What Wofford College is like

What it's like

Wofford is a small, residential liberal arts college with deep roots in South Carolina's history and a tight-knit community. The 175-acre campus, designated a national arboretum, sits in Spartanburg and maintains its original footprint since 1854. With 93% of students living on campus and around half participating in Greek life, the social fabric centers on face-to-face interaction. The college emphasizes service learning, international engagement, and a structured academic calendar that includes a distinctive January term (Interim) designed to encourage exploration outside traditional majors.

Academic feel

Wofford offers 27 majors spanning sciences, humanities, business, and pre-professional disciplines, with particular strength in biology, finance, accounting, and psychology. The faculty-to-student ratio is 1:11, and 92% of faculty hold a doctorate or terminal degree. The Interim program is distinctive: students pursue faculty-led projects on campus (from theatre to pottery), off-campus internships in legal, medical, or corporate settings, independent research, or faculty-led study abroad. The college consistently ranks in the nation's top ten for study abroad participation (93% of the class of 2009), with access to over 200 programs in 59 countries. Wofford has produced six Fulbright English Teaching assistants and six Rhodes Scholars. The college awards pre-professional preparation in medicine, law, dentistry, engineering, ministry, and veterinary science, with an Army ROTC program established in 1919.

Social life

Approximately half the student body participates in 14 chartered Greek-letter organizations (4 sororities, 6 fraternities, 4 Pan-Hellenic organizations). Beyond Greek life, students engage in service organizations including Bonner Scholars and ONE, plus numerous student-led clubs and publications dating to 1889. The college supports LGBTQIA+ inclusion through ally training (offered since 2012), a student organization (LGBTerriers), 17 all-gender restrooms on campus, and partnerships with local LGBTQ+ nonprofits. Residential life is central—93% of students live on campus, and housing includes traditional residence halls plus apartment-style Village housing for seniors. All on-campus residents are required to purchase a meal plan with flexible options (All Access unlimited or 12-meal per week).

What you should consider

Students who value close faculty-faculty interactions and small-class learning thrive at Wofford. The 1:11 faculty-to-student ratio supports mentorship. The Interim term attracts self-directed learners willing to explore interdisciplinary projects or travel abroad. Those interested in pre-professional paths (medicine, law, business) find structured pathways and internship opportunities. Students seeking deep community engagement benefit from the residential, 93%-on-campus environment and the emphasis on service learning. The college's international focus suits globally minded students—Wofford's top-ten ranking in study abroad participation reflects institutional commitment to global education.

Strengths

• Exceptional study abroad engagement: Wofford consistently ranks in the nation's top ten in the Institute of International Education Open Doors Survey, with 93% of the class of 2009 earning credits abroad compared to a national average of 9%, and access to over 200 programs in 59 countries.[1]
• Distinctive Interim program offering diverse learning modalities including on-campus faculty projects, off-campus internships in professional settings, independent research, and faculty-led travel to multiple continents.[1]
• Strong faculty credentials with 92% holding a doctorate or terminal degree and a favorable 1:11 faculty-to-student ratio supporting personalized instruction.[1]
• Historic institutional prestige: awarded a Phi Beta Kappa chapter in 1941, the first at a private college in South Carolina, and has produced six Fulbright English Teaching assistants and six Rhodes Scholars.[1]
• Robust residential community with 93% of students living on campus, creating a self-contained social environment and fostering close peer relationships.[1]
• Comprehensive pre-professional preparation in medicine, law, dentistry, engineering, ministry, and veterinary science alongside internship and research opportunities.[1]

Traditions

• Army ROTC program, established in 1919, provides military officer training to students.[1]
• Student publications dating to 1889, including a literary magazine first published that year, the student newspaper Old Gold and Black, and the yearbook The Bohemian.[1]
• Founding of Delta Phi Alpha, the national collegiate German honorary society, and the National Beta Club, an honorary society prominent in American high schools.[1]