Moderately selectiveUpdated for the 2025-2026 cycle

College of Charleston acceptance rate and admissions profile

With an acceptance rate near 60%, College of Charleston is a moderately selective public university in South Carolina. Because it admits more applicants than it rejects, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.

Use this page to see what College of Charleston weighs, where it ranks among South Carolina schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1300, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
60%
Moderately selective
Admitted SAT (75th pct)
1300
of admitted students
Type
Public
South Carolina
Selectivity in state
#8
of 32 in SC
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Will I get into College of Charleston?

Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into College of Charleston, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.

What are my chances of getting into College of Charleston?

College of Charleston admits most qualified applicants (around 60%), but that overall rate is not your personal chance. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for College of Charleston in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is College of Charleston hard to get into?

College of Charleston is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 60% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

What GPA do you need to get into College of Charleston?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at College of Charleston, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. College of Charleston reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

What SAT score do you need for College of Charleston?

College of Charleston does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1300. A score at or above that range strengthens your application, while a lower score puts more weight on your rigor, activities, and essays. CollegeCalcAI shows how your exact score shifts your odds at College of Charleston.

Calculate your chances at College of Charleston

What College of Charleston looks for

What College of Charleston weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.

In its review, College of Charleston leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from College of Charleston's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.

Rigor of secondary school record
Very important
Academic GPA
Very important
Class rank
Considered
Standardized test scores
Important
Application essay
Important
Recommendations
Important
Interview
Considered
Extracurricular activities
Important
Talent / ability
Considered
Character / personal qualities
Important
First-generation status
Considered
Alumni / legacy relation
Considered
Volunteer work
Considered
Work experience
Considered
Level of applicant interest
Important

SAT score positioning at College of Charleston

How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability — your full profile determines the real estimate.

SATWhere it sits at College of Charleston
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400Above the admitted 75th percentile
1300In the competitive admitted range
1200Below the middle, makes the rest of the profile matter more
1100Well below the admitted range
Colleges for a 1300 SAT →Colleges for a 28 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How College of Charleston compares in South Carolina

College of Charleston ranks #8 most selective of 32 schools in South Carolina in our database.

Among the 32 South Carolina schools we track, College of Charleston ranks #8 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Clemson University (38%) and Furman University (43%) sit nearby, which makes South Carolina a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.

Clemson University
38%acceptance · SC
Furman University
43%acceptance · SC
Morris College
50%acceptance · SC
Voorhees University
50%acceptance · SC
Wofford College
52%acceptance · SC
Anderson University (SC)
55%acceptance · SC
Bob Jones University
58%acceptance · SC
University of South Carolina
60%acceptance · SC
See all South Carolina schools →

Similar to College of Charleston

Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.

Build around College of Charleston with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as University of Akron, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and University of South Carolina. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.

University of Akron
60%acceptance · OH
University of Massachusetts Amherst
60%acceptance · MA
University of South Carolina
60%acceptance · SC
SUNY Cortland
60%acceptance · NY
Ohio State University
61%acceptance · OH
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
59%acceptance · AR

Frequently asked questions

What does College of Charleston value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, College of Charleston weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does College of Charleston favor in-state applicants?

As a public university, College of Charleston generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.

How can I improve my chances at College of Charleston?

Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at College of Charleston specifically.

How does residency affect admission to College of Charleston?

As a public university, College of Charleston typically admits in-state students at a higher rate, and tuition differs sharply by residency. Select your home state in the calculator to fold the in-state effect into your estimate.

What are the admission requirements for College of Charleston?

College of Charleston reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

Acceptance rate and admitted test ranges reflect publicly reported data (U.S. Department of Education / NCES IPEDS / Common Data Sets). Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.