<h4 id="section---Pros">Pros</h4> <ul><li>Ranked #12 among regional universities in the South in 2014 by <i>U.S. News &amp; World Report</i> </li><li>Fall 2012 acceptance rate is 6.2 percentage points higher than the 2011 national average </li><li>Graduation rate is 12 percentage points higher than the national average </li><li>Student debt following graduation is $6,043 lower than the national average </li></ul><h4 id="section---Cons">Cons</h4> <ul><li>Total cost is for in-state students is $3,278 higher than the 2013-2014 national average for 4-year, public schools </li><li>Room and board cost is $1,545 higher than the national average </li></ul><h3 id="section---RankingsAndSchoolAnalysis">Rankings and School Analysis</h3> <p>The <i>Princeton Review</i> has recognized the College of Charleston as one of the best values for education, and <i>U.S. News and World Report</i> ranked it as one of the best colleges in the South in 2014. </p> <p>For the 2013-2014 academic year, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that room and board cost for on-campus housing at the College of Charleston was $11,043. The College Board reported that the average room and board costs for 4-year, public schools during that academic year was $9,498, a difference of $1,545. Additionally, the total cost, including tuition and fees plus living expenses, was $21,669 for in-state students for the 2013-2014 academic year, according to the NCES. This is $3,308 more than the national average reported by the College Board for comparable schools that year. </p> <p>Although the cost of attending the College of Charleston is higher than average, the graduating class of 2012 had a lower than average student debt. According to the Project on Student Debt, the national average student debt for 2012 graduates was $29,400, and for College of Charleston 2012 graduates the average was $23,357. </p> <h2 id="section---GettingInAndFinancialAidAtCollegeOfCharleston">Getting In and Financial Aid at College of Charleston</h2> <p>The College of Charleston requires prospective students to submit SAT or ACT scores, an online application, secondary school report, high school transcripts and application fee. Recommendation letters, resumes and interviews are optional for enrollment consideration. A separate application is needed for enrollment to the Honors College. </p> <p>For financial aid consideration, students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Work-study, loans, grants and scholarships are offered to qualified students by the College of Charleston. Students are also encouraged to seek financial aid from outside sources. Entrance and exit counseling is available for borrowers. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th> Application and Tuition Info </th><th /></tr> <tr><td> <i>Regular Application Deadline (2014)</i> </td><td> February 1*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Priority Financial Aid Application Deadline (2014)</i> </td><td> March 1*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Admission Notification Date (2014)</i> </td><td> April 1*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Application Fee (2014)</i> </td><td> $50*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Acceptance Rate (2012)</i> </td><td> 70%**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Tuition &amp; Fees (2013-2014)</i> </td><td> $10,626 in-state, $27,090 out-of-state**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Average Financial Aid Package (2012)</i> </td><td> $12,724***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Percent of Students with Need Met (2013)</i> </td><td> 21%****</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Average Student Debt at Graduation (2013)</i> </td><td> $23,357****</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Student Loan Default Rate (2010)</i> </td><td> 6%**</td></tr> </table><h2 id="section---LifeAtCollegeOfCharleston">Life at College of Charleston</h2> <p>At the College of Charleston, you can choose to live on campus in co-ed, single-sex or honors residence halls. Once you are an upperclassman, you can choose to live in one of several historic homes owned by the college. You can join many social and academic clubs while on campus, including sororities, fraternities, performing arts clubs and civic organizations. </p> <p>The career center provides help to students and alumni in academic and professional fields. Services include personality tests, job fairs and employment listings. Employers also look to the career center to network with employable students. Enrollment with the school's online database increases student chances for career success. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th> Student Life Info </th><th /></tr> <tr><td> <i>Campus Setting</i> </td><td> Urban</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Student Population (2012)</i> </td><td> 10,506 undergraduates, 1,217 graduate students*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Male-to-Female Student Ratio (2012)</i> </td><td> 38% to 62%*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of Full-Time Undergraduate Students (2012)</i> </td><td> 93%*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of In-state Students (2011)</i> </td><td> 50%*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of International Students (2011)</i> </td><td> 1%*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Retention Rate (2012)</i> </td><td> 81%*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Campus Housing Available</i> </td><td> Yes**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of Students Living on Campus</i> </td><td> 30.7%***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Number of Libraries</i> </td><td> 3 libraries and 1 research center*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Extracurricular Activities</i> </td><td> Over 100**</td></tr> </table><p><i>Sources: *College of Charleston, **NCES, ***U.S. News &amp; World Report, ****College Board.</i></p>