Academically exceptional high school students from 15 South Carolina counties will now be rewarded for their success with automatic acceptance into the College of Charleston.
The Cougar Advantage program, formerly known as the Top 10 Percent program, guarantees admission to the College of Charleston to high-achieving public high school students in Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Clarendon, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Jasper, Orangeburg and Williamsburg counties. Students who rank in the top 10 percent of their senior class at the time of application, and are applying for admission for fall 2019, will automatically be accepted to the College under the Cougar Advantage program.
Once enrolled at the College, students who are part of the Cougar Advantage program will be provided support services and activities to ensure their personal well-being, academic success and persistence toward graduation
“The College of Charleston is proud to offer our Cougar Advantage program in 15 South Carolina counties,” said College of Charleston Interim President Stephen C. Osborne ’73. “Cougar Advantage is a wonderful initiative to help us recruit more of South Carolina’s best and brightest students as well as further diversify the College’s student body. The College takes its mission as a public university and to serve the residents of South Carolina seriously, and we are pleased that even more South Carolinians will have the opportunity to earn a world-class education in a world-class city.”
In addition, the College is offering the Cougar Advantage Pledge. This pledge is specifically for students who are eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant (regardless of the amount) and who meet the Cougar Advantage qualifications. These students will receive – at minimum – gift aid to cover tuition from a combination of federal, state and institutional sources. The pledge is renewable for three years beyond the freshman year for students who remain state scholarship eligible.
These same Cougar Advantage Pledge–eligible students will also receive a study-abroad award of up to $2,000 that they can use after they have 60 credit hours on file with the Registrar’s Office.
