USC Upstate Admissions

Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with over 20 years of experience helping students transition to college.

USC Upstate Description:

Established in 1967, the University of South Carolina Upstate is one of the senior public institutions of the University of South Carolina system. USC Upstate occupies a 328-acre campus in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and draws students from 36 states and 51 countries. Nursing, education, and business are all extremely popular with undergraduates. High achieving students should look into Upstate's Honors Program for access to special academic, professional, and travel opportunities. In athletics, the USC Upstate Spartans compete in the NCAA Division I Big South Conference. The school fields 17 varsity teams.

Admissions Data (2016):

• USC - Upstate Acceptance Rate: 55%
• Test Scores -- 25th / 75th Percentile
  • SAT Critical Reading: 430 / 520
  • SAT Math: 430 / 520
  • SAT Writing: - / -
    • What these SAT numbers mean
    • SAT comparison for South Carolina colleges
    • Atlantic Sun Conference SAT comparison
    • What these ACT numbers mean
    • ACT comparison for South Carolina colleges
    • Atlantic Sun Conference ACT comparison

    Enrollment (2016):

    • Total Enrollment: 5,821 (5,578 undergraduates)
    • Gender Breakdown: 36% Male / 64% Female
    • 80% Full-time

    Costs (2016 - 17):

    • Tuition and Fees: $11,190 (in-state); $22,188 (out-of-state)
    • Books: $1,600 (why so much?)
    • Room and Board: $8,141
    • Other Expenses: $3,330
    • Total Cost: $24,261 (in-state); $35,259 (out-of-state)

    USC Upstate Financial Aid (2015 - 16):

    • Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 98%
    • Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
      • Grants: 95%
      • Loans: 73%
      • Grants: $7,604
      • Loans: $6,410

      Academic Programs:

      • Most Popular Majors: Business Administration, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Nursing, Psychology

      Transfer, Graduation and Retention Rates:

      • First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 68%
      • Transfer Out Rate: 34%
      • 4-Year Graduation Rate: 24%
      • 6-Year Graduation Rate: 42%

      Intercollegiate Athletic Programs:

      • Men's Sports: Track and Field, Soccer, Golf, Basketball, Tennis, Baseball
      • Women's Sports: Soccer, Softball, Volleyball, Track and Field, Basketball, Golf

      Data Source:

      National Center for Educational Statistics

      Explore Other South Carolina Colleges:

      USC Upstate Mission Statement:

      "University of South Carolina Upstate aims to become one of the Southeast's leading "metropolitan" universities … a university that acknowledges as its fundamental reason for being its relationship to expanding populations along the I-85 corridor. It aims to be recognized nationally among its peer metropolitan institutions for its excellence in education and commitment to its students, for its involvement in the Upstate, and for the clarity and integrity of its metropolitan mission.

      As a senior public institution of the University of South Carolina with a comprehensive residential campus in Spartanburg and commuting and degree completion operations at the University Center of Greenville, the University's primary responsibilities are to offer baccalaureate education to the citizens of the Upstate of South Carolina and to offer selected master's degrees in response to regional demand."