Undergraduate Admission

Undergraduate Admission
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions strives to facilitate the
recruitment and admissions process of prospective students, as
well as coordinating residency, international student services, and NCAA admissions compliance.

Applicants must complete appropriate admission forms and submit them with required credentials to the Office of Admissions. Admission counseling is available and an appointment for interview is highly encouraged. Telephone: 803/641-3366, 803/278-1967, 888-WOW-USCA.

Applicants must apply for and take the SAT or ACT college entrance examinations well in advance of the term for which they seek admission. The applicant is responsible for having the results of all entrance examinations sent to the Admissions Office at the University.

Applicants over the age of 21 may not be required to submit entrance examination results. However, the applicant must submit other credentials which provide evidence of reasonable academic potential. Scores from college entrance examinations will be required in the absence of satisfactory credentials or evidence of academic potential.

A one-time, non-refundable $35.00 application fee is required of all applicants and must accompany the application. A check or money order should be made payable to: USC Aiken.

Freshman Admission
Admission of freshman students is based on course selection and Predicted College Grade Point Average (PCGPA). This average represents the academic average that a freshman applicant is predicted to earn at USCA at the completion of his/her first year. The (PCGPA) is determined by a formula which uses two variables: the high school grade point average computed on college prep courses, and the SAT or ACT scores. Of these two variables, the high school grade point average is the more important and has more weight in the formula.

Students should prepare for the challenges at USCA by taking strong academic courses in high school. Students graduating from high school in 1988-2000 are required to have completed the high school courses listed in Chart 1 on the following page. Those graduating in 2001 and beyond must complete courses listed in Chart 2 on the following page. However, exceptions may be made for students from out-of-state who have not completed these courses, as long as they have completed a college-prep curriculum as defined by their state.

Provisional Admission
The University provides a provisional admission program for students who do not meet our regular admission requirements, but demonstrate academic potential. To be considered for provisional admission, a student must submit a petition for admission to the USCA Admissions Office. The petition will be forwarded to the Scholastic Standing and Petitions Committee for additional consideration. Students admitted provisionally will be required to meet stipulations as determined by this committee.

Students who do not meet stipulated requirements during the first semester will not be allowed to continue their enrollment after their initial semester.

Readmission
Students who discontinue their enrollment during a fall or spring semester must apply for readmission to return to USCA at a later term. Students who attend a spring semester and do not attend the following summer terms are not required to apply for readmission for the following fall semester. A $10.00 application fee is required of readmit students.

Readmission to the University and to the program in which the student was previously enrolled is not automatic. An interview may be requested and some basis for a favorable decision may be required. Readmitted students who have not taken their mathematics courses or tested within the past year will need to retest.

A student who leaves the University in good standing, misses one or more major semesters and attends another institution while away, must submit the application for readmission and official transcripts of all college-level work attempted during his/her absence from the University. Such applicants must meet the same requirements as transfer students.

A student who leaves the University by suspension must apply for readmission upon completion of the period of suspension and qualify for readmission to the major program requested. See the "Academic Regulations" section of this bulletin for additional information.

Transfer Admission
An applicant is a transfer when the student has attended another college-level institution and attempted one or more courses, regardless of credit earned. If fewer than 30 semester hours of college-level work have been attempted, the applicant must meet both transfer and freshman entrance requirements.

Transfer applicants for admission must submit:

Transfer students are required to have a 2.0 cumulative GPA in all previous college-level course work. In addition, they must be in good standing and eligible to return to the institution last attended. Eligibility Statement and Transcript Request Forms are available through the USCA Admissions Office. Students must request and submit official transcripts from each previous academic institution. (Hand delivered transcripts will be considered unofficial.) The applicant must submit transcripts of all previous college courses attempted whether or not credit was earned and regardless of whether the applicant wishes to transfer any credit. Failure to report all attempted college courses may constitute sufficient cause for later dismissal from the University.

A transfer grade point average is calculated for the purpose of admission, using all credits attempted and grades earned at other institutions, with the exception of occupational, technical or remedial courses. These credits and grades also will be included in calculating honors at graduation from the University. Schools and Departments within the University have the right to consider all attempted college-level work in determining admission to particular programs and/or advancement into upper-division or professional-level courses.

As a general rule, credits earned in courses that fall in one or more of the following categories are not acceptable in transfer to campuses of the University of South Carolina System:

                    1. courses that are occupational or technical in nature;

Exceptions to this rule may be made only by the designated academic official(s) on the campus where the student is majoring and only in specific cases where such courses are judged to be uniquely relevant to the student’s degree program.

Transfer credit will not be accepted for courses the equivalent of which a student has been enrolled in previously at the University, unless the academic work presented for transfer represents a minimum of a full year of resident work at the other institution. Similarly, a student cannot receive credit for a course taken at the University if he/she has received transfer credit for an equivalent course previously taken at another institution.

USCA will not accept transfer credit for non-USC courses in which the student made a grade of D+ or lower.

Evaluation of Transfer Credits. Applicants for admission with advanced standing, having completed all admission procedures and requirements, will be given a statement of credits accepted by transfer to the University. Applicability of those credits to a degree is determined by the department or major in which the student enrolls. The number of credits acceptable to the University and the number which may apply toward a particular degree may differ.

Original records may be required and evaluated for courses exempted at a previous college. Exemption credit or acceptance of transfer credit by another college has no bearing on the evaluation of transfer credit at USCA. Applicants for admission with advanced standing from colleges and universities not accredited by a regional accrediting association will need to validate transfer credits. Details of the validation procedure vary and may be obtained from the Registrar’s Office. (State wide policies concerning transfer credit can be found on page 35.)

Parallel Advisement for Transfer Students (PATS)
The PATS program is an effort between USC Aiken and Aiken, Orangeburg-Calhoun, and Piedmont Technical Colleges to provide advisement for students enrolled at these institutions who plan to transfer and complete a degree at USCA. This advisement allows students to choose courses that meet degree requirements at both campuses. For additional information about the PATS program contact the USCA Admissions Office at (803) 641-3366.

Change of Campus
Changing campuses from one USC campus to another is a relatively easy process. Students must complete and return a change of campus form (found in the Records Office at most campuses and the Deans Office in Columbia). The Records or Deans office at your original campus will forward your request to the USCA Admissions office. To be admitted to the USCA campus, change of campus students must be in good academic standing at the original campus of attendance, as well as maintaining a GPA that is above USCA suspension levels. (See Academic Standing in the "Academic Regulations" section of this bulletin.) Those students who have attempted less than 30 hours of nondevelopmental course work must also meet freshman admission requirements.

Non-Traditional Students
Non-traditional students at USCA are typically students who are 25 years of age or older. Non-traditional students may also be students who do not attend college the semester after they graduate from high school, transfer directly from another college to USCA, or who have been employed for 2 years or more.

Admissions Requirements for Non-Traditional Students:  Non-traditional students must submit the same credentials as other students, (high school and college transcripts), with the exception (if over the age of 21) of not submitting SAT or ACT results. However, students without SAT or ACT scores, must submit other credentials which provide evidence of reasonable academic potential. If non-traditional students fail to meet regular admission requirements, they may submit a petition to the Scholastic Standing and Petitions Committee for further consideration. Students must complete a written petition which requests information concerning extra-curricular and work experiences. This is an attempt to determine if the student has obtained sufficient knowledge/experience to be admitted to the University.

Awarding Academic Credit to Non-Traditional Students:  Students may validate the knowledge they have gained through work or public service experiences by submitting the results of CLEP subject exams, taking USCA challenge exams (exams, portfolios, etc.), submitting documents indicating educational experiences in the military, or submitting credits earned for USC correspondence courses. Appropriate scores, which have been established by the University, will result in credit being awarded for work and/or public service experience. USCA policy also states that a maximum of 30 semester hours of non-traditional credit may be applied to a baccalaureate degree.

International Student Admission
All international students applying for admission to an undergraduate degree program must complete an international student application, attach a $35 application fee, and submit it to the Undergraduate Admissions Office at USCA. All international students must submit bank statements or certified statements for financial ability to provide approximately $15,000 or more for twelve (12) months’ total expenses. This is required before the I-20 certificate of eligibility can be signed.

Due to the problems associated with postage and traveling, international students are encouraged to submit an application at least 5 months prior to the semester the student wishes to enter. Deadline for applications are July 1st for the fall semester and November 1st for the spring semester. International students who do not meet regular admission requirements and decide to petition for admission may not have adequate time to complete the admissions process. In such cases, their application will be considered for the following semester.

International Freshman applicants
In addition to the application and fee indicated above, freshmen applicants from foreign countries are required to submit:

If the SAT/ACT is not offered in the student’s country, the University will consider the TOEFL and other evidence of academic potential in lieu of the SAT/ACT. The Scholastic Standing and Petitions Committee will review the credentials of the student and determine whether the student should be admitted to the University.

International Transfer applicants
International students who are applying for admission and have completed courses at post-secondary institutions are considered to be transfer students, and must meet the transfer student requirements outlined on page 6, of the USCA bulletin under Transfer Admission. If the applicant has completed fewer then 30 semester hours of college-level work, he/she must meet both transfer and freshman entrance requirements. In addition to the application and fee, the international transfer student must submit:

If the applicant has attempted less than 30 semester hours of college-level work, the following must also be submitted:

• SAT/ACT scores

The TOEFL requirement will be waived for a transfer student if the student has completed the equivalent of USCA’s English 101 and 102 courses with a C or better at an accredited post secondary institution in the US. If the student has only completed English 101 with a C, he/she will be required to take English 111, English as a Second Language, in their first semester at the University.

Transfer students who have earned a degree or taken any courses in countries outside the US, must have an official transcript evaluated by a professional evaluation service. This evaluation must be forwarded directly to the USCA Admissions Office from the evaluation service. (A list of several professional Evaluation Services can be obtained from the USCA Admissions Office or found on the USCA web site at: www.usca.edu/admissions). Students will not be considered for admission until this evaluation is received.

Waiver of Foreign Language Requirement for Bilingual Speakers
Students whose native language is other than English, and who have scored either 500 on the paper-based or 173 on the computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), are exempt, without credit, from USC Aiken’s language requirement.

Admission of Non-Degree Students
Applicants who wish to attend the University for one semester or on some limited basis may be approved to do so upon submitting an application, an application fee and an explanation of their educational goals. The Admissions Office reserves the right to determine the proper category of admission and to determine what credentials may be required. Applicants who have been officially denied admission are not eligible as non-degree students.

Concurrent Admission. Concurrent Admission is a program offered by the University of South Carolina Aiken to high school juniors and seniors. It provides an opportunity for students who are capable of meeting an increased challenge to earn college credit by taking courses offered by the university while still enrolled in high school. To be considered for this program, students must submit: an application for admission, high school transcripts, SAT/PSAT or ACT scores, a letter of approval from parent or guardian, a letter of approval from high school principal or guidance counselor.

Student Eligibility

Students admitted to this program will be enrolled in regular college courses in general subject areas, and will be chosen in consultation with the student so as to complement their high school program. Students who are successful in their first course(s) may be able to continue their enrollment in this program during subsequent terms.

Early Admission. Under exceptional circumstances a high school student wishing to leave high school prior to graduation and enroll full-time at USCA may apply to this program. The student must demonstrate both academic and social skills needed for college. To be considered for this program, the student must submit:

The Early Admission applicant will then be interviewed by the Scholastic Standing and Petitions Committee, which will act on the application.

Non-Degree students are those wishing to take a course(s) for personal enrichment or professional enhancement. Entrance exams, transcripts and recommendations are generally not required. Students admitted in this classification may not earn more than 30 semester hours of credit and must be admitted as regular, degree-seeking students before credits may be validated and applied toward any USC degree. Applicants who have been officially denied admission as degree seeking students are not eligible as non-degree students. Non-degree students are subject to all standard University regulations.

Auditing. A person may audit courses of his/her choice at USCA. A person desiring to audit courses must apply as a special student. Auditing is granted on a space-available basis only. An admission application and the application fee must be submitted. Once audited, a course may not be taken for credit. See Registration in the "Academic Regulations" section of this bulletin for further information.

Transient. Admission to undergraduate courses for one semester or two summer terms may be granted to students from other colleges and universities who are certified to be in good academic standing and whose program of study at USCA has been approved by their academic dean or registrar.

Unclassified Students. Students who hold a baccalaureate degree may be admitted to undergraduate credit courses upon submission of an application and transcript showing graduation with a bachelor’s degree from a college or university, or a copy of their diploma. This category is designed for those students not desiring to attend graduate school but seeking instead credits for teacher accreditation and similar purposes.

The period of enrollment in these categories is limited by either time or number of allowable credits. Non-degree students are not eligible for financial aid or housing during the fall or spring terms.

Special Students. Those persons not meeting the above criteria for admission may petition the Scholastic Standing and Petitions Committee for special consideration, and may do so by request through the USCA Admissions Office. The right of personal interview and appeal is available (also see Right of Petition on page 29). Students wishing to petition for admission must meet the following deadlines:

For information on academic advisement for non-degree students, see Academic Advisement on page 32.

College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations
The University of South Carolina Aiken supports the College Board’s Advanced Placement Program, which allows high school students the opportunity to pursue college level courses in their own schools and to be taught the material by their own teachers. After completion of the AP courses, students take the appropriate AP test to determine their level of achievement. For college credit to be awarded, a student must have official score reports from the College Board sent directly to the Office of Admissions at USCA.

In accordance with policies established by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, USCA will award credit for AP scores of three or higher, unless evidence is presented for good cause not to do so. In addition, the S.C. Commission on Higher Education has issued the following policies:

Because of the major overlap in course content between the two English AP exams, the awarding of AP credit in English should be treated separately from that of other disciplines as follows:

For additional information concerning the awarding of AP credit, contact the USCA Office of Admissions.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Policy
The University of South Carolina Aiken recognizes the academic challenge inherent in the IB Program and encourages students who have completed the IB diploma to apply. IB graduates who score well (4-7) on their Higher Level exams will be awarded college credit as determined by the academic departments. No credit is awarded for subjects passed at the Subsidiary level of IB, nor for scores below 4 on the higher level exams. IB credit is awarded for IB Higher-Level examination scores in the following areas: English A1, Biology, Business and Organization, Chemistry, Computing Studies, Economics, Foreign Languages, Geography, History, Mathematics, Music, Physics, Psychology, Social Anthropology. To receive credit, the student must have the official examination results sent to the Office of Admissions, University of South Carolina Aiken, Aiken, SC, 29801.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
The University awards credit by examination to CLEP subject examinations only. By attaining an acceptable score, a student may receive credit equal to that normally earned in the comparable University course. To receive credit, the student must have the official examination results sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, University of South Carolina Aiken, Aiken, SC, 29801. The department chair/school head will make the decision to award credit based on the score.

CLEP credit is awarded in the following subject areas: Introductory Accounting, Introductory Business Law, Principles of Management, Principles of Marketing, Freshman College Composition, Analysis and Interpretation of Literature, American Literature, English Literature, American History I: Early Colonization to 1877, American History II: 1865 to the Present, Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648, Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present, College Algebra, College Algebra and Trigonometry, Calculus with Elementary Functions, Trigonometry, General Biology, General Chemistry, American Government, General Psychology, Educational Psychology, Introductory Sociology.

Credit by Examination (Challenge Exam)
For more information see Other Credits under "Academic Regulations" on page 37.

Credit Granted for Educational Experiences in the Military
USCA recognizes the educational experiences and training that members of the armed forces receive during their time of enlistment. Academic credit may be awarded for educational experiences in the military if they are in accordance with recommendations published by the American Council on Education (ACE) and are consistent with University policy on transfer of credit. Credit will be applied to a degree program upon the approval of the Department Chair or School Head from which the degree is to be awarded. For more information contact the USCA Admissions Office.

A cooperative tuition-reduction agreement among 14 Southern Regional Education Board states is in place to allow students to take academic programs not available in their state.

USCA has 2 programs recognized by the Academic Common Market. They are Business Administration - Marketing of Golf Course Services and Industrial Mathematics.

If interested in these programs, students must be admitted to USCA as a degree seeking student. Then contact your state coordinator for additional information.

The purpose of the placement test is to assess each student’s ability in mathematics and help place her/him in the proper initial mathematics course. Those students who have scored a 3, 4, or 5 on the Educational Testing Service Calculus Advanced Placement (AP) Exam will not need to take the mathematics placement test. Although the mathematics placement test is not required, we strongly recommend that students take the placement who who have chosen the following majors: biology, business administration (accounting, finance, management, and marketing concentrations), chemistry, early childhood education, elementary education, secondary education-biology, secondary education-chemistry, secondary education-comprehensive sciences, secondary education-mathematics, exercise and sports science, industrial mathematics, mathematics/computer science, pre-engineering and pre-pharmacy. If a student chooses not to take the placement test, her/his initial math course will be Math 108 (Applied College Algebra), Math 118 (Mathematics for Practical Purposes I) or Math 119 (Mathematics for Practical Purposes II) depending upon her/his major. The aforementioned majors have a minimum math requirement that is of a higher level than either of the three math courses mentioned so this is why we strongly recommend that those who have selected the indicated majors take the test. By taking the test they will have the opportunity to place at the appropriate level of the math requirement of their major, thus negating having to take an additional math course (Math 103, Math 104, or Math 108). For those students who have selected a major other than those indicated, they are not required to take the test and it is totally at their discretion if they decide to do so. By not taking the test they also will be placed into one of the three math courses previously mentioned.

Transfer students and students who have already earned a baccalaureate degree who have partially or completely satisfied the math requirement of their major or have successfully completed at the minimum an intermediate algebra course at their previous institution will not have to take the test. Those students may then proceed to the next required math course for their major or the prerequisite course for the required math course for their major.

The mathematics placement test is a user friendly computerized test which consists of multiple choice questions designed to measure an individual’s proficiency in the areas of elementary algebra, intermediate algebra, college algebra and trigonometry. All students will begin testing in the elementary algebra area. The test is adaptive, which means that each student is prepared for those questions. The test will end when the student reaches the highest level of questions she/he can answer. Test results will be available when students come for orientation, advisement and registration. The results of this test will be used by the academic advisor to determine the particular mathematics course which is most appropriate for the student based upon her/his level of proficiency and the requirement of her/his academic major. Students are strongly encouraged to review previously learned math concepts before testing. Scores from the test will be valid for one year for non-matriculated students.

For additional information regarding mathematics placement test, contact the Advisement Services Office. See also Remedial Courses on page 33.

Foreign Language Placement

Students who had two or more years of the language they plan to take within the last four years and passed the courses with a C or better must enroll in 121.

The following students should enroll in 101:

Students with more extensive foreign language experience who want to place into higher courses in order to receive extra credit should contact Dr. Karl Stenger, the Coordinator of Foreign Language Placement, and arrange to take the placement test.

Students who place into 122 or above and who pass the course with a grade lower than B will receive credit for that course and will have fulfilled the foreign language requirement at USCA, but will not receive extra college credit.

For information on waiving the foreign language requirement for bilingual speakers, see page 60.

The University of South Carolina Aiken requires all undergraduate and graduate students born after December 31, 1956, to provide proof of immunity to measles (rubeola) and German measles (rubella). Proof of immunity and/or immunization requires documentation of one of the following:

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