Something significant is happening in college admissions: more students are choosing Southern Colleges. Families from the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and beyond are looking South.
Schools such as Clemson University, the University of Tennessee, the University of South Carolina, Auburn University, the University of Alabama, and the University of Georgia have become increasingly popular with out-of-state students. And as interest grows, some Southern colleges that families once considered relatively predictable admissions options are becoming much more competitive.
For students building a college list, this shift matters. A school that may have been a comfortable target for an older sibling just a few years ago could look very different today.
So why are more students choosing Southern colleges—and what does this trend mean for families navigating the admissions process?
Applications to Southern Colleges Are Surging
The growth in applications to many Southern colleges has been dramatic.
Clemson received about 28,600 first-year applications in 2020. Five years later, that number had climbed to nearly 65,000—an increase of more than 125%.
The University of Tennessee has experienced a similar surge, with first-year applications nearly doubling in just four admission cycles.
And the trend extends well beyond Clemson and Tennessee.
Auburn University received more than 59,000 first-year applications for fall 2025, up from about 48,000 only two years earlier.
The University of South Carolina received more than 60,000 applications for fall 2025, setting a record and representing a 13% increase in a single year. Applications from students outside South Carolina increased even faster.
At the University of Alabama, first-year applications grew from approximately 39,500 in 2020 to nearly 62,000 in 2025.
The takeaway for families is important: many popular Southern colleges are attracting larger and increasingly national applicant pools.
And when applications grow faster than the number of available seats, admission can become significantly more competitive.
Why Are So Many Students Choosing Colleges in the South?
There isn’t one explanation for the growing popularity of Southern colleges. Instead, several factors are coming together at once.
1. Students Want the Traditional College Experience
For many teenagers, Southern colleges offer much of what they picture when they imagine college: beautiful campuses, strong school spirit, major athletics, active student life, large alumni networks, and warmer weather.
Kristin Landis, an Educational Connections college consultant and former University of Virginia admissions officer, sees this appeal firsthand.
“These schools offer the classic large campus experience with strong school spirit, exciting athletic programs, large alumni networks and beautiful campuses. Add warmer weather to the mix and that is a very attractive option.”
For students who want a large university experience, schools such as Clemson, Tennessee, South Carolina, Auburn, Alabama, and Georgia can check many boxes at once.
Students are also thinking beyond their four years on campus.
2. The South Is Becoming a Career Destination, Too
Cities such as Nashville, Charlotte, Atlanta, Charleston, and Raleigh have become increasingly attractive destinations for businesses and young professionals.
That matters when students think about internships, networking, first jobs, and where they might eventually want to live.
A college decision isn’t necessarily just about choosing where to spend four years anymore. For some students, it is also an opportunity to establish connections in a region where they could imagine beginning their careers.
3. Merit Scholarships Can Change the Cost Equation
Families sometimes dismiss out-of-state public universities because they assume the tuition will automatically make them too expensive.
But the published price isn’t always the final price.
Some Southern colleges offer merit scholarships for out-of-state students, which can make the cost much more competitive than families initially expect.
That doesn’t mean every Southern public university will be an affordable choice for every family. Financial aid and merit scholarship policies vary considerably from school to school.
But it does mean families should investigate the actual cost before ruling a college in—or out—based solely on its published tuition.
4. Social Media Has Changed How Students Discover Colleges
A generation ago, geography had an enormous influence on college lists.
Students often considered schools they already knew: perhaps a parent had attended, an older student from their high school went there, or the college was within a familiar geographic radius.
Social media has completely changed that.
Today, a teenager in New Jersey can watch a University of Tennessee game-day video, see a Clemson dorm tour on TikTok, follow students at Alabama on Instagram, and get a sense of campus life long before setting foot on campus.
After months of seeing a college in their social media feeds, a school eight or ten hours from home may not feel nearly as far away.
It Isn’t Just the Big Southern Universities
The increased interest in colleges Southern colleges extends beyond large public universities and SEC schools.
Kristin says she is also seeing colleges such as Elon University, the College of Charleston, Eckerd College, and the University of Tampa appear on more students’ lists.
That suggests this is more than a fascination with football or large state universities.
For many students, the South itself has become a much more attractive region for college.
Southern Colleges Are Becoming More Competitive
There is an important consequence of all this popularity: families need to rethink some of their assumptions about college admissions.
A Southern college that seemed like a relatively safe option five years ago may no longer play the same role on a student’s college list.
Kristin has seen that change in real admissions decisions.
“I saw several students deferred in last year’s cycle where I had not seen USC use deferrals before.”
As applicant pools grow, admissions offices have more students competing for a limited number of spots.
That can affect acceptance rates, deferrals, waitlists, merit scholarship competition, and the academic profile of admitted students.
It also makes relying on anecdotal admissions advice increasingly risky.
“My neighbor’s daughter got in.”
“My older son was accepted there.”
“Everyone from our high school used to get into that school.”
Those experiences can provide context, but they don’t necessarily tell you what admissions will look like for the next applicant.
College admissions can change surprisingly quickly.
Is a Southern College a Reach, Target, or Likely School?
This is one of the most important implications for students building college lists.
Families should avoid categorizing a college as a reach, target, or likely school based on its reputation from several years ago.
Instead, look at the most current admissions information available, including:
- Recent acceptance rates and application trends
- Academic profiles of admitted students
- In-state versus out-of-state admissions patterns
- Early Action and Early Decision data, when applicable
- Test score policies and ranges
- Merit scholarship requirements and deadlines
- Admission trends at the student’s own high school
Even then, college admissions isn’t an exact formula. A thoughtful list includes a range of schools where the student would genuinely be happy—not simply one or two “safeties” chosen because they seemed easy to get into in the past.
How to Know if a Southern College Is Actually a Good Fit
Popularity doesn’t make a college the right choice.
Students should still evaluate the things that have always mattered: academics, available majors, class sizes, campus culture, location, distance from home, cost, support services, internship opportunities, and what everyday student life actually looks like.
And there’s one question we particularly like students to ask after a college visit:
Can I picture myself being happy here on an ordinary Tuesday in February?
Not on game day.
Not when the sun is shining and the campus tour is perfectly choreographed.
Not during the excitement of move-in weekend.
Just an ordinary Tuesday.
Can you imagine going to class there? Studying in the library? Finding your people? Asking a professor for help? Spending a quiet weekend on campus?
Those answers often tell students far more about college fit than rankings or social media ever will.
What This College Admissions Trend Means for Families
The growing popularity of Southern colleges is a good reminder of how quickly the college admissions landscape can change.
If your student is considering Clemson, Tennessee, South Carolina, Auburn, Alabama, Georgia—or any increasingly popular college in the South—don’t rely on what you remember about that school from five or ten years ago.
Look at what is happening now.
Build a balanced college list based on current admissions data. Explore financial aid and merit scholarship opportunities early. Visit campuses when possible. And most importantly, help your student distinguish between a college that’s popular and a college that’s genuinely a good fit.
Because ultimately, the goal isn’t to chase the latest college admissions trend.
It’s to find a place where your student can thrive.
And increasingly, for students across the country, that place may be somewhere South.