The South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM or SCGSSM) is a public, boardinghigh school for students in grades 11 and 12, located in Hartsville, South Carolina. The school offers many courses in science, mathematics, and the humanities.
Students at GSSM can take a wide range of STEM and humanities courses during their two years on campus. In 2026, 16 dual enrolled courses, 16 AP courses, and 39 "Above AP" courses were offered.[3] Students can conduct semester or year-long scientific investigations,[4] in addition to the required Summer Program for Research Interns (SPRI).[5] During SPRI, students conduct six weeks of mentored scientific, business or economics research at university or corporate R&D labs across South Carolina or in locations across the United States and other countries. In 2009, GSSM began the Research Exchange Scholars Program (later renamed the Research Experience Scholars Program) with exchange students from Pforzheim, Germany[6] and Daejeon, Korea. In 2017, the RESP program included sites in Germany, Korea, and China.
GSSM offers many courses in STEM and humanities in addition to a January Interim[7] period during which students can choose from experiential courses and national and international trips. Interim course offerings vary from year to year.
Every student is assigned a college counselor that typically has experience in college admissions. GSSM provides resources and assistance for applying to colleges and scholarships.
Outreach
Beyond the education provided to students in residence, the school delivers outreach programs[8] for middle schoolers in satellite locations statewide, as well as for rising 8th through 10th graders at its annual, residential summer program, GoSciTech.
GoSciTech, originally named Summer Science Program (SSP), began as a one-week program in 1990. As of 2012, the camp expanded to offer up to four weeks of courses and was renamed GoSciTech. In 2016, nearly 30 courses were offered to over 500 students.
Satellite camps include iTEAMS Xtreme and iTEAMS Xtreme: Next Generation, computer science, technology and robotics day camps. CREATEng, an engineering and design thinking day camp, was added in 2014. More than 1300 students and teachers from across the state participated in GSSM's summer outreach programs during the 2016 summer.
History
The school was founded in 1988 by Governor Carroll Campbell and Charles W. Coker on the grounds of then Coker College (now a university). It moved to a purpose-built campus nearby in 2003.[9] In 2010, two new wings were added: the Academic Wing, containing classrooms and laboratories, and the Student Activities Center, which includes an engineering projects center and also a gym, weight room, game room, and kitchen. In 2015, the school reached maximum capacity of 288 students.[10]
Admissions
Admission to GSSM is by application and open to any resident of South Carolina in their sophomore year of high school. Juniors and seniors are not eligible to apply. Applicants are invited through a competitive selection process, with about 157 invited in 2016 (varying from year to year so that the student body size at the start of each year is 288). For the 2020–2021 school year, submission of a PSAT, SAT, or ACT score was optional. Students who meet the basic requirements are typically invited for an interview in early spring. Some students are placed on a waiting list, which is pulled from if any of the originally selected students do not accept their offer of enrollment.
Student life
SCGSSM State Soccer Championship 2012
All students live in the dorms. Each Jack-and-Jill suite consists of two rooms and a connecting bathroom; two students live in each room.[11] The dorms are split into two halls: James D. Daniels for AMAB people and Denny W. Neilson for AFAB people. Each side has three floors (called houses). There is up to one RLC (Residence Life Coordinator) per floor. RLCs are full-time staff members that live on campus to assist the students. The RLCs are assisted by up to two RAs (Resident Assistants) who are typically college students that live at GSSM.[12]
Much of the student body participates in the school's numerous clubs and societies. GSSM has almost 70 clubs and societies.[13] Notable clubs include the Robotics club, Interact club, which connects students to volunteer opportunities, the Mock Trial club and Academic Team, and Common Ground, an LGBT club for queers and allies.[14]
Many students also participate in varsity athletics with cross country, swimming, volleyball, tennis and soccer teams consistently ranked highly and/or participating in state championships. In 2017, boys' cross country won the 1A state championship. In 2018, the boys' soccer team won the South Carolina division 1A state championship. In November 2018, the girls' volleyball team won the South Carolina division 1A state championship. The school's Chess team has also won a number of state championships.[15]
Students are required to complete around 100 hours of community service through their time at the school. Service projects include tutoring local students and peers, computer, website and IT help for business owners, volunteering at the animal shelter and food bank, and helping around campus.
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