What do we look for in applicants?
A freshman applicant is a person who has not attended a regionally accredited college or university beyond high school. If you have taken college classes while still enrolled in high school, you are still considered a freshman.
Freshman admission is based on overall performance in high school courses, grades in the 20 core courses that are required for admission, and SAT (evidence-based reading and writing plus math) and/or ACT scores. If you take a test more than once, we will consider your best score.
Coastal Carolina University requires that all students complete the following high school courses and units to be considered for admission to the University:
ENGLISH – 4 UNITS:
All four units must have strong reading, writing, communicating and researching components. It’s strongly recommended that two units be literature-based, including American, British and world literature. Completion of college preparatory English 1, 2, 3 and 4, or IB or AP English courses will meet this criterion.
MATHEMATICS – 4 UNITS:
Algebra I (foundations in algebra and intermediate algebra may count together as a substitute if a student successfully completes algebra II), algebra II and geometry. A fourth higher-level mathematics course should be taken during the senior year. This higher-level unit must be selected from among algebra III, precalculus, calculus, probability and statistics, discrete mathematics, computer science, IB or AP mathematics, or AP computer science.
LABORATORY SCIENCES – 3 UNITS:
Two units must be in two different fields of the physical, earth or life sciences, selected from biology, chemistry, physics or earth science. The third unit may be from the same field as one of the first two units or from any laboratory science for which biology, chemistry, physics and/or earth science is a prerequisite. Courses in general science or introductory science for which biology, chemistry, physics and/or earth science is not a prerequisite will not meet this requirement. Students pursuing careers in science, mathematics, engineering or technology should take one course in all four fields: biology, chemistry, physics and earth science.
WORLD LANGUAGES – 2 UNITS:
Both units must be in the same world language, with a heavy emphasis on language acquisition. Spanish, French, German, American Sign Language (ASL), Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and the Classics (Latin, Greek and Hebrew) will meet this criterion.
SOCIAL SCIENCES – 3 UNITS:
One unit of U.S. history, a half unit of economics and a half unit of government are required. World history or geography are strongly recommended. U.S. government, economics, U.S. history and constitution, world geography, western civilization, psychology, sociology, or IB or AP social science courses will meet this criterion.
FINE ARTS – 1 UNIT:
One unit in appreciation of, history of, or performance in one of the fine arts (selected from media/digital arts, dance, music, theater, or visual and spatial arts).
PHYSICAL EDUCATION OR ROTC – 1 UNIT:
Physical education, health education or ROTC will meet this criterion.
ACADEMIC ELECTIVES – 2 UNITS:
Two college preparatory units must be taken as electives. A college preparatory computer science course (including programming, not just keyboarding) is highly recommended. Other acceptable electives include courses in English; fine arts (appreciation of, history or performance); world languages; social sciences; humanities; mathematics (above the level of algebra II); physical education; and a laboratory science course which has biology, chemistry, physics or earth science as a prerequisite.