why? (2,000 characters max)
• What areas of medicine are you interested in at this time, or what areas do you plan to pursue? (2,000 characters max)
• Do you have any accomplishments or experiences that make you a unique applicant? (2,000 characters max)

Medical University of South Carolina Secondary Application Questions: 2021 – 2022

Our students successfully receive interviews at their reach schools.

Stand Out From Other Applicants

School Secondary Editing Packages

Why choose us.

Your acceptance can be just one essay away…

Medical University of South Carolina Secondary Application Questions: 2020 - 2021

• Does this application represent a career change? If so, please describe your most recent career. (2,000 characters max)
• Explain any impact that COVID-19 may have had on your educational, research, volunteering or employment plans. (2,000 characters max)

Medical University of South Carolina Secondary Application Questions: 2019 – 2020

Medical university of south carolina secondary application questions: 2018 – 2019, medical university of south carolina secondary application questions: 2017 – 2018.

• Do you have any relatives who graduated from USC School of Medicine-Columbia? (yes or no) If so, please list any relatives who graduated from USC School of Medicine-Columbia, year of graduation (if known), and their relationship to you. What are your medical practice goals?Does this application represent a career change? If so, please describe your most recent career. If it has been more than six months since you completed your bachelor’s degree, please describe your employment status since that time (part-time, full-time, and dates).In what region of the country do you want to practice medicine? Why? (2,000 characters max)

Medical University of South Carolina Secondary Application Questions: 2016 – 2017

• What are your medical practice goals? (1,000 characters max)
• If it has been more than six months since you completed your bachelor’s degree, please describe your employment status since that time (part-time, full-time, and dates). (1,000 characters max)
• In what region of the country do you want to practice medicine? Why? (1,000 characters max)
• What areas of medicine are you interested in at this time, or what areas do you plan to pursue? (1,000 characters max)
• Do you have any accomplishments or experiences that make you a unique applicant? (1,000 characters max)

Medical University of South Carolina Secondary Application Questions: 2015 – 2016

• If it has been more than six months since you completed your bachelor’s degree, please describe your employment status since that time (part-time, full-time, and dates). (2,000 characters max)

Medical University of South Carolina Secondary Application Questions: 2014 – 2015

Contact us with questions, we'll answer any and all your questions about medical school we typically respond within 1 business day..

• Your Name *
• Your Email *
• Phone (optional)
• Leave us a Message or Question! We will email and call you back. *
• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Start typing and press enter to search

• Office of Undergraduate Admissions
• Location Location
• Contact Contact
• Offices and Divisions
• For Transfers

Transfer Applicants

We're excited you want to learn more about transferring to USC and continuing your education as a Gamecock. Our team is here to help guide you throughout the process. 

Complete the transfer application if you currently attend or have attended a post-secondary institution and would like to attend USC Columbia.

Students attending another USC System Campus who wish to transfer to USC Columbia should complete the USC system transfer application . 

Planning to transfer? 

We created a guide to help you apply to USC. 

USC Transfer Guide

Required Materials

All transfer applicants must submit the following credentials:  

Submit the transfer application   by the deadline for the term you would like to enroll at USC.

Submit a nonrefundable $65 application fee on the payment page at the end of the application. International applicants require a $100 application fee and English proficiency scores, depending on your country of citizenship.

Note: The application fee is waived for active duty military personnel applying for the USC Fort Jackson Military Associate Program.

Upload unofficial transcripts from each institution attended at the time of application submission. We will notify you when official transcripts are due.

Hours attempted on a pass/fail basis or from remedial coursework do not count towards the 30 semester hour requirement.

Send an official high school transcript if less than 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) of college-level work were attempted at a regionally accredited college or university. Transcripts must be sent directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions from the high school.  

Important Dates

Our 2024 transfer application will open on the following dates:

• Spring 2024: Sept. 1
• Summer & Fall 2024: Feb. 1

Transfer applications must be submitted by the following deadlines:

All majors except nursing:

Application deadline: Nov. 1 Credentials deadline: Dec. 18 

Nursing majors: 

Application deadline:  Nov. 1 Credentials deadline: Dec. 1 (due to the competitiveness of the nursing program)

All majors except business and nursing:

Application deadline:  May 1 Credentials deadline: May 15

Business and nursing majors: 

Application deadline:  May 1 Credentials deadline: May 1 (due to the competitiveness of these programs)

Application deadline: July 1 Credentials deadline: July 15

Application deadline: May 1  Credentials deadline: June 1 (due to the competitiveness of these programs)

The following deadlines are for the USC Columbia Palmetto College majors: Elementary Education, Liberal Studies (BLS) and Organizational Leadership (BOL).

Application deadline (BLS and BOL):  Dec. 11 Credentials deadline (BLS and BOL):  Dec. 18

Application deadline (Elementary Education):  Dec. 1 Credentials deadline (Elementary Education): Dec. 8

Application deadline (BLS and BOL):  Feb. 19 Credentials deadline (BLS and BOL):  Feb. 26

Application deadline:  April 15 Credentials deadline:  April 22

Application deadline:  June 3 Credentials deadline:  June 10

Application deadline:  July 29 Credentials deadline:  Aug. 5

Application deadline (BLS and BOL): Sept. 30 Credentials deadline (BLS and BOL):  Oct. 7

Application Review

Transfer applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:

If fewer than 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) of college-level work have been attempted, you must meet both transfer and freshman entrance requirements. Hours on a pass/fail basis or from remedial coursework do not count towards the 30 semester hour requirement.

Transfer applicants from regionally accredited colleges and universities must have at least a  cumulative 2.25 grade-point average  on a 4.00 scale (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0). Several colleges and programs within the university, however, require higher grade point averages on all college work attempted. Visit transfer GPA requirements  for requirements by major. 

USC GPA Calculation:

• Your transfer GPA is calculated by using all credits attempted and all grades earned on college-level courses (e.g. nondevelopmental, nonremedial) at other institutions. Transfer students who do not meet GPA requirements for their intended major and have coursework older than 4 years   may   be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• If you repeated a course one or several times, we count all grades in our GPA calculation.
• If you are currently enrolled in college courses, we may hold your admissions decision until we review your updated grades.

Note: Undergraduate admission requirements, policies and procedures are subject to continuous review by the admission staff and Faculty Admissions Committee and may be changed without notice. The deans of the university's colleges and schools ultimately determine which transfer courses are credited in their programs.

After You Apply

After you submit the application, you can check your application status on your   USC Admissions Portal . You can also request changes to your application. Once we've made a decision on your application, you will receive an email instructing you to check your portal.

USC Admissions Portal

Transfer Credits

Transferring ap/ib credits from high school.

Discover  how to receive USC credit  for Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses.

Transferring Credits from Other Institutions

USC generally accepts all nonremedial coursework taken at regionally-accredited institutions. If you are a student at another public college or university, you can use the University Registrar's course equivalency table to see how your classes may transfer to USC. You must apply and be admitted to USC before an official review of your transfer credits occurs. Some classes may not transfer to USC or be applicable to your degree program.

If you do not see the course you are looking for on the course equivalency table, complete our Undergraduate Course Evaluation Request Form .

Transferring Credits from SC Technical Colleges

If you are a student at one of our technical colleges in South Carolina, explore our resources for transferring from SC Technical Colleges , including specific course equivalents.

Active duty military personnel may also choose to apply to the   USC Fort Jackson Military Associate Program   using the appropriate   online degree-seeking application . In addition, all military students (regardless of active duty status) are welcome to apply to a bachelor's degree program using one of the university's standard   degree-seeking applications   for admission (standard application fees and requirements apply). 

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.