Class of 2021 Freshman Profile

While every class is unique, this year’s incoming students in the Class of 2021 have an extra special claim to fame: they were the only class in College of Charleston history to witness a total solar eclipse the same day as their convocation. And with a phenomenon like that, little doubt that this class will be out of this world.

Here’s how the Class of 2021 shakes out:

Class of 2021: By the Numbers*

Number of freshmen: 1901

Number of students in Charleston Bridge Program: 211

Number of students in iCharleston: 63

Number of states: 38, along with DC, and overseas military bases

Number of countries represented (excluding US): 11

Number of students from one state other than S.C.: 90 New Jersey

Number of miles traveled to the College of Charleston by the student who lives farthest away (Hong Kong, China): 8,508

Highest ACT Score: 34

Highest SAT Score: 1570

Highest GPA: 5.319

Number of high schools represented: 837

Class of 2021: A Closer Look

Most common female students’ names: Emily, Sarah, Madison

Most common male students’ names: William, Jacob, Robert

Top names that males and females share: Tyler, Ryan, Alexis, Jordan, Taylor

Most popular birth months: April (180 students)

Most popular birthdate: May 18, 1999; Aug. 9, 1999; Oct. 14, 1998 (12 students each)

Largest South Carolina feeder high schools: Wando High School (57), James Island Charter High School (24), Socastee High School (23), Clover High School (22), Fort Mill High School (21), Hilton Head Island High School (19), Charleston County School of the Arts (18), Ashley Ridge High School (17), Fort Dorchester High School (17), Myrtle Beach High School (17)

Largest out of state feeder high schools: Staples High School, Connecticut (7); Red Bank Catholic High School, New Jersey (6); Myers Park High School, North Carolina (5); Isidore Newman School, Louisiana (5); Walter Johnson High School, Maryland (5); Charlotte Catholic High School, North Carolina (4); Darien High School, Connecticut (4); Douglas S. Freeman High School, Virginia (4); Fox Lane High School, New York (4); Highland Park High School, Illinois (4); Manasquan High School, New Jersey (4); New Trier Township High School, Illinois (4); Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, New Jersey (4); Wall High School, New Jersey (4); Worcester Preparatory School, Maryland (4)

Most popular South Carolina hometowns: Charleston (86), Mount Pleasant (6), Summerville (54), Myrtle Beach (53), Columbia (52), Greenville (36), Lexington (35), Fort Mill (29), Florence (27), Simpsonville (26), Spartanburg (26)

Most popular out of state hometowns: Charlotte, North Carolina (21); Atlanta (12); New Orleans (8); New York City (7); Virginia Beach, Virginia (7); Waxhaw, North Carolina (7); Westport, Connecticut (7); Annapolis, Maryland (6); Richmond, Virginia (6); Washington, D.C. (6)

Countries represented: Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, China, El Salvador, Germany, Hong Kong, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom

4 sets of twins

Most popular intended majors: Biology (281), Undecided (239), Business Administration (209), Psychology (131), Communication (81), Marketing (64), Marine Biology (60), Public Health (58), Exercise Science (56), Computer Science (55), Political Science (54)

Class of 2021: Academic Profile

The middle 50 percent of freshmen enrolled for fall 2017:

Scored between 1080-1220 (in-state) and 1090-1220 (out-of-state) on the SAT

Scored between 21-27 (instate) and 23-27 (out-of-state) on the ACT.

Had a GPA between 3.941 and 4.498 (SC Uniform Grading Scale), 3.252 and 3.936 (weighted) or 3.06 and 3.571 (unweighted).

9 In-state Valedictorians and 13 in-state Salutatorians

4 Out-of-state Valedictorians and 4 out-of-state Salutatorians

Palmetto Fellows: 129

Honors College: Class of 2021 Academic Profile

Total number of students: 196

Average SAT score: 1340

Average ACT score: 29

Average GPA – SC residents: 4.68

Average GPA – non-residents: 4.16

Number of SC residents: 92

Number of non-residents: 104

Honors College: William Aiken Fellows Society Class of 2021 Profile

Total number of members: 27

Average SAT score: 1470

Average ACT score: 33

Average GPA – South Carolina residents: 4.90

Average GPA – non-residents: 4.56

Number of SC residents: 15

Number of non-residents: 12

Huge Scholar: 1

Swanson Scholars: 7

International Scholars: 9

Read class profiles from previous years on the Freshman Class Profile webpage.