and 31.
=== South Carolina Honors College ===
Founded in 1978, the South Carolina Honors College offers support to academically gifted undergraduate students. After gaining acceptance to the University of South Carolina, students must apply separately to the Honors College and demonstrate significant academic achievement. In 2019, entering freshmen had an average weighted GPA of 4.71 and a midrange SAT score (critical reading and math) of 1460–1530.
=== Rankings ===
== Research ==
The University of South Carolina is classified as a research institution of "very high research activity". The university was awarded $309 million in sponsored awards during the 2024 fiscal year, a 27 percent increase in research funding from the previous year.
During his tenure as president of the University of South Carolina, John Palms articulated a "Cathedrals of Excellence" budgeting philosophy. Palms advocated the money from fundraising be channeled into the school's best programs, rather than spread the funds evenly. The …
