- Acceptance rate: 60% for fall 2024
- SAT, middle 50%: 590–670 reading and writing, 550–640 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 25–30 composite
- Average net price: $20,806 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?
Don't know your GPA? Check your GPA
Where you standEnter your GPA
Add a test score to compare it with what College of Charleston reported: an acceptance rate of 60% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 25–30.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. College of Charleston reviews each application.
College of Charleston GPA requirements
College of Charleston requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and College of Charleston hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
College of Charleston acceptance rate
College of Charleston admitted 19,016 of 31,680 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 60%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
College of Charleston is a public 4-year college in Charleston, South Carolina, with 10,880 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered College of Charleston in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 590 | 630 | 670 |
| SAT Math | 550 | 590 | 640 |
| ACT Composite | 25 | 27 | 30 |
| ACT English | 24 | 27 | 31 |
| ACT Math | 21 | 25 | 27 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1247 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What College of Charleston looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Considered if submitted |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Considered if submitted |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Considered if submitted |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Not considered |
AP credit
College of Charleston awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It also awards credit for life experience, such as work or military service.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $20,806 a year at College of Charleston in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Is the College of Charleston hard to get into?
It's moderately accessible: more than half of applicants got in. College of Charleston admitted 60% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
How much does GPA matter at the College of Charleston?
A lot: College of Charleston requires high school GPA, high school record and college preparatory program. It considers high school class rank, recommendations, essay or personal statement, test scores, work experience and legacy status if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests and demonstration of competencies. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Do you need SAT or ACT scores to apply to the College of Charleston?
Check College of Charleston's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. College of Charleston was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 18% sent SAT scores and 11% sent ACT scores.
How many applicants get into the College of Charleston?
College of Charleston's acceptance rate was 60% for fall 2024: it admitted 19,016 of 31,680 first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
What are the College of Charleston's SAT and ACT score ranges?
The middle 50% of College of Charleston's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 590–670 in reading and writing and 550–640 in math; ACT composite 25–30, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
What GPA do you need to get into the College of Charleston?
College of Charleston requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.
Can a 3.0 GPA get you into the College of Charleston?
GPA alone can't tell you here. College of Charleston admitted 60% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It requires a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.0 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.
Does the College of Charleston give credit for AP exams?
Yes. College of Charleston awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
Does the College of Charleston consider legacy status?
Yes. College of Charleston considers whether a parent or other relative attended, though it isn't required, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
How much does the College of Charleston cost after financial aid?
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $20,806 a year at College of Charleston in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Before you apply, check the College of Charleston's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: College of CharlestonU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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