By: Anna Aguillard, Senior Writer

In comparison to other colleges in South Carolina, Wofford has always been known to be one of the more academically rigorous educational institutions. Its small class sizes lend themselves to stricter attendance policies and higher participation expectations, and its graduates like to think that a Wofford degree carries a heavier weight in the real world than a degree from an assumedly “easier” institution.

However, a look into this year’s incoming class reveals something unexpected about Wofford’s admission standards that may end up changing the reputation of a Wofford education.

When looking for colleges, high school seniors looking for a prestigious education often take into consideration an institution’s most recent “class profiles,” which show quick facts that highlight the same statistics of a college’s most recent class, including the college’s middle fifty percentiles for its accepted students’ GPA and SAT/ACT scores.

Historically, Wofford’s incoming class’s statistics have had scores higher than USC and Clemson, closer to the likes of Furman. However, this year’s class statistics are markedly different.

In 2015, the middle fifty percent range fell between 1080 and 1260. For comparison, in 2010, the middle fifty percent range for incoming freshman SAT scores was between 1160 and 1340.

That puts Wofford below Furman, whose middle fifty percent ranges from 1150 to 1340. It also puts Wofford below both Clemson and the University of South Carolina,whose middle fifty percent ranges are 1170 to 1330 and 1130 to 1280, respectively.

Additionally, in comparison to the Class of 2016’s three National Merit Scholars, this year, Wofford has none.

So what does this lower score range mean, and why could it have occurred in the first place?

It may just be a fluke – in statistics, one years’ difference doesn’t necessarily indicate a lasting trend. And it doesn’t mean that Wofford is not still attracting a portion of students with high scores. It does mean that, this year at least, there are fewer students with high scores here.

Recovery from a lower reported SAT score can be hard to achieve. Some students with high test scores do pay attention to the scores of the institutions in which they apply; the level of admission selectivity appeals to students who have the luxury of attending prestigious institutions. Once SAT scores slip, a college may stop attracting students with higher scores in the first place, and the cycle could continue.