Statewide College Application Season kicks off in Kershaw
South Carolina’s 2026 College Application Season officially opened Aug. 19 as students at Andrew Jackson High School in Kershaw took part in the first of hundreds of events planned at schools across the state this fall.
The annual Commission on Higher Education-led campaign brings counselors, college representatives and other resources directly to high schools to help seniors explore their educational options and navigate the college application process.
CHE partnered with Lancaster County School District to host this year’s statewide kickoff event, which started with the energy of a pep rally as more than 100 seniors entered through a spirit tunnel formed by the school’s cheer squad, color guard and band, along with guests and administrators. Students then had dedicated time to work on college applications with one-on-one assistance from school counselors and representatives from colleges and universities.
“Helping our students see and pursue the opportunities available to them after high school is an important part of our work,” said Dr. Norris Williams, LCSD Superintendent. “We are grateful to the Commission on Higher Education for partnering with us and for bringing college representatives directly to our students. This event gave our seniors an opportunity to take that next step with confidence and support.”
CHE President and Executive Director Dr. L Jeffrey Perez told students their participation was the beginning of both their personal college application journey and a much larger statewide effort. In 2025, a record 256 South Carolina high schools registered to participate in the campaign. More than 17,700 seniors were documented as participating in events at schools that submitted final reports, completing and submitting more than 37,000 college applications.
He also encouraged students to view applying to college as an opportunity to explore their options rather than feeling pressured to have their futures figured out immediately.
“Filling out a college application is one of the first things you're doing as adults. It's an important responsibility that you're taking,” Perez said. “Don't think you have to make all the decisions now. Fill out the application. Figure out where you want to go and start yourself on a path. You don't know where your path is going to go, but how can you prepare yourself? That's by going to college, and that journey starts today.”
South Carolina Rep. Keishan Scott and South Carolina Sen. Allen Blackmon also spoke and offered words of encouragement to the students about college and the journey ahead.
College Application Season runs from August through November, with school-based events providing students one-on-one application assistance from school counselors, college representatives and teachers. Last year, 47 South Carolina public and independent colleges provided application fee waivers during the campaign.
Key campaign partners also include the Carolina Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (CACRAO) and ACT, one of the state’s standardized testing agencies. CACRAO’s partnership helps maximize the number of college representatives at events, while ACT’s partnership helps recognize schools for performance.
Each year a CAS “School of Excellence” is also recognized for demonstrating consistency or significant improvement in student success and participation in the program, as well as meeting all required data reporting deadlines. The winner for 2025-26 will be presented with their award at their college application event this fall.
A complete list of schools participating in the 2026 College Application Season is available on the SC CAN GO web page.
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