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#10 Best Private Colleges in South Carolina

CSU Admission Requirements

Charleston, South Carolina

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Your chances of getting into Charleston Southern University

Admission Rate & Difficulty

Percent Admitted 

86.8%
Admission Difficulty for Charleston Southern University
Measure Difficulty
Admission Standards Very Easy 
Applicant Competition Very Low 

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at CSU is 86.8%.  Its admission rate is the 30th lowest in South Carolina.

Admission Selectivity

How hard is it to get into CSU and can you get accepted?

Charleston Southern University is an easy school to get into and you have a very good chance of acceptance if you meet the admission criteria. Last year, 4,309 out of the 4,967 who applied were admitted.

Charleston Southern University typically accepts and attracts "B" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.24. 17% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

Can you get into CSU?

87% are accepted, can you get in? Use the admission calculator to see if you have the grades and test scores needed to get in. See your admission chances based on your extracurriculars, intended major, background, and more.

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Admission Requirements in Brief

To have the best chance of getting into to Charleston Southern University you should:

  • Have a high school GPA of 3.24 or better
  • Earn B grades in high school
  • Score 1060 on the SAT
  • Score 20 on the ACT

CSU GPA

GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA 

3.24*

Typical High School Grades 

B

What GPA do you need to get into Charleston Southern University?

GPA Requirements

The GPA requirements for getting into CSU are to have around a 3.24 high school GPA. You need about average high school grades.

If your high school grades are above the average 3.24 GPA, you have a very good chance of being admitted as CSU accepts 87% of applicants.

Average GPA

The average unweighted GPA at CSU is 3.24 on the 4.0 scale. To achieve the average GPA for admission, you need to earn B letter grades and regularly score around 83-86 percent on tests and assignments in high school.  The school ranks #26 in South Carolina for highest average GPA.

Importance of GPA

Since CSU is a test optional college, extra focus will be placed on your GPA when the school considers your application. As a result, it is very important that you meet the GPA requirements.

See additional colleges accepting applicants in the 3.2 GPA range.

*This school has not published high school GPA data for its incoming freshman class. In these cases, CollegeSimply uses an algorithm to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of college GPA data. 3.24 is a prediction of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

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CSU SAT Scores

Testing Requirements

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Charleston Southern University. If you optionally submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 56% of students submitted SAT scores and 35% submitted ACT scores for admission for the most recent academic year..

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range 

940-1170

Applicants Submitting SAT 

56%
SAT Scores for Charleston Southern University
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile 470
Math 25th Percentile 470
Composite 25th Percentile 940
SAT Scores for Charleston Southern University
SAT Test 75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile 600
Math 75th Percentile 570
Composite 75th Percentile 1170
Average SAT Score 1060

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for you to be admitted to Charleston Southern University?

Average Score & Range

The average SAT score at CSU is 1060 out of 1600 and the range for the middle 50% of accepted students is 940-1170. Students who get into Charleston Southern University score in the top 71 percent of all SAT test takers..  CSU ranks #17 in the state of South Carolina for highest average SAT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

You should target scoring 1060 or above to be most competitive with other applicants. CSU regularly admits students with SAT scores down to 940 on a 1600 scale. However, three quarter of admitted students score higher. If you score below a 940, admission should be considered a reach. Some students may be accepted with minimum SAT's as low as 820, but scores this low are outside the normal range.

Score Submission Requirements

Charleston Southern University is a test optional school meaning do not have to submit SAT scores with your application. The position on SAT scores from the college is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

View other colleges which accept students in the 1060 SAT score range.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

The table below outlines your predicted admission chances based on SAT score alone. If you are an average applicant with a score of 1055, you have around a 87% chance of being admitted. A 1170 places you well ahead of most other applicants and gives you about a 93% chance of getting in.

Charleston Southern University admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale) Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
1170 and Above Good >93%
1055 to 1170 Avg + 87%-93%
940 to 1055 Avg - 78%-87%
825 to 940 Reach 65%-78%
Less than 825 Low <65%
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CSU ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range 

18-23 

Applicants Submitting ACT 

35%
ACT Scores for Charleston Southern University
ACT Test 25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile 16
Math 25th Percentile 16
Composite 25th Percentile 18
ACT Scores for Charleston Southern University
ACT Test 75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile 24
Math 75th Percentile 23
Composite 75th Percentile 23
Average ACT Score 20

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for students to get into CSU?

Score Range

The average ACT score for admitted students to CSU is 20, while the middle 50% of students (25th to 75th percentile) score between a 18 and 23.  The school ranks #16 in South Carolina for highest average ACT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

For the best chance of admission, you should have an ACT of 20. This will place you in solid competition against other applicants. At a minimum, you should aim for a 18 and score in the score in the top 62 percent nationally. The lowest ACT score likely to be admitted is a 16.

35 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Charleston Southern University.

Score Submission Requirements

You do not have to to submit ACT scores with your application as Charleston Southern University is test optional. The policy from the school on ACT scores is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Here are your predicted chances of getting into CSU for different ACT score ranges. A typical applicant with a 20 score has around 87% chance of getting in. Your odds increase to about 94% with a 23 ACT score.

Charleston Southern University admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
23 and Above Good >94%
20 to 23 Avg + 87%-94%
18 to 20 Avg - 80%-87%
16 to 18 Reach 71%-80%
Less than 16 Low <71%
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Applying

Admission Statistics

Admission and enrollment rates by gender are detailed the the table below.

Charleston Southern University admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 3,247 1,720 4,967
Accepted 2,827 1,482 4,309
Acceptance Rate 87% 86% 87%
Enrolled 467 260 727
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 17% 18% 17%
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Charleston Southern University is $0. The school is free to apply to.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Charleston Southern University and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Charleston Southern University Application Requirements
Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
High School GPA Required to be considered for admission
High School Class Rank Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Completion of College Preparatory Program Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Recommendations Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Demonstration of Competencies Not considered for admission, even if submitted

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Charleston Southern University
AP Credit Yes
Dual Credit Yes
Credit for Life Experiences No

Admission Requirements Summary

Because Charleston Southern University is lightly competitive to get into, you have a very good chance of acceptance with the right GPA and test scores. If you have a 3.24 GPA, you are almost certain to getting in. Combining this with an SAT score of 1060 and ACT of 20 will almost guarantee your admission.

Other Colleges to Apply To 

Students applying to Charleston Southern University often consider these colleges

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=217688 IPEDS survey data for Charleston Southern University.

Last updated February 24, 2024