University of South Carolina-Aiken

Quick Facts

Chance of Admission:
Location: Southeast
Setting: Large Town Setting
Type: Public
Size: Medium (2,000 to 5,000 Undergrad)
Mascot: Pacers
Nickname: USCA
Banksia is the restored mansion in Aiken, South Carolina that served as the first home of USC Aiken.
Banksia is the restored mansion in Aiken, South Carolina that served as the first home of USC Aiken.
[source]
USC Aiken-The Campus Tour-Part 1
University of South Carolina-Aiken From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

The University of South Carolina Aiken is a four-year, public coeducational university in Aiken, South Carolina. The school offers undergraduate degree programs as well as master's degrees in elementary education, educational technology and applied clinical psychology. Additional graduate courses and degree programs are offered through the University of South Carolina Extended Graduate Campus program. University of South Carolina Aiken awards baccalaureate degrees in more than 30 major areas of study.

History

Founded in 1961 in a historic mansion in downtown Aiken, USCA moved to its present site in 1972. Under authority granted by the South Carolina General Assembly, the Aiken County Commission for Higher Education entered into an agreement with the University of South Carolina in 1961 to establish a two-year, off-campus center of the University in Aiken County. A small cadre of faculty and staff was assigned the mission of establishing a college community with acceptable operations and standards.

The campus opened its doors in September 1961 with 139 students, three full-time faculty members, and a secretary. Mr. Chris Sharpe served as the first Director of the University of South Carolina Aiken Center, which was housed in Banksia, a renovated mansion in the City of Aiken. In 1962, Mr. Bill Casper was appointed Director of the Center.

Initially, the Center offered only freshman and sophomore-level courses. In 1968, the Center underwent an institutional self-study and was accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate degrees as a branch of the University of South Carolina and as a junior college. The first associate degrees were awarded in June 1968.

In 1968, the South Carolina General Assembly authorized a bond issue to purchase a new site for the campus. After an extensive search, the Aiken County Commission for Higher Education purchased property from the Graniteville Company in 1970 for a new campus location. The campus moved from Banksia to the present site in 1972, occupying . All educational and student life programs were initially housed in one large, multi-purpose administration/classroom building, renamed the Robert E. Penland Administration and Classroom Building in 1999. The building features an open courtyard with a sculpture by artist Charles Perry. The sculpture, "Double Knot," was designed as a symbol of the University's close ties with the local community.

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Read the full entry on Wikipedia

Students & Campus Life
Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,247
On Campus Housing: Available
Full Time Students: 93%
Athletic Programs: Available
> More Students & Campus Life
Expenses
Average Tuition: $ 12,070
Students Receiving Aid: 90%
> More Expenses & Financial Aid
Admissions
Application Fee: $ 35
Selectivity: Selective
> More Admissions

Students

General
Full-Time vs. Part-Time
Full-Time 93%
Part-Time 7%
Men vs. Women
Women 67%
Men 33%
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian 69%
African-American 24%
Other 6%
Hispanic 1%
Asian 0%
Geography
In State vs. Out-of-State
In-State 91%
Out-of-State 9%
Top States for Incoming Freshman
South Carolina 91%
Georgia 3%
Florida 0%
North Carolina 0%
Virginia 0%
Percent of Students International: 1%

Housing

On-Campus Housing Available: Yes
Percent of Students Living On-Campus: 25%
Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: No

Athletics

Member of: NAA, NCAA
Sports Include: Basketball (Peach Belt Conference)
Baseball (Peach Belt Conference)
Track (Peach Belt Conference)
Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) In-State Out-of-State  
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads:
$ 5,928 $ 12,070  
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads:
$ 200 $ 200  
Financial Aid Avg. Amount Received % of Students Receiving Aid  
Federal Grants:
$ 2,999 34%  
State and Local Grants:
$ 4,022 76%  
Institutional Grants:
$ 2,083 17%  
Student Loans:
$ 3,085 40%  
Any Aid:
  90%  

Selectivity (Undergraduate Only)

Acceptance Rate: 65% (Selective)
Test Scores  
SAT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting SAT Scores: 76%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Verbal: 440, Math: 450
Top 75th Percentile: Verbal: 540, Math: 550
ACT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting ACT Scores: 45%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Composite: 17, Verbal: 16, Math: 17
Top 75th Percentile: Composite: 22, Verbal: 22, Math: 21

Application Requirements (Undergraduate Only)

Application Fee: $ 35.00
Formal Demonstration of Competencies: Not Required
High School Diploma or Equivalent: Required
High School GPA: Required
High School Rank: Not Required
High School Record: Required
Recommendations: Not Required
TOEFL: Required
Test Scores: Required

College Advice

Yahoo
I have a 3.3 gpa, and i am currently looking at colleges in Virginia, but other colleges in the mid-atlantic region are an option as well as anywhere else that provides decent tution costs! please help!!
15 months ago
Best Answer
University of South Carolina has an excellent international business master's program so they may also have a bachelor's program as well. Their master's program is very well respected. I'd suggest checking the 2008 US New and World Report on best colleges. It just came out in April and ranks colleges by programs.

Photos

  • Banksia is the restored mansion in Aiken, South Carolina that served as the first home of USC Aiken.
    Banksia is the restored mansion in Aiken, South Carolina that served as the first home of USC Aiken. [source]
  • [source]

Videos

  • USC Aiken-The Campus Tour-Part 1
  • Why Choose USC Aiken? - An Alum Speaks
  • The History of USC Aiken
  • theU.com - USC: "Admissions"
  • theU.com - USC: "The Crowd"
  • theU.com - USC: "Academics"