Most Selective South Carolina Colleges
South Carolina has 3 four-year colleges that accept 50% or fewer of applicants, ranked from most to least selective.
Citadel Military College of South Carolina is the hardest to get into in South Carolina, accepting just 23% of 3,252 applicants. Also highly selective: Clemson University and Furman University.
Selectivity does not always equal academic difficulty. Some schools admit a small share of applicants because demand exceeds capacity, not because admission standards are extreme. If you need safety schools, see our highest acceptance rate colleges in South Carolina. For academically demanding options, explore colleges with the highest SAT, highest ACT, and highest GPA averages.
Citadel Military College of South Carolina
- Public 4 Year
- Charleston, SC
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| 0 reviews
- 23% acceptance rate
The Citadel is a public military college known for undergraduate engineering, business, and criminal justice. Most undergrads join the Corps of Cadets and live in barracks under a structured military system on the historic Charleston campus.
- SAT Range 1085-1285
- Avg GPA 3.8
- Net Price $22,124
Clemson University
- Public 4 Year
- Clemson, SC
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4.4 | 10 reviews
- 38% acceptance rate
- May 1 application deadline
Clemson is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering and business. The lakeside campus sits in the Blue Ridge foothills beside Lake Hartwell.
- SAT Range 1240-1410
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.75
- Net Price $25,003
Furman University
- Private 4 Year
- Greenville, SC
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| 0 reviews
- 43% acceptance rate
- Jan 15 application deadline
Furman is a private liberal arts university known for undergraduate biology, political science, and business. The residential campus centers on a lake just outside Greenville.
- SAT Range 1260-1430
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Net Price $34,086