USC logged record number of freshman applicants, a growing trend for SC’s 4-year university

The University of South Carolina says it is one of the “best kept secrets around.”

It’s one of the many reasons that the university received a record number of freshman applications — more than 46,000 — for the upcoming academic year, said Scott Verzyl, vice president of enrollment and dean of admissions.

Location, recreation, being a member of the Southeastern Conference in most sports and the City of Columbia’s job market and entertainment scene are factors, Verzyl said, and USC gives students a lot of individualized attention, making the big state school feel small.

Ramped-up recruitment, an improved reputation and improved quality of the university also help.

“We’ve attracted better faculty, we’ve attracted better students and I think the overall quality of the university has gotten better,” Verzyl said. “Quality is what people want.”

But students talking about their experiences is the best advertising, Verzyl said.

The increase is part of a larger pattern. A report by the Common Application found that the number of college applicants increased 19.5% from 2019-2020, though enrollment has declined nationally.

“Almost every year it’s been a record year,” Verzyl said. In 2019, USC received 34,952 applications. And despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Verzyl said applications to USC jumped to 42,058 in 2020 and 42,194 in 2021.

Verzyl started working at USC nearly 20 years ago. At that time, USC received about 10,000 applications a year.

Since then, that number has more than quadrupled. The university’s overall enrollment has grown by nearly 30%, to a student body size of 35,590 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. The freshman class size has doubled to a record 6,596 students. Verzyl expects the next freshman cohort to be even slightly bigger, by about 200 students.

“We must be doing something right,” Verzyl said. “It’s a testament to the popularity of the school.”

Among all applicants, the number of South Carolinians has gone up, Verzyl said, though he did not provide specific numbers.

Verzyl said USC expects the undergraduate enrollment to keep growing by 1% to 1.5% every year for the next five years. The growth will likely come from both freshmen and transfer students.

Undergraduate applications were due December 1.

Students who applied early have already heard back from USC, and Verzyl said the admissions office will make final decisions about the rest of the applicant pool in the coming weeks.

By March 1, all decisions will be posted. Students will also be notified of any scholarships, invitations to the Capstone Scholars program and acceptances to the Honors College.

Then the university must wait.

It is unclear how many of the 42,000 potential students will be admitted. But if USC’s acceptance rate is anything like it was in 2021 — 62% — about 28,000 potential freshmen could receive letters.

However, the real mystery is which of them will actually choose to accept. Verzyl said about 25% of those accepted enroll at USC, and South Carolina residents enroll at a higher rate than out-of-state residents.