CofC Admissions and Recruitment Updates for Faculty, Staff

With another successful recruiting season complete, the Division of University Marketing and Enrollment Planning has turned its focus toward recruiting the incoming class for 2023. Here’s a snapshot of what was accomplished during the 2022 recruitment cycle and a peek at what you can expect this fall.

We enrolled 1,020-plus students from South Carolina and 1,190-plus students from other states. In South Carolina, the top three counties were Charleston, York and Greenville. The top three states outside of South Carolina were New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. We welcomed students from more than 15 different countries. The acceptance rate was 73% (a 3% improvement over last year), and the average GPA for all students was 4.07. While students could still apply test optional, the average SAT score was 1214 and the average ACT score was 27.

Fall is a very busy time for the Office of Admissions, especially for its admissions counselors, who are visiting high schools, attending college fairs and engaging with prospective students in one-on-one sit-downs. From South Carolina to Texas, from California to Maine: Our counselors are hitting the road. Check out this schedule of events, which is updated frequently, to see all the places they go. They’re even going international! This year, the international admissions counselor will be attending USA College Day in London. Sponsored by the Fulbright Commission, this event brings more than 120 U.S. universities to one central location.

But there’s a lot going on right here on campus, too. Prospective students can choose from a multitude of tours and events to get to know the College of Charleston’s historic campus, including the highly interactive and inclusive visit opportunity, Build Your Own Campus Tour (BYOCT), which allows them to explore campus at their own pace and meet students, faculty and staff at each stop. In October alone, there will be two BYOCT events; the Fall Open House (Oct. 1), where students can meet with admissions staff, faculty members and current students and take a look around campus; and two Multicultural Overnight Visit Experience (M.O.V.E.) events, when students of color in their senior year of high school are invited to spend the night on campus to get a feel for what it’s like to be a Cougar.

Faculty and staff play a huge part in recruitment. Every time a prospective student interacts with a member of the campus community, it leaves an impression. That’s why it’s important for us all to live the College of Charleston brand. The College is a living, breathing thing with its own personality with personality traits that we can showcase when talking to prospective students about the College.

In addition, the College has a Faculty and Staff Referral Program: Employees who know of a prospective student who would be a perfect fit for the College can complete a referral form, and the prospect will receive an application waiver. And you’ll be helping us make the College that much better!