#uofscyes

I love and hate this time of year and not for reasons you’d assume. I love that December is all about releasing Early Answer decisions. Getting caught up in the holiday rush? Not so much.

With the December 1 priority deadline behind us and our largest freshman applicant pool to date, the hard work is just beginning. I take solace in the fact that we have many happy future Gamecocks celebrating their recent acceptances over the holidays. We love seeing the excitement posted to social media via #UofSCYes.

I also feel for those worried about having an application in limbo. Applying to college is a stressful process. Your concerns are not unwarranted. We are often asked if there is rhyme or reason why we release decisions, what they mean and when they will arrive. I’ll hit the highlights by addressing the biggest FAQ’s here.

Q: Friends are getting their #UofSCYes packet. I haven’t. Why does it take so long?

A: This is because we rely on the US Postal Service to deliver the news. Delivery could take longer depending on where you live. To the casual observer, it probably looks like we’re doing it this way:

Q: I applied EA. I haven’t heard anything yet. Did my letter get lost in the mail or is that your way of telling me I’m denied?

A: The promise of EA is, “You will receive a decision no later than the WEEK of December 12.” It’s been a record year for applications, and we release decisions in batches. Everyone should hear by the end of the December decision week. It’s still decision week as I write this post, which means more decisions are coming.

Q: Will I be able to check my admissions status online?

A: Admissions decisions are not posted online. We mail decisions to the permanent address listed on your application. We will not release your admissions decision by phone, email or LiveChat.

Q: I received a letter saying my application was selected for a “second review.” Is that bad?

A: No, it’s not bad. Better than being denied!

Right now we are admitting students who meet our highest admissions criteria based on grades and official test scores. The second review just means we need a little more time to read your application again relative to the rest of the entire applicant pool. Second review is totally normal and should not be cause for alarm. Lots of students in second review are ultimately admitted.

Q: I’m in second review. What can I do now?

A: If you haven’t submitted all of your test scores, send them all before the February 1st credentials deadline. December test dates are the last ones that can get to us by February 1. January scores will not arrive on time.

Q: I can round up some awesome recommendation letters. Would that help?

A: Nope. Please do not send letters of recommendation, mid-semester grades, progress reports, etc. unless we specifically ask for them. Ninety-nine times out of 100, everything we need to make a decision is on your application, your score reports, and your initial transcript. If we need additional info from you, we will post it to your online admissions portal.

Q: You’re killing me.  When will I know for sure?

A: Patience. Your final admissions decision will be mailed no later than the week of March 13th. This is way before the national May 1 enrollment deposit day, so you will have plenty of time to make your college plans.

Q: I applied for the Honors College. When will I receive an admissions decision? When will I hear about Honors College Admission?

A: If you applied to the Honors College and your file was complete by Nov. 15, you will get a decision before the holiday break. Decisions for Honors College admission are separate from general university admission. We release them on a rolling basis between late December and the end of February.

Q: My friend received an admissions decision with a scholarship letter and I didn’t. Does that mean I will not be offered a scholarship?

A: Everyone who applied by December 1st will be considered for merit-based scholarships. Highly qualified students may hear sooner. Keep in mind we have a bunch of other students to consider for scholarships, because we accept official test scores through February 1.

Q: How are merit-based scholarship awards determined?

A: Scholarships are awarded based on official test scores and your weighted GPA, which we recalculate for all applicants. We work with a finite pool of resources, so we have to look at everyone before awarding the majority of our scholarships. We strive to award as many scholarships as possible, but keep in mind they are competitive and criteria can vary from year to year depending on the strength of the applicant pool. We cannot provide assurances of scholarship eligibility or tell you which award you will receive. Not yet.

Q: When will scholarship letters be sent?

A: We will release scholarship notifications no later than mid-March. The letter will include the value of the award, as well.

Q: Nice try, Dr. Mary. I still have questions. Who do I contact about the ones you haven’t answered?

A: We’ve got your back. Feel free to contact your admissions representative directly, give us a call at (803) 777-7700, email us at [email protected], or LiveChat with us at www.sc.edu/admissions.

--Dr. Mary

Hi everyone! My name is Savanna Ivill and I am a third-year undergraduate student from Maryland pursuing a degree in Public Health. I just wanted to tell you a little bit about what made me say “Yes!” to the University of South Carolina. I hope my entries interest you and help you make your college decision. Enjoy!

After 12 college visits I had narrowed my decision down to two universities: one back in my home state (the easy, comfortable choice), and the University of South Carolina. I was really looking for a school with a larger student body, an urban environment and warm weather. Out of all the schools I toured, my mind and my heart always returned to USC even though the distance from home was intimidating to me. My dad said something to me one day that has stuck with me ever since and ultimately helped me make my decision to come here. He said, “College is your chance to live wherever you want for four years, with nothing holding you back”. After that, the decision was crystal clear to me—Carolina! Besides having the physical environment I sought in a university, one of the most attractive qualities of USC from my perspective is the number of out-of-state students. Nearly half of the student body is in the same position as me—taking a risk and moving far from home. I’m so glad I took the leap and went with my heart, rather than letting my fears overcome me because I quickly learned that I had nothing to fear but fear itself.  I have actually made connections with so many students here after finding out we are both from the same home state. Talking it through with other out-of-state students, my resident mentor, and staff at the counseling center, quickly helped me adjust to life far from home. Additionally, there are so many academic and extracurricular opportunities on campus that it really was not difficult to make friends, find my place, and keep myself involved. Carolina became my home away from home in a very short matter of time!

A huge factor in my decision to apply and then commit to USC was that I had no clue what I wanted to study. I entered college undecided but all the possibilities and opportunities were at my fingertips because there are a huge variety of majors, over 100, in fact! With the help of staff members from the Career Center and Student Success Center, I was able to declare a major by the end of my first year and there is not a doubt in my mind that I was meant to be a public health major. I soon discovered such a passion for it with the help of the Dean of the Arnold School of Public Health, who sends out emails multiple times per week with nearby health-related job opportunities, internships, seminars, guest speaker events, and research opportunities. Thanks to the friendly and informative faculty and staff members in the Arnold School of Public Health there have been countless opportunities to immerse myself in the field and reinforce my feeling that I chose the absolute right major for me.

There are countless reasons why USC was the right choice for me, but I will conclude with one more aspect that I think is such an amazing quality of Carolina. In addition to coming to college to study, it was also important to me to get involved outside the classroom and really find another purpose for being here. Fortunately, Carolina has got that covered! My first year, I discovered Epsilon Sigma Alpha, a service sorority on campus. Through this organization I found a diverse group of students who share many of the same interests and values as myself. Joining a student organization creates a smaller community within a large university and also helps you find students with similar interests. Here at Carolina, there are over 400 student organizations to choose from! If you are service-oriented like me, I recommend taking advantage of service opportunities provided through the Leadership and Service Center (LSC). 

The Leadership and Service Center in Russell House (our student union on campus) sends emails informing students of weekly volunteer opportunities in various fields such as Education and Childcare, Health and Senior Care, and on-campus opportunities. My personal favorite opportunities through the LSC are the impact weekly service trips, where each week you can sign up to volunteer for a few hours at an organization on campus or in Columbia (with transportation provided, all for free!). What better way to take a study break after a long week than to go serve at the local animal shelter?!