AP Statistics no longer counts as a fourth math course for South Carolina college admission, a change that hits close to home in Fort Mill.

The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) revised its college-prep course requirements and exam-based credit policies, with changes taking effect in fall 2026, WRHI reported on Monday, Sept. 21.

The state still requires 20 college-prep units for incoming freshmen at public universities. But the updated policy tightens the definition of the required fourth math course. Previously, the CHE described it as a higher-level course meant for students who had already completed Algebra 2 with Probability. The new language defines it as a course that requires Algebra 2 with Probability as a prerequisite, according to the commission. AP Statistics is now explicitly excluded.

That matters locally. Fort Mill students sat for 3,001 AP exams in 2026, a 67 percent jump from 1,790 in 2022, and recorded a 100 percent pass rate in AP Statistics, WRHI reported separately, citing data presented at a Fort Mill School Board meeting in September 2026.

The math prerequisite change applies to students entering high school in fall 2026. It will be fully in place for incoming college freshmen in fall 2030, according to the commission.

Exam credit rules tighten too

The CHE also revised its Exam-Based Credit Awards Policy, which governs how South Carolina colleges grant credit for Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge Assessment International Education (AICE) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.

The biggest shift affects Cambridge/AICE exams. Students previously earned college credit with a score of E or higher on qualifying exams. The new policy raises the minimum to a C or higher, according to the commission. The updated policy also identifies which Advanced Subsidiary Level exams qualify for credit, while all Advanced Level subjects remain eligible.

Two other exam programs, the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DANTES Subject Standardized Tests, are no longer covered under the policy, according to the commission.

The exam credit changes take effect in fall 2026. Colleges and universities have until fall 2027 to update their catalogs and websites, according to the commission.

What Fort Mill families should know

Neither Fort Mill School District nor Clover School District had issued public statements addressing these specific changes as of Monday, Sept. 21. Whether local high schools offer Cambridge/AICE programs could not be confirmed from public records.

The change affects students entering ninth grade in fall 2026, giving families time to adjust four-year math plans before the policy applies to college freshmen in fall 2030. The commission's full policy updates are available on the CHE website.