Freshmen Students
Incoming USC Aiken students (freshmen) who have received a letter of invitation or who have a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher (4.0 on the SC Uniform Grading Scale), and an SAT score of 1170 and/or ACT score of 25, may apply for admission into USC Aiken's Honors Program. The application deadline for the Fall 2023 semester is April 14, 2023. Early acceptance applications are due by November 30, 2022.
To apply, complete the online application form, which includes the following information:
- Name
- Mailing address
- E-mail address
- Major
- High school attended
- High school GPA
- A short narrative on why one would like to join the honors program (approximately 200 words)
Please submit a writing sample from a recent high school course and two letters of recommendation from your high school teachers. The writing sample is very important, and we do not accept personal narrative essays. Please use the guidelines at the bottom of this page to aid in your selection of the writing sample.
You may attach your letters and writing sample to the online application form or email them directly to Sarah Marie Williamson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Hard copies of these documents can also be mailed to the program director:
Dr. Michelle Vieyra, Director
Honors Program, USC Aiken
471 University Parkway
Aiken SC 29801, Box #26
Continuing Students
Continuing USC Aiken students with 45 credit hours or less and a UofSC Aiken GPA of 3.5 or higher may also apply to the Honors Program. Applications for the Fall semester must be submitted by July 15 and for the Spring semester by January 31.
To apply, complete the online application form, which includes the following information:
- Name
- Mailing address
- Email address
- Major
- USC Aiken GPA
- A short narrative on why one would like to join the honors program (approximately 200 words)
Continuing students must submit two letters of recommendation from USC Aiken professors and a writing sample from a UofSC Aiken course. Again, please use the writing guidelines below for selection of the writing sample.
You may attach your letters and writing sample to the online applcation form or email them directly to Sarah Marie Williamson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Hard copies of these documents can also be mailed to the program director:
Dr. Michelle Vieyra, Director
Honors Program, USC Aiken
471 University Parkway
Aiken SC 29801, Box #26
Transfer Students
Transfer students with 45 credit hours or less and a college GPA of 3.5 or higher may also apply to the UofSC Aiken Honors Program.
To apply, complete the online application form, which includes the following information:
- Name
- Mailing address
- Email address
- Major
- Previous college/university
- College GPA
- A short narrative on why one would like to join the honors program (approximately 200 words)
To apply, please submit two letters of recommendation from university professors and a writing sample from a university course based on the writing guidelines below.
You may attach your letters and writing sample to the online application form or email them directly to Sarah Marie Williamson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Hard copies of these documents can also be mailed to the program director:
Dr. Michelle Vieyra, Director
Honors Program, USC Aiken
471 University Parkway
Aiken SC 29801, Box #26
Honors Program Writing Sample Guidelines
The Honors Steering Committee uses the writing sample to evaluate each applicant’s writing proficiency and critical thinking ability. Applicants should carefully choose a writing sample that exhibits excellence in both of these areas and meets the criteria below:
Collaborative essays are not allowed. All elements of the writing sample, with the exception of cited quotations and/or paraphrases, must be completely the work of the applicant.
A researched argument or analysis with cited sources is strongly preferred. However, other types of writing that showcase the applicant’s abilities in both writing proficiency and critical thinking may be submitted instead. Such examples include position papers; lab reports; critical, discursive, or comparison/ contrast essays; explications of literary works; and technical writing assignments. Personal narratives will not be accepted. In all cases, a writing sample that includes the use and appropriate citation of external sources is preferred.
Note 1: Please attach a brief description of the writing assignment from the course or class from which it was assigned. This will give the committee the context of the assignment. This is a required piece of the writing sample.
Note 2: Students who do not have a previously written writing sample that fits the above criteria may instead write an essay in response to a prompt. Please contact Honors Program Director Michelle Vieyra at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for a writing prompt.
Evaluation Criteria:
Clarity of Purpose – Positions are clear, thesis/claim/intent is obvious, multiple viewpoints are expressed/accommodated, clear sense of audience.
Quality of Thought – Unified and strong control of content; opinions and/or claims are well-supported; evidence is provided.
Organization of Content – Ideas are well connected through structural and linguistic transitions; structure complements the content.
Synthesis and Integration of Sources – Sources are presented clearly and concisely to support/examine/compare/evaluate various opinions and/or claims.
Attribution and Documentation– The audience can clearly identify the purposeful use of sources and can track source material. Each source is identified in the text and on the work cited/references page.
Language and Style – Diction and syntax are well-chosen to express ideas.
Grammar and Usage – Grammatical structures are well-chosen and correct.
NOTE 3: All of the above criteria need not apply to every writing sample, but applicants should keep the above rubric in mind when selecting a sample for submission.