The University offers many resources that prepare you to apply to graduate, law, medical or other health professional schools. In addition to sharing your plans with your academic advisors, you can visit USC’s Office of Pre-Professional Advising to discuss your options and connect with appropriate resources.
Our alumni travel far and wide for their graduate studies, and some choose to stay in South Carolina. For these students, the Honors College offers exclusive partnerships with law and medical programs.
Law
Students in the Honors College who identify as pre-law have an advantage when it comes to applying to USC’s Joseph F. Rice School of Law School. Some students complete four years of undergraduate study and matriculate through our exclusive partnership program. Others shorten the amount of time it takes to get the J.D. by applying for our 3+3 Undergraduate to J.D. program.
Most pre-law Honors College students also take advantage of our pre-law course offerings during their time as undergraduates. These courses change from semester to semester and often fulfill other academic requirements.
Our partnership program means that qualified Honors College graduates are automatically admitted to the Joseph F. Rice School of Law, provided that they meet the following requirements.
Qualifications
- Graduate with a 3.5 GPA with honors from the Honors College
- Receive an LSAT score of at least 158
- Meet the character and fitness standards for admission
- Provide a letter of support from the dean of the Honors College
Financial Support
All applicants will be eligible for scholarship review. South Carolina residents who
earn a 160 or higher on the LSAT will receive financial support of at least $5,000
per year. Nonresidents who earn a 160 or higher on their LSAT will receive substantially
reduced tuition.
This program enables qualified South Carolina Honors College students to earn a bachelor's degree and the JD degree in six years rather than the typical seven years if both degrees are pursued in the normal pattern.
This accelerated program enables high ability students to save two semesters of tuition plus a year in the classroom and to move more quickly into the coursework and activities of the Joseph F. Rice School of Law. All Honors requirements must be fulfilled in three years and up to 12 credit hours of law school first year classes (taken in the fourth year of this six year program) may count as electives for the BS(BA) degree and/or Honors College electives.
Qualifications
All students in good standing in the Honors College and on track for graduation with
Honors are eligible to apply. To be competitive for admission, students need to:
- Have considerable advanced standing credits (24 hours) or be willing to attend summer school
- Earn a score of at least 160 on the LSAT
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.5
Financial Support
Students can apply the fourth year of their University and state (LIFE and Palmetto)
scholarships toward their first year of law school.
Medical
Students in the Honors College who identify as pre-med have a long track record of success when it comes to applying to medical programs within the state of South Carolina.
Our partnership with USC School of Medicine – Greenville provides Honors College students exclusive access to apply for early admission to medical school. Best of all, no MCAT is required!
Honors College students also take advantage of our pre-med course offerings during their time as undergraduates. These courses change from semester to semester and often fulfill other academic requirements.
The South Carolina Honors College to Greenville MD Program is solely accessible to Honors students. The program allows rising South Carolina Honors College juniors who have fulfilled the requirements of their initial two years of undergraduate studies to apply for early admission to the USC School of Medicine Greenville. Among the many benefits, no MCAT is required!
Qualifications
- Minimum institutional GPA of 3.75
- Any major accepted
- Three letters of recommendation
Program Benefits
- MCAT not required
- Early acceptance to medical school
- Mentorship and research opportunities
- Engagement with medical school dean prior to matriculation