Admission

Enrollment and Lottery Information

The lottery for the 2023-2024 school year was conducted on February 15.  Applicants will be notified of their status no later than midnight Sunday, February 19.
All potential students must complete an application to enroll at Palmetto Scholars Academy.  Because there are always more applicants than spaces, a random-selection lottery system is used to determine seat placement and waitlists.  

Applications are currently available for both the current 2022-2023 and next 2023-2024 school years.

PSA’s application period for the 2023-2024 school year runs from December 2, 2022, through January 31, 2023.  All applications received during that time period will be entered into the lottery, which will take place February 15, 2023.  Applications received after January 31, 2023, will be added to a waitlist in the order in which they are received.  This waitlist will continue to be used to fill vacancies throughout the 2023-2024 school year.

Applications received for the 2022-2023 school year will be added to the waitlist in the order in which they are received.  This waitlist will continue to be used to fill vacancies throughout the 2022-2023 school year.

Please email any questions to registration@psaschool.org.

PSA is open to all South Carolina students who are currently eligible for grades 6 – 12. Verification of South Carolina residency is a requirement for admission.
 
In accordance with Section 59-40-50 of the South Carolina Charter Schools Act, Palmetto Scholars Academy’s admission policy will be to admit all children eligible to attend public school in South Carolina, subject to space limitations. The school will recruit, register and admit students without regard to race, religion, gender, natural origin, disability, or need for special education services. Palmetto Scholars Academy will, however, maintain accelerated and rigorous curriculum standards geared toward challenging gifted and talented students.  It is not a good academic fit for all children.
 
If the number of applications received by the deadline exceeds the number of pupils permitted per grade, a lottery will be conducted for those grade level(s), in compliance with Section 59-40-50 of the SCCSA (1996). Parents or guardians of all affected applicants will be notified via email or US Mail of the date and time of the lottery. The lottery will be conducted as a public meeting and representatives of Palmetto Scholars Academy and a recruited SC Notary Public will be on hand to conduct and ensure lawful operation of the lottery.

How Can I Know if PSA is the right school for my child?

Curriculum, instruction, and academic expectations at PSA are designed for students identified as gifted and talented.  While many students who are not in the gifted and talented category may find success in our school, it is important for parents to make an informed decision regarding the probability of success for their child.  The principal or guidance staff should be contacted for an advisement meeting prior to parents making a decision about enrollment.

What are some of the characteristics of a Gifted and Talented learner?

Creativeness and inventiveness. Keen sense of humor. Ability for fantasy. Openness to stimuli, wide interests. Intuitiveness. Flexibility. Independence in attitude and social behavior. Self-acceptance and lack of concern for social norms. Radicalism. Aesthetic and moral commitment to self-selected work.

Unusual emotional depth and intensity. Sensitivity or empathy to the feelings of others. High expectations of self and others, often leading to feelings of frustration. Heightened self-awareness, accompanied by feelings of being different. 

Spontaneity. Boundless enthusiasm. Intensely focused on passions—resists changing activities when engrossed in own interests. Highly energetic. Constantly questions. Insatiable curiosity. Impulsive, eager, and spirited. Perseverance—strong determination in areas of importance. 

Waitlist

For the upcoming school year, all applications are date-stamped and held, until the point at which more applications are received than there is space available. If more applications are received than there is space available, a closed lottery will be held to determine the waitlist position. Applicants who are added to the waitlist will be notified as their status on the waitlist changes.

Transfers

For transfers during the current school year, applications are date-stamped when received by the school and added to the waitlist. Enrollment is offered on a space-available basis and in the order in which they are received.
 
For more information:
Welcome to PSA

The PSA Difference

Palmetto Scholars Academy (PSA) is a public charter school designed to discover, nurture, and optimize the full potential of intellectually gifted 6th-12th grade students