Here Are Facts About Clemson Retaining the Best and Brightest High School Graduates in South Carolina
There is a perception that Clemson is "not fulfilling the mission of a public land-grant institution" and that it is attempting to become an "elitist university." Much of this attitude comes from the perception that many in state students who could once have been admitted the Clemson are no longer getting accepted.
That is true. But the reason it is true is that in state competition has gotten much stronger, as the best and brightest SC high schools students are attending Clemson rather than an out of state school. The chart above, created with data from Clemson's Office of Institutional Research, shows that the number of in state undergraduates has actually risen since Clemson began its Top 20 quest in 2001, and the percentage of in state students has not changed. At the same time, income SAT scores have risen significantly. Test scores are going up and the number of in state students is also rising, which means that Clemson is retaining more of the best and brightest high school students in South Carolina. (The University of South Carolina is also retaining more of the best and brightest in the state.)
Clemson's Top 20 quest is having a positive impact on in state undergraduate enrollment. Add this to other positive impacts, from increased research, start-up and IP licenses, to the creation of CU-ICAR, the Advanced Materials Research Lab in Anderson, and the Restoration Institute in Charleston, and Clemson's Top 20 quest is having a major positive impact on South Carolina.
