By: CofC Media
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: 2/10/2002 and 4/29/2003 (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
