My daughter was asked to apply to the Honors College at USC. Are they offered additional merit if accepted? Are you eligible for the same merit if you do not apply to Honors?
The Top Scholars (McNair, Carolina, Horseshoe, 1801 and Stamps) are only available to students who apply to honors college and these are awarded based on interview weekend. All others, AFAIK are available to all students based on GPA, Test scores, and National Merit Finalist status. So additional merit OPPORTUNITIES, but not necessarily additional merit.
UofSC offers some merit through their admissions office. It is not necessary to apply to Honors to be eligible.
The application for UofSC’s Honors College doubles as an application for Top Scholars. If you are accepted to the Honors College, you may or may not be invited to interview for Top Scholars. Top Scholars receive additional merit packages, and other perks and privileges. Explore UofSC’s website for details. (This particular page is for OOS residents.)
https://www.sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/undergraduate_admissions/tuition_scholarships/scholarships/nonresidents/index.php
Last year my daughter was accepted into the USC Honors College. We got the letter on Christmas Eve. It was automatic in state tuition. Another few thousand in merit was awarded around March. She had a 5.1 GPA and 34 ACT OOS. Hope that’s helpful!
Is the 5.1 what UofSC calculated? I thought they only went to a 5 point scale? Once and for all how do they calculate GPA? Both classes and point values? Admissions has us believing 5 is the highest you can get for any class.
@afbratmama , South Carolina uses the SC UGP GPA system. This means for regular “CP” courses, an 100-A translates to a 5.0 on the scale, and every 1 point drop correlates to a 0.1 drop in GPA. Ex, a 92-A would be considered a 4.2 and so on. If your kid has an 100-A on what USC considers an Honors class, then on the scale it is a 5.50. If your kid has an 100-A on an AP class, then on the scale it would translate to a 6.0. Technically, for a kid that only takes regular CP classes, the highest would be a 5.0. I don’t think any students can reach a 6.0, because some high school required classes like Algebra 1 or P.E. are never AP classes. With that said, if you child took a lot of honors and as many AP courses as possible, then your child’s GPA can be above 5.0.
Ok, so we live in Fairfax County, VA and our transcripts do not have a number grade on them. How does this work?
@afbratmama , if your high school does not have a numerical grade, then an A will translate to a 95, B=85, C=75, D=65, and F=50. From those numbers, the A will be a 4.5, B will be 3.5, and so on. At least that’s what was posted from SC UGP booklet for students transferring into SC high schools. I would say that SC colleges would use the same method, but confirm that with your USC admissions officer.
Here’s the info: Out-of-State or Non-Public Schools
When transcripts are received from accredited out-of-state schools (or in state from accredited
sources other than the public schools as defined in Regulation 43-273) and numerical averages
are provided, those averages must be used in transferring the grades to the student’s record. If
letter grades with no numerical averages are provided, the conversion scale effective during the
year the course was completed will be used. For courses completed during school years 2015–
16 and prior, the following conversion will apply: A = 96, B = 88, C = 80, D = 73, F = 61. For
courses completed in 2016–17 and after, the following conversion will apply: A = 95, B = 85,
C = 75, D = 65, F = 50. If the transcript indicates that the student has earned a passing grade in
any course in which he or she had a numerical average lower than 60, the grade will be
recorded as a “P” on the transcript and follow the guidelines for entering the “P” on the
transcript. See SBE Regulation 43-273 for additional information on transfers and
withdrawals. If the transcript indicates that the student has earned a failing grade in any course
in which he or she had a numerical average of 60 or above, the grade will be recorded as an
“NP” on the transcript and follow the guidelines for entering the “NP” on the transcript.
I pulled from the SC education page at: https://ed.sc.gov/districts-schools/state-accountability/uniform-grading-policy/ugp-may-2019-final-pdf/
I hope this helps you convert your child’s GPA.
Thanks. I have seen this before. We have A, A-, B+, B, B-, etc. Will they still just convert all A’s to 95 and I look on the type of class it is?
@afbratmama , I believe all As will show as a 95, and be considered a 4.5 on the GPA scale for CP classes. For honors, you’ll add 0.5 to the 4.5, and for AP, you’ll add 1.0 to the 4.5 for a total of 5.5. This might be a disadvantage only if your child scores in the A+ range all the time, otherwise, I can see this method helping your child out. South Carolina uses this method to separate students in terms of ranking, and the ranking is used for our SC lottery scholarships.
So in other words they convert all grades to the SC scale. In my sons school a A is a 4.0 so are you saying and A would not be a 4.5 and A in an Honors class will be 5.0?
@jgwolf, If your son’s school uses a numerical grade as in 90-100, then the SC UGP system will convert it to a range of 4.0-5.0, where 90=4.0, 91=4.1, 92=4.2, and so on. If your son’s high school transcript only gives out letter grade, then an A=4.5, B=3.5,C=2.5, and so on. As for honors grades, I’d check with Univ of SC or Clemson to make sure that honors class can also transfer to SC as honors. I know for sure AP classes will transfer as AP no matter where it was taken.
And you’re correct, an A honors should be 5.0, and an A in AP classes should be 5.5. Our state uses a 5.0 system to separate students for the purpose of ranking. I’ve heard a lot of people complain about Clemson University using rankings in their scholarships and acceptance rates, but it is actually because SC uses rankings to give out lottery scholarships for in-state students.
@DDclass2018 I just called admissions cause i was really confused and they told me for OOS they start with a base of 4.0 for an A and if its honors they add .5 and AP 1. This is what I thought. I think they may figure in state different than OOS
Ok, so if that is the case, do OOS kids have a disadvantage for admissions and honors college if SC kids are on a 6 point scale?
@afbratmama it’s my understanding that they have a certain number of slots for in state and a certain number for OOS. OOS kids are only competing against other OOS kids for those spots. In state are only competing against in state.
I would assume that the OOS standards are higher than the in-state. I’m OOS, but it would seem like it would have to be easier for in-state just b/c they’re the state taxpayers.
Ok. UofSC seems to have one of the highest percentages of OOS students of any of the public universities on the southeast coast. I’m more worried about how they are comparing in state vs out of state for Honors College.
North Carolina State Universities only are allowed to accept up to 18% OOS. Other states have a cap but definitely not like that. I think I heard USC wanted more OOS to boost the school. They give great merit scholarships and have some great programs so they will get more OOS
I think South Carolina is about 60% in-state, 40% OOS. Also, AO told me that U of SC got more applications than ever this year. I get tired of hearing that from these schools.
It’s getting very close to 50/50 in-state vs. OOS. My OOS sophomore has VERY few friends who are actually from SC!