CofC Class of 2027 First-Year Student Profile

The start of a new academic year at the College of Charleston brings with it the next generation of students to join the Cougars’ ranks. Drawn from a record number of applications, the members of the Class of 2027 come from across the country and around the globe, bringing with them fresh viewpoints and ideas that are sure to add to the richness of the campus community.

Get to know the Class of 2027 with these facts and figures:

Class of 2027: By the Numbers*

Number of first-year students (*as of Aug. 17): 2,702

Number of states: 50, along with D.C. and overseas military bases

Number of countries represented (excluding U.S.): 14

Number of students from one state other than S.C.: 215, New Jersey

Farthest number of miles traveled to attend the College of Charleston by a student: 14,725 (Vietnam)

Highest ACT Score: 35

Highest SAT Score: 1550

Highest GPA: 5.58

Number of high schools represented: 1,264

Class of 2027: A Closer Look

Most common predominantly female students’ names: Ava, Emily, Ella, Emma, Grace

Most common predominantly male students’ names: Jack, Nick, Tyler, James, Ethan

Top names that males and females share: Ryan, Sam, Alex

Most popular birth month: September (259 students)

Most popular birthdate: 2/10/2005 and 4/29/2005 (16 students each)

11 sets of twins

Largest South Carolina feeder high schools: James Island Charter High School (29), Wando High School (29), Lucy Garrett Beckham High School (23), Myrtle Beach High School (22), Summerville High School (20), Lexington High School (18)

Largest out-of-state feeder high schools: Myers Park High School, North Carolina (10); John T. Hoggard High School, North Carolina (9); Manasquan High School, New Jersey (9); Conestoga High School, Pennsylvania (8); Greenwich High School, Connecticut (8); Haddonfield Memorial High School, New Jersey (7); Northern Highlands Regional High School, New Jersey (7); St. Anthony’s High School, New York (7); Unionville High School, Pennsylvania (7)

Most popular South Carolina hometowns: Charleston (83), Mount Pleasant (69), Summerville (69), Columbia (50), Fort Mill (49), Myrtle Beach (43), Simpsonville (40), Lexington (40)

Most popular out-of-state hometowns: Charlotte, North Carolina (29); Atlanta, Georgia (15); Wilmington, North Carolina (12); Nashville, Tennessee (11); Marietta, Georgia (10); Virginia Beach, Virginia (10); Arlington, Virginia (9); Denver, Colorado (9)

Countries represented: Bahamas, Germany, Ghana, Italy, Jamaica, Netherlands, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vietnam

Most popular intended majors among S.C. residents: biology (153), psychology (138), business administration (92), computer science (47), undecided (47), exercise science (42), public health (40), marine biology (39)

Most popular intended majors among non-residents: business administration (248), undecided (219), psychology (167), marketing (123), biology (102), communication (89), marine biology (69), political science (54), finance (51)

Class of 2027: Academic Profile*

8 in-state valedictorians and 12 in-state salutatorians

2 out-of-state valedictorians and 7 out-of-state salutatorians

Palmetto Fellows: 122

The middle 50 percent of first-year students enrolled for fall 2023 had an SAT score of 1130–1290 (in state) and 1170–1300 (out of state), an ACT score of 23–29 (in state) and 25–29 (out of state), and a GPA of 4.021–4.727 (S.C. Uniform Grading Scale) and 3.517–4.086 (weighted).

Honors College Class of 2027: Academic Profile

Total number of students: 260

Average GPA – S.C. residents: 5.01

Average GPA – non-residents: 4.32

Number of S.C. residents: 124

Number of non-residents: 136

Honors College Class of 2027: A Closer Look

30 states are represented

13 are valedictorians

196 high schools are represented

31 students are the first in their family to attend college

48 different majors are anticipated

Most popular majors: biology, psychology, marine biology, biochemistry, political science, business administration

* This information is provisional and should not be considered official data.