Academic FAQs

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What are the academic requirements for admission?: Academic excellence is an integral component of the school's mission. Successful candidates are expected to have an overall minimum grade point average of 2.5 (on the South Carolina Uniform Grading Scale) in all courses taken in the ninth and tenth grades, or equivalent grades for younger applicants. Faculty carefully review grades lower than C, and may consult with guidance counselors, teachers, and parents to determine whether admission is in the student's best interest. Students entering the eleventh grade are expected to have earned academic units in the following areas:
What are your course offerings?: We offer a full curriculum in accordance with the requirements for the South Carolina High School diploma. These include courses in English, Foreign Languages (French, German, and Spanish), Mathematics, Sciences, and Social Studies. All classes are intensively-paced and rigorous. Courses are offered at the AP, Honors, and College Prep level to best serve our current student population.
Do you offer AP classes?: Advanced Placement courses include: Art History; Biology; Calculus AB; Chemistry; English (Literature and Language); European History; French; Music Theory; Physics B; Spanish; Statistics; and US History. Courses may be offered in alternating years based on student requests.
Are there any electives in the schedule?: As individual schedules permit, students can take electives including Astronomy, Holocaust Seminar, and Teacher Cadets. Students may also enroll in third and fourth year foreign language classes in addition to the AP classes mentioned above. All students enroll in the school-wide Humanities course, which emphasizes connections among their various areas of study.
What is your schedule?: Academic classes meet on an alternating A/B schedule throughout the school year. Academic classes meet during a school day running for five ninety-minute blocks (8:30 am-4:30 pm). Classes such as Humanities and special topics in the arts may meet from 4:30-6:00 pm.
What is your timeline for communicating with parents (progress reports, report cards)?: Report cards are mailed to parents at the end of each nine weeks. If a student has an 80 average or below at the mid-point in the nine weeks, then the teacher will send a progress report to parents. Teachers also communicate with parents on a regular basis by phone and using e-mail, on-line grade books, and class web pages.
What is your attendance policy?: Attendance in class is essential for success, and state laws about attendance in South Carolina public schools also apply at the Governor's School. Students cannot miss more than five per cent of class meetings. A registered nurse is on campus each day in the event that a student is ill and needs to be excused from class.
What is the average class size?: Class size varies depending upon the nature of the course. While some classes may be as small as five or six students, other classes may be much larger. Typically, no class has more than thirty students, and twenty is probably the average for most academic classes.
How do you prepare students for standardized tests (PSAT, SAT, ACT) and where do students take them?: Students are encouraged to take advantage of the rigorous academic course offerings at the Governor's School to complement their artistic training and to prepare for the challenges of post-secondary education. Additionally, the Math and English departments offer special tutoring sessions for students to practice the skills necessary for success on standardized tests. Sophomores and juniors take the PSAT on our campus each October, just as other public high school students do. The guidance department helps students register for the SAT and the ACT, and the Residential Life staff helps arrange transportation to nearby test sites on test day.
How prepared are Governor's School students for college?: The Guidance Office arranges a College Fair each fall and hosts many college representatives who visit our campus. Each student also receives individual counseling in making the best decision about post-secondary opportunities. Many of our students go on to traditional liberal arts schools, some choose conservatories and other specialized arts schools, and others opt for a major university. Our students have experienced high rates of acceptance into quality programs around the country, and the scholarship offers they receive are additional evidence that our students are prepared both artistically and academically for the challenges they will face; in fact, last year's graduating class acquired over nine and a half million dollars in scholarship offers.