Columbia, SC—The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) announced today the launch of the 2021 College Application Season. The annual program, which runs through November 12 this year, is a resource high school seniors can use to access higher education. Under its banner, events will be held by high schools and colleges around the state to help students navigate and complete their college applications. 

Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CHE and its partners (public institutions of higher education and the Carolina Association for Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers) developed a virtual model for delivering application support to students. This year, both virtual and in-person events have been scheduled. Many high schools plan to host students in-person for application instruction. Participating in-state colleges are planning virtual College Application Nights, so students can get assistance from representatives of colleges of their interest.

College Application Month was first held in South Carolina in 2009 and has since become a vital component of state efforts to encourage college-going. The program’s success has grown tremendously since its inception. In its first year, just 12 high schools participated, with 1,000 seniors collectively submitting about 2,000 applications. In 2019, 220 high schools participated, and about 47,000 seniors collectively submitted close to 49,000 applications.

The high school and higher education communities recognize the program for being especially helpful to South Carolinian students from under-resourced communities and backgrounds. Natalie Fox, counselor at Aiken High School, noted the school participates in the program, “to provide all students with the time and resources to support a successful college application… lack of time or process knowledge should not be a barrier to a student completing their college application.  It is our hope, that in hosting a school-based application event, we help to remove those barriers.”