USC's Application Requirements Update

Our office received the following letter from the admissions office at the University of South Carolina.  We want you to be up-to-date on admissions policies, and thought we would pass the information along.  

_____________________________

Dear College Counselors, 

The University of South Carolina admissions office has changed its high school transcript policy. Our primary reason for this is to encourage students to take greater ownership of the application process. We also expect this change will increase transparency in the process while reducing the administrative burden imposed on college counselors throughout the college application season.

High school seniors who complete the freshman application for the University of South Carolina are now required to self-report their high school academic record for grades 9-12. Additionally, they must upload an electronic copy of their high school transcript in JPG, PDF or Word formats. This may drive an increase in requests from your students for their transcripts, particularly near deadlines (October 15, November 15 and December 1).

We no longer require an official high school transcript during the preliminary application evaluation phase. If we need an official transcript, we will instruct the student to contact you about forwarding an official copy. In the meantime, please provide an electronic copy to each of your students who request one so they can complete their online application. We will continue to request official, final high school transcripts from your office after May 1, once we know which students have confirmed their plans to attend USC.

To help you and your students better understand the USC application process, we’ve prepared a How to Apply guide. You may download a PDF version athttp://sc.edu/admissions/admissionspdfs/how_to_apply_guide.pdf. For questions about how students should self-report their transcripts online, watch this brief and informative video:http://youtu.be/kYji1WTs3i4 -- and please share these links with your students.

Thanks for your help and let us know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Office of Undergraduate Admissions

University of South Carolina

Got Senioritis?

Has spring semester just begun and you already don't have any motivation to do your school work?  Do you just want to sit around in sweatpants and watch TV or hang out with friends?  You might have a common problem among high school seniors called senioritis.  While this is a normal sentiment among high school seniors, be careful you don't get drawn too far down that path.  Just because you have already been accepted into college doesn't mean that your dream school cannot withdraw their acceptance if they are not impressed with your final grades.

So how can you overcome senioritis?  Lots of tips exist out there on the internet, ranging from having a "just do it" mentality to scare tactics about losing college acceptances or scholarships.  But here are some helpful and practical tips from the CollegeBoard:

• Maintain a challenging course load. Urge them to take the most rigorous courses available, including AP courses (for which they can earn credit at many colleges).
• Enjoy their senior experience — responsibly. Encourage them to celebrate the last year of school. They may enjoy cheering at football games, going to the prom, attending graduation festivities, and participating in clubs, sports and volunteer work.
• Commit to an internship or career-focused job. This can help them make informed decisions about their education and career goals. Or they can try out college early by taking a class at a local college in a subject that interests them or in which they excel.
• Keep a calendar of their activities and deadlines. This includes tests, college applications, senior-year events and extracurriculars. Caution them not to overextend themselves.
• Avoid obsessing over the admission process. If they do, everything else, including grades, suffers. It's all about balance and making the right choices.

Hang in there, seniors, graduation will be here before you know it!

College Planning...

LANDER UNIVERSITY

Open House - Saturday, November 9, 2013

The Office of Admissions hosts fall and spring Open House events, providing you with an opportunity to enjoy a walking tour of our beautiful campus and residence halls, eat lunch in our dining hall, and visit the Jeff May Sports Complex and Lander Equestrian Center.  You can also tour the academic department of your choice and speak with representatives from housing, financial aid, academic support, athletics, student life, admissions and other areas.

Bearcat for a Day - Wednesday, November 13, 2013

By visiting Lander University as a "Bearcat for a Day," you will get a real taste of what college life at Lander is really like.  Meet professors, sit in on a class, mingle with Lander students, tour the campus and residence halls, and eat lunch in our dining hall - it's all part of the experience.

Register online for a campus visit at http://www.lander.edu/admissions/Campus-Visit/Overview.aspx.