Presbyterian College
Clinton, South Carolina
Presbyterian College sits between Columbia and Greenville, SC, in the college town of Clinton. PC is noted as much for its challenging academics as it is for its one-of-a-kind mascot: the Blue Hose.
Presbyterian College’s students are one of a kind, too: they bring their own interests and abilities to campus and pursue them wholeheartedly. Students customize their education by choosing from 50+ majors and pre-professional programs. They’re taught and mentored by a faculty whose #1 priority is their students’ success. Students research, intern, and study abroad. And they get involved on campus, a place defined by honor and ethics. PC prepares students to be fulfilled personally and professionally so they may contribute to today’s global society.
Get to know Presbyterian College
Benefits
Student Activities
- Campus Ministries
- Choral groups
- Concert band
- Dance
- Drama/theatre
- International Student Organization
- Jazz band
- Literary magazine
- Model UN
- Music ensembles
- Pep band
- Student government
- Student newspaper
- Symphony orchestra
- Yearbook
High-Impact Practices
- First-Year Seminars and Experiences
- Common Intellectual Experiences
- Learning Communities
- Collaborative Assignments and Projects
- Undergraduate Research
- Diversity/Global Learning
- Internships/Coops/Practica
- Capstone Courses and Projects/Senior Experience
Campus Resources
- Career Services
- Writing Center
- Academic Advisors
- Library Services
- Disability Services
- Health Services
- Academic Tutors
- Financial Aid Advisors
- Student Success Initiative
- Peer Mentors
- Counseling
College Highlights
PC is an excellent place for students with wide-ranging interests and an active sense of curiosity. Students develop a close relationship with their professors as they explore critical issues, pursue internships, conduct research, and travel abroad.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
At Presbyterian College, there is a belief that learning can and should take place outside of the four walls of the classroom. This is why 100% of PC students participate in study abroad, research, or internships during their time as an undergraduate student. In the last year, PC students have traveled to the Galapagos Islands to study the local wildlife, researched and designed prosthetic limbs, and interned at the Greenville Zoo.
RESEARCH
At Presbyterian College, research isn’t something only graduate students can do. In fact, all students have the opportunity to conduct research. What better way to apply what’s learned in the classroom than by conducting research with a professor! Students from all academic areas, ranging from the humanities to the sciences, conduct research each year. Click here to read about Clay Wright, a rising senior whose research caught the attention of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
STUDY ABROAD
Study abroad is available during the semester or PC’s “May-mester.” Professors develop the shorter May term programs themselves, taking students on exciting trips to Vietnam, Europe, South America, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Additionally, a partnership with Guizhou University in China offers students opportunities to study Chinese language and history on campus and then travel to China with faculty for immersion in Chinese culture.
Beyond these faculty-led trips, PC offers a Cuba study program that is one of only fifteen in the country. What’s more, PC is also the only liberal arts college in the country to have been selected to host a Confucius Institute.
SERVICE
The most emphasized types of experiential learning at PC is performing service. Whether in a children’s home, at the Special Olympics, or at a local school, 80 percent of PC students participate in service projects. Recently, students have rolled up their sleeves to work with a Habitat for Humanity house on McMillian Street in Clinton. And about 43 percent of the student body have gone Greek, taking part in communities that have connections to numerous service organizations.
ENROLLMENT BY ETHNICITY
Non-U.S. Citizen: 3%
Hispanic/Latinx: 6%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 16%
White, non-Hispanic: 69%
Native/Indigenous American or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 0%
Asian, non-Hispanic: 1%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: 0%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 4%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown: 0%
PC’s academic program is unlike any other. It combines a strong foundation in the liberal arts, a commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry, and real-world relevance to give students the best in education and career preparation.
THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX
Some popular majors at PC include business administration, pre-med, history, and music. Many history majors are pre-law, and many intern in the local area with circuit court judges. Students are encouraged to get creative with their academic interests no matter their field of study. This often leads to academic pairings that many may consider unconventional, but at PC, that’s the norm.
STUDENT/FACULTY INTERACTION
Professors have noted that they chose to teach at PC because of the high amount of contact they’re able to have with their students. This is one of the reasons why the College maintains an average class size of 15 students. In the first year, students participate in a seminar with 12 other freshmen who work under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Of the professors at PC, 95 percent hold terminal degrees in their field, and six noted professors have received the CASE Professor of the Year award—more than any other school in South Carolina.
The faculty-student relationships at PC are unique. There are many evenings in which students are invited to dine at faculty homes. Students feel comfortable stopping by a professor’s office because they know that he or she cares about them as an individual. It’s no wonder why lifelong friendships with faculty are developed while students are at PC.
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Students have many opportunities to perform research on their own or with a professor, a process that begins with open dialogue with professors who act as mentors. There is also a Summer Fellows Research program, which provides stipends for students to work very closely with faculty in a concentrated manner on various research projects. Many students present their research at national professional conferences, and all departments have opportunities for distinguished honors research. Students have focused on topics including prosthetics, climate change, and sustainable fuels. And in the last five years alone, five PC students have been chosen to conduct research for NASA.
HONOR CODE
Incoming students take a pledge that begins, “On my honor, I will abstain from all deceit.” Professors can testify that such an oath of honor weighs heavily on students’ choices, affecting the campus atmosphere by giving students the freedom to trust one another. Because of this honor code, professors will often allow students to complete their tests in their dorm rooms.
SPECIAL STUDY OPTIONS
Programs available at this institution.
Distance learning
Double major
Dual enrollment
English as a Second Language (ESL)
Exchange student program (domestic)
Honors Program
Independent study
Internships
Study abroad
Teacher certification program
An award-winning residential life staff, Division I athletics, and a multitude of community service programs are just a few of the things that make PC students feel right at home.
RESIDENCE HALLS
There are five traditional residence halls on campus: two freshman halls, one men’s hall, and four apartment-style halls for upperclassmen. On June 1, the College also began construction on a new residential area for upperclassmen.
LIVING-LEARNING COMMUNITIES
In addition to the standard residences, Presbyterian College offers two living-learning communities. The Carol International House, which houses PC students and international exchange and degree-seeking students, provides special programming related to international studies and experiences. And Reynolds Hall houses “The Nest,” a Christian community serving as a resource for the entire campus in related programming.
SCHOOL LOCATION
PC is located in Clinton, South Carolina—a college town of 10,000 located between Greenville, South Carolina, and Columbia, South Carolina.
ATHLETICS
NCAA Division I (FCS) and Intercollegiate Sports
9 men‘s: acrobatics and tumbling, baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, wrestling
10 women‘s: acrobatics and tumbling, basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, lacrosse, wrestling
RESIDENCE LIFE
Percent of students living on campus.
First-time, first-year (freshman) students: 100%
Undergraduates: 99%
Campus housing options.
Coed dorms
Men’s dorms
Women’s dorms
Apartments for single students
Special housing for international students
Fraternity/sorority housing
Four years at Presbyterian College are transformative. Blue Hose leave the College’s oak-lined plazas with confidence because they remember. They remember the lessons learned on the front steps of Neville Hall. They remember the leadership opportunities the Honor Council and Greek life provided. They remember the advice their favorite professor gave to them at the end of their sophomore year. It’s not just the color of graduates’ socks that makes them stand out; it’s these formative experiences that enable Blue Hose to be different, to stand out from the crowd. The data speaks for itself: Over the last five years, 95% of PC graduates were employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation.
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
Students have had local internships in banks, hotels, hospitals, and law offices. The college also collaborates with Millekin, a large textile company, to provide students with an integrated internship and leadership training experience. Some students have ventured to Washington, DC, to intern for the National Geographic Society and to Atlanta to intern for CNN, Delta Air Lines, The Today Show, and even NASA. Read how two PR internships led Brittany Kirkland ‘13 to land a position at one of the world’s largest technology corporations.
ALUMNI WHO SUCCEED
Take the customizable academic experience, add a dash of undergraduate research, a trip abroad, or an internship; stir in a bit of inspiration from the faculty, and sprinkle in the leadership opportunities provided by PC. The result is something special: a Blue Hose. There’s value in those two words. Just ask employers and graduate schools. They will all tell you the same thing: Blue Hose are more than a fashion statement. Take a look at the Blue Hose Blog to meet alumni who live out PC’s mission every day.
Admission
*APPLICATION DEADLINE
Early Action: Dec. 1
Closing Date: June 30
ADMISSIONS FACTORS
Very Important
Rigor of secondary school record | Class rank | Academic GPA | Application Essay
Important
Recommendation(s) | Interview | Extracurricular activities
Talent/ability | Character/personal qualities
Considered
Standardized test scores | First generation | Alumni/ae relation
Volunteer work | Work experience | Level of applicant’s interest
TEST SCORES
Optional
FRESHMAN PROFILE
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th Percentile: 520 | 75th Percentile: 610
SAT Math
25th Percentile: 510 | 75th Percentile: 590
ACT Composite
25th Percentile: 20 | 75th Percentile: 25
APPLICATION PROCESS
Each applicant to PC is considered on an individual basis, looking at all of the information that provided in the application file. Applicants’ high school GPA are calculated on a 4.0 scale to reflect academic courses only, with weights added for honors, AP, or IB courses. The College will accept either the ACT or SAT and will use the highest combination of SAT-Verbal and SAT-Math scores.
To complete the application process, please submit the following items:
- A completed PC application or The Common Application.
- An official high school transcript
- An official copy of SAT or ACT scores (may be included in official transcript)
Recommended Items
- Letters of recommendation
- Résumé
- ZeeMee
- Essay and short answers
Test-Optional Policy
Presbyterian College has always taken a holistic approach to admitting applicants, evaluating everything a student offers the community: high school GPA, standardized test scores, the strength of academic schedule, writing ability, leadership, and service. Applicants can decide whether they want PC to consider standardized test scores when evaluating their admissions file. Click here for additional information regarding the test-optional policy.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition: $37,400
Fees: $2,860
Room: $5,300
Board: $5,600
Aid
SCHOLARSHIPS AND AID
The investment made for an education at Presbyterian College is comparable to that of the flagship public schools in South Carolina. In fact, 100% of students in the Class of 2022 received some degree of merit and/or financial aid. Surprised? At Presbyterian College, students receive all the benefits of a small, private liberal arts institution at the cost of a large flagship public school. Don’t be fooled by the sticker price—take a moment to explore PC’s scholarship programs.
Contact Presbyterian College
Contact Admissions
https://www.presby.edu/admissions/
(800) 476-7272
admissions@presby.edu
Campus Location
503 South Broad Street
Clinton, SC 29325
Visit PC Online