A Proven Track Record
As a prospective student or parent with sights set on a future in medicine, you're probably comparing the success rates of different schools and programs. We'd like to take some time to familiarize you with how well our students navigate the medical school application process. In addition to the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville and the Medical University of South Carolina, our Honors students are regularly accepted to medical schools at Duke, UNC, Vanderbilt, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, NYU and more.
Below is the medical school acceptance rate and average MCAT scores for Honors College students who applied to one or more medical schools. In comparison, the non-Honors acceptance rate is typically between 40 and 50%.
| Year | SCHC Med School Acceptance Rate | Average GPA of all SCHC Applicants | Average MCAT score of all SCHC Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 78.75% | 3.87 | 509 |
| 2019 | 70.60% | 3.83 | 509 |
| 2018 | 78.75% | 3.85 | 509 |
Why Our Students Succeed
We can't deny it ... it helps that we start with top tier students; our incoming students have SAT/ACT scores that are competitiive with Ivy League schools. But in the Honors College, those students receive personal attention and access to small classes — taught by research-active faculty — that they wouldn't find elsewhere.
Our students have other advantages over the competition, because we not only encourage, but require, learning beyond the classroom, giving our students an edge when it comes to experience and diversity of knowledge. Nearly 70 percent of our students study abroad, while many participate in service learning, student research or internships.
Those advantages, combined with a strong advising program, give our students a great chance for success.
What Classes Will I Take?
Your advisor will help you choose a course of study that suits your goals. If you wish to attend a particular medical, dental or veterinary school, please check their specific requirements which can usually be found on their webpage. In general, you need a year of college-level biology with labs, a year of introductory chemistry, a year of organic chemistry and a year of physics. You'll meet with your advisor regularly to ensure you're on the right track.
BARSC-MD Honors Program
The South Carolina Honors College and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine - Columbia offer an innovative “fast track” program for honors students who seek a medical degree. Named “BARSC-MD” for the two degrees it awards, this combined and accelerated program enables you to receive your undergraduate degree from the South Carolina Honors College, followed by your medical degree from the UofSC School of Medicine.