Class of 2016 Freshman Profile

The Class of 2016 boasts a record number of students from New Jersey, 14 sets of twins and a lot of people born in May.

There are entrepreneurs, humanitarians and athletes. The Class of 2016 comes from 974 high schools in 43 states and 10 countries. Ninety-percent of freshmen in the Honors College receive merit-based scholarships and eleven students make up the first class of the International Scholars.

The College of Charleston welcomes this amazing class to Cougar Nation!

Class of 2016: By the Numbers

Class of 2016: A Closer Look

Class of 2016: Academic Profile

Honors College: Class of 2016 Academic Profile

Honors College: William Aiken Fellows Profile

Class of 2016: Beloit Mindset

Class of 2016: By the Numbers

| 2,120 | | Number of freshmen
| 43 | | Number of states represented in addition to the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands
| 9 | | Number of countries represented
| 16 | | Youngest member of the Class of 2016
| 34 | | Oldest member of the Class of 2016
| 15 | | Number of students born on May 2, 1994
| 120 | | Number of students from one state other than S.C. (N.J.)
| 5,422 | | Number of miles traveled to the College of Charleston by the student who lives farthest away (from Accra, Ghana).
| 34 | | Highest ACT score
| 1580 | | Highest SAT score
| 5.654 | | Highest GPA
| 849 | | Number of transfers and readmitted students
| 974 | | Number of different high schools attended

Class of 2016: A Closer Look

Most common female students’ name: Emily, Caroline, Sarah.

Most common male students’ name: William, James, Matthew.

Top names that males and females share: Taylor, Jordan, Madison.

Most popular birth month: May (210 students)

Largest South Carolina feeder high schools: Wando High School (82), Fort Mill High School (27), James L. Mann High School (27), Lexington High School (24), Socastee High School (20), Eastside High School (18), Ashley Ridge High School (18), Charleston County School of the Arts (18).

Largest out of state feeder high schools: Greenwich High School (Conn.) 10, Barrington High School (R.I.) 8, George Washington Comprehensive High School (Ga.) 6, Unionville High School (Penn.) 6, Ridge High School (N.J.) 6.

Most popular South Carolina hometowns: Mt. Pleasant, Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, Myrtle Beach.

Most popular out of state hometowns: Charlotte, N.C., Atlanta, Ga., Alpharetta, Ga., Marietta, Ga., Greenwich, Conn., New York, N.Y.

Students are coming from the following countries: Bahamas, Bermuda, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Mexico, Sweden, United Kingdom.

The Class of 2016 includes:

Fourteen sets of twins and two-thirds of a set of triplets (we’ll take it!).

Thirteen Eagle Scouts

Three students who have already started their own businesses

A student that created an educational cell phone game for children in India

A student who founded a tennis program for Korean Immigrants

A student who helped improve conditions for migrant workers along the east coast

A Women’s Longboard 2nd Place East Coast Surf Champion

A former professional go kart racer

A student on the Board of Directors of the Arabian Horse Association

A student who won the Silver and Bronze Medal for Team USA in Freestyle Kayak

An international scuba diver

An elephant trainer

The co-founder of ‘Water Project’ which builds wells in developing countries

Miss Darlington Teen America 2010-2011

World Silver medalist in USASF cheerleading

Class of 2016: Academic Profile*

The middle 50 percent of freshmen accepted for fall 2012:

Scored between 1090 and 1240 (in-state), and 1150 and 1280 (out-of-state) on the SAT.

Scored between 23 and 27 (in-state), and 25 and 29 (out-of-state) on the ACT.

Graduated in the top 20 percent of the class.

Had consistent academic achievement in the A/B range.

| 27 | | Number of valedictorians **
| 22 | | Number of salutatorians **
| 122 | | Number of Palmetto Fellows
| 10 | | National Merit Program Scholars
| 3 | | Gates Millennium Scholars

*The information above is preliminary. Official data will be available in October 2012.

** 22 of these Valedictorians and Salutatorians are from South Carolina Public Schools; and 41% are students of color.

Honors College: Class of 2016 Academic Profile

| 197 | | Total number of freshman
| 1360 | | Average SAT
| 30 | | Average ACT
| 4.46 | | Average GPA weighted
| 3.85 | | Average GPA unweighted
| 95% | | Average percent rank in class
| 99 | | Number of in-state students
| 98 | | Number of out of state students
| 44 | | Number of students coming in with enough transfer credits to be a college sophomore
| 4,011 | | Number of credits the class is coming in with

Honors College: William Aiken Fellows Society Profile

The William Aiken Fellows Society is a group of highly capable students who have the potential to successfully pursue national and international opportunities reserved for top scholars. Throughout their college careers, William Aiken Fellows work closely with the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards and participate in numerous programs designed to create leadership opportunities, enrich their academic experience and prepare them for graduate work and beyond.

| 12 | | Total number of students
| 1454 | | Average SAT Score
| 33 | | Average ACT Score
| 4.64 | | Average GPA weighted
| | |
| 99 | | Average Percent Rank in class
| 3 | | Number of in-state students
| 9 | | Number of out of state students

Honors College: A Closer Look

One international student (Mexico) and students coming from 26 different states

More than 90% are receiving a merit-based scholarship

Eleven students will enter the inaugural year of the International Scholars Program – a joint initiative between Honors College and School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs.

Forty-four students have a family member who has attended the College of Charleston

Three students attended high school abroad – one at a boarding school in England, one in Mexico and another on a military base in Germany

Twelve students are valedictorian of their high school class and 12 more are salutatorian of their class (of 122 students who attend schools that rank)

One student participated in Thinking Beyond Borders, which included traveling to Ecuador, China, India, and South Africa

One student studied for a semester in a Jewish high school in Costa Rica

Class of 2016: Beloit Mindset

Each August for the past 13 years, Beloit College in Beloit, Wis., has released the Beloit College Mindset List. It provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college. See what Beloit says about the Class of 2016.