Coastal Carolina University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

The Bell Tower at Coastal Carolina University

 Sk5893 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Coastal Carolina University is a public liberal arts college with an acceptance rate of 69%. Founded in 1954, Coastal Carolina University is located in Conway, South Carolina. CCU owns Waties Island, a 1,105-acre barrier island that is used for the study of marine science and wetland biology. Students can choose from 84 Bachelor's degree programs, and the school has a 16-to-1 student / faculty ratio. The university has a wide range of student clubs and organizations including an active Greek system. In athletics, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers compete in the NCAA Division I Sun Belt Conference.

Considering applying to Coastal College University? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Coastal Carolina University had an acceptance rate of 69%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 69 students were admitted, making Coastal Carolina's admissions process somewhat competitive.

Admissions Statistics (2018-19)
Number of Applicants 15,061
Percent Admitted 69%
Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 22%

SAT Scores and Requirements

Coastal Carolina University requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 48% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

SAT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
ERW 510 590
Math 500 580
ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

This admissions data tells us that most of Coastal Carolina's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to CCU scored between 510 and 590, while 25% scored below 510 and 25% scored above 590. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 500 and 580, while 25% scored below 500 and 25% scored above 580. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1170 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Coastal Carolina University.

Requirements

Note that Coastal Carolina participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. Coastal Carolina does not require the optional essay portion of the SAT.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Coastal Carolina requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 45% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

ACT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
English 18 24
Math 17 24
Composite 19 24

This admissions data tells us that most of Coastal Carolina's admitted students fall within the bottom 46% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to CCU received a composite ACT score between 19 and 24, while 25% scored above 24 and 25% scored below 19.

Requirements

Coastal Carolina University participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all ACT test dates. Note that Coastal Carolina does not require the ACT writing section.

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA Coastal Carolina University's incoming freshmen class was 3.64, and over 43% of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.75 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Coastal Carolina University have primarily A grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

Coastal Carolina University Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph.
Coastal Carolina University Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex.

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Coastal Carolina University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Coastal Carolina University, which accepts nearly three-quarters of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA fall within the school's average range, you have a strong chance of being accepted. However, Coastal Carolina also uses a holistic admission approach that considers academic achievement in rigorous coursework. Potential applicants should have a minimum of four units of English and math; three units of laboratory science and social science; two units of a single world language; one unit of fine arts; one unit of physical education or ROTC; and two units of academic electives.

CCU is also interested in learning about you and your interests outside of the classroom. Be sure to include information regarding extracurricular and leadership activities in your application. Coastal Carolina offers optional interviews for interested applicants. Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their grades and test scores are outside Coastal Carolina's average range.

The blue and green dots in the graph represent students accepted to Coastal Carolina University. Most admitted students had a GPA of a 2.5 or higher, an ACT composite score of 18 or better, and a combined SAT score (ERW+M) above 950.

If You Like Coastal Carolina University, You May Also Like These Schools

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Coastal Carolina University Undergraduate Admissions Office.

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Grove, Allen. "Coastal Carolina University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/coastal-carolina-university-gpa-sat-and-act-data-786418. Grove, Allen. (2020, August 27). Coastal Carolina University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/coastal-carolina-university-gpa-sat-and-act-data-786418 Grove, Allen. "Coastal Carolina University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/coastal-carolina-university-gpa-sat-and-act-data-786418 (accessed April 20, 2024).