Clemson Honors College Admissions

Honors acceptance has no bearing on merit money.

@BlockMI, my son also is deciding on Clemson Calhoun Honors. We agree that it is confusing about the classes and got mixed information from the school. I was wondering if yours had decided and if you were able to get a clearer picture?

@miksur Has your son participated in any of the Honors Zoom meetings or FB live sessions? I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have, just let know.

I am a future Clemson Honors freshman myself, so I figured I could shed some light on the application process that was initially asked about in the original thread. I believe that the Honors application is not separate from your original application to the university, due to the fact that they do like to see your test scores and GPA. However, that does not necessarily mean that they solely rely on test scores to determine admission. I personally had a 31 ACT and a 1380 SAT with a 4.46 GPA, which I know to be lower than the average acceptance rate for the honors college. With that being said, I applied rather reluctantly to the program, assuming I would not gain admission. I am a standard essay writer and I would not consider myself to be an excellent manipulator of words. Despite these factors however, I gained admission into the Honors college. Was this a fluke as many in this chat would say, due to my lower test scores? No, I do not believe so. The Calhoun Honors college definitely focuses more on the essays the students write because they already know that the kids that are applying are the top students in high schools around the country. Knowing this, they focus on the ideas that the students present, and assess their interpretation of life around them. I wrote about my love of reading and how it ties in to my sense of adventure, how I love to smile and how that helps others, and about an unique English course I would create at Clemson if I had the chance. I wrote about things that I love to do, and that truly paint a picture of me and who I want to be. I believe that the Honors Committee saw that in my essays, and somehow deemed me fit to being a part of the honors college. I hope this helps prospective students who are looking to apply, and if you are, and you meet the requirements to apply, I encourage you to do it!! Be yourself, write like you have nothing to lose, and show them who you truly are. Best of luck, and feel free to comment and ask questions.

So this year Clemson seems to be making the Honors College application available to everyone that submits a regular application? From this thread I have gathered that in previous years they only sent out HC invitations after regular acceptances. Any reason for the change?

@UTSquared I think it was open to anyone, as long as they had their CU ID from completing the general application and met the minimum requirements for HC admission. I know she started receiving reminders and other correspondence, but I don’t recall a formal invitation. It’s been a year, so I could wrong. Good luck!

Last year I’m pretty sure there was a minimum SAT/ACT to get the honors application. With it being test optional I’m guessing they didn’t have a good way to set a minimum threshold and so just left it open. It was a pretty detailed application so I don’t think many students will do it just on a whim.

@UTSquared Honors College has never been via invite. Last year you had to have a minimum of 30 ACT to qualify to apply. It’s a rigorous application that looks more at the quality of your essays, what you’ve accomplished in your education, your leadership in high school, and what you have to show for it. It took my daughter a solid month to complete it last year (she was accepted). I recommend you only apply if you are interested in that sort of education and experience. There are many great LLCs (living learning communities) that students take part in their freshman years.

The Clemson Honors application and admissions process is completely separate from the Clemson Undergraduate Admissions application. More info here:

The Clemson Honors application has been open to anyone that APPLIES for Clemson University Undergraduate admission since 2007. Applicants can apply for Clemson Honors admission as long as they have submitted an application for Clemson undergraduate admission (it is not required to have already been accepted), however, applicants must be accepted to Clemson as an undergraduate admission before the Honors College can issue an Honors admission decision.

Honors decisions have started to roll out. S21 got his - accepted.

Does anyone know of you check the box that you’d like to apply for honors, do you have to submit the honors essays the same day you submit your common app? Of can you upload them a couple weeks later?
Thanks!! Appreciate any feedback!!

You can apply at a later date. My daughter submitted her honors college application a couple of months after submitting her Clemson application.

Thank you!