College of Charleston has an application explosion

The College of Charleston's efforts to expand academic programs and upgrade facilities are paying off in an increased number of students applying for admission, officials say.

Suzette Stille, director of undergraduate admissions, said the school so far has received about 8,000 applications for about 2,000 spaces in next year's freshman class. That's about 1,500, or nearly 20 percent, more than it had received at this time last year, she said.

Donald Burkard, the college's associate vice president for enrollment planning, said one reason more students are applying is because the college has developed "a widespread reputation as a place you can get an outstanding undergraduate education." The school has received more applications this year from both South Carolina residents and out-of-state students, he said.

Admissions officials at both the University of South Carolina in Columbia and Clemson University said they also expect more students to apply this year than last year, continuing a trend that began a few years ago.

The College of Charleston's early action deadline was Nov. 1, Stille said. Students who applied by that date will know by mid-December whether they've been accepted, she said.

The College of Charleston and colleges and universities nationwide are receiving more applications, officials said, because students are applying to more schools, mostly because they can apply online.

According to the College Board, a national nonprofit group that administers the SAT and offers other programs for college-bound students, colleges and universities across the country have reported record-breaking numbers of applications the past few years. The biggest reason for the increase, the group says, is that students are applying to more schools, sometimes as many as 20.

Stille said the college asks potential students to list on their applications other schools to which they're applying. Most students apply to about five schools, she said.

Officials disagree somewhat on how many is too many.

Burkard said students with high aspirations who want to attend top-notch schools tend to apply to more colleges.

"Personally, I think three is a good number. Beyond five is a little too much," said Robert Barkley, director of admissions at Clemson.

So far this year, applications at Clemson are up about 13 percent, he said. Clemson's priority deadline was Dec. 1, he said.

"If you do your homework, four or five schools ought to be enough," said Scott Verzyl, USC's director of undergraduate admissions.

Verzyl said he thinks application numbers will be up at USC as well. The school is still processing applications, he said, so he won't know more until early 2008. The university's priority deadline also was Dec. 1, he said. But students who submitted complete applications by Oct. 1 will learn by Dec. 20 whether they've been accepted, he said.

Burkard said that although getting into a good college is important, he warns students that it's more important that they get into the college that's right for them. College admission "is not a prize to be won," he said. "It's a match to be made."

The most important thing is that students graduate, he said, adding that students who are engaged in what they're learning are more likely to persist.

Reach Diane Knich at 937-5491 or dknich@postandcourier.com.