<p>I am trying to decide between these two colleges. I will receive about the same aid from both schools and have visited both and, though very different liked both. I want to study biochemistry and really am trying to figure out which would be the better school to help prepare me to get into a top grad school. I know that Clemson is known more for its science program, but I am not guaranteed to get into the honors college because I applied a little late. On the other hand, I have been accepted into the USC honors college which is supposed to be the best honors college in the country and want to know if this makes up for a science program that is not considered as high as Clemson's normally. Does one have more research opportunities than the other?</p>
<p>We have a program at Clemson called Creative Inquiry where any student can get involved in research at the undergraduate level. Check it out! There are tons of projects going on within every major, just ask the professor in charge how you can get involved - [Creative</a> Inquiry and Undergraduate Research | Clemson University, South Carolina](<a href=“Creative Inquiry + Undergraduate Research | Clemson University, South Carolina”>Creative Inquiry + Undergraduate Research | Clemson University, South Carolina)</p>
<p>You can apply to get into Clemson’s honors college after every semester if you have a 3.5 GPA. In the end the decision is up to you, nobody is going to care whether you graduated from an honors college or not, they will look at your GPA and the experience you gained during college through your classes, internships, research, or study abroad programs etc… I think Clemson has a great biochemistry program and we definitely do a great job of getting our graduates into top graduate and med schools (on the biochemistry website, the department chair lists Vanderbilt, Virginia, Duke, Oxford, MD Anderson, Johns Hopkins, Washington University, Emory, North Carolina as examples of schools Clemson students have got into)</p>
<p>Let me know if you have any questions about Clemson!</p>
<p>USC has a program similar to Clemson’s Creative Insight program called Magellan Scholars ([Magellan</a> Scholar : Office of Undergraduate Research](<a href=“Magellan Scholar Award - Undergraduate Research | University of South Carolina”>Magellan Scholar Award - Undergraduate Research | University of South Carolina)). It is difficult to compare biochemistry programs at the undergraduate level, but I understand that both schools have solid departments. USC has a larger graduate school, so unsurprisingly it has the edge in graduate biology and chemistry programs. This may be of interest if you plan to go straight to grad school or alternatively, if as you mentioned you want to get involved in research. Grad schools, tend to draw the majority of research funding at universities and professors are always looking for research assistants.</p>
<p>As far as the honors college, I would highly recommend it regardless of which school you choose. The South Carolina Honors College is exceptional and the students are highly motivated. Most of the science majors I knew went to med school at MUSC, UVA, UNC, or UF and my roommate (chemical engineering major, but took a lot of chem classes) went on to grad school at UT-Austin before accepting a job with Exxon. I think you will have a great experience at either school and your grad school options will be largely the same if you’re in the Honors College. Good luck!</p>