University of South Carolina-Columbia: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Conway, South Carolina · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
University of South Carolina-Columbia is a public institution located in Conway, South Carolina. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of South Carolina-Columbia admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 80%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1128 and an ACT composite around 23. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $13,742 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of South Carolina-Columbia is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for University of South Carolina-Columbia?
University of South Carolina-Columbia has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does University of South Carolina-Columbia weight in admissions?
University of South Carolina-Columbia reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Class rank
- • Standardized test scores
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Interview
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores University of South Carolina-Columbia typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 520–600, with an EBRW midpoint near 560. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 20–26. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1070 |
| 50th percentile | 1140 |
| 75th percentile | 1210 |
| % submitting SAT | 23% |
| 25th percentile | 21 |
| 50th percentile | 23 |
| 75th percentile | 26 |
| % submitting ACT | 8% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 13% |
| Top 25% of class | 38% |
| Top 50% of class | 78% |
| % submitting class rank | 65% |
How much does University of South Carolina-Columbia actually cost?
Published tuition is $11,640 for in-state students and $29,628 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $11,418 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $13,742 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 27% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $11,460 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $29,448 |
| Room and board | $13,100 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $13,742 |
| Application fee | $45 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of South Carolina-Columbia
| Regular deadline | 2/1 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 or within 2 weeks if notified thereafter |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | 10/15 |
| ED acceptance rate | 77% |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | 11/15 |
Will my child graduate from University of South Carolina-Columbia?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Other colleges in South Carolina parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of South Carolina-Columbia
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of South Carolina-Columbia recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of South Carolina-Columbia
What GPA do I need for University of South Carolina-Columbia?
University of South Carolina-Columbia has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does University of South Carolina-Columbia typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 520–600, with an EBRW midpoint near 560. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 20–26.
How much does University of South Carolina-Columbia actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of South Carolina-Columbia after grants and scholarships is $13,742 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of South Carolina-Columbia realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of South Carolina-Columbia is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of South Carolina-Columbia, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.