Honors Orientation
Discover what your first year in the Honors College will look like by attending Honors Orientation! All incoming Honors students are required to attend one of the nine pre-selected New Student Orientation dates for Honors students.
The Role of an Academic Advisor
Your Undergraduate Academic Advisor (UAA) will help you define and achieve your academic goals at the University of South Carolina while guiding you through the Honors curriculum and requirements. Your advisor will assist with Honors course registration, help you make strategic course selections, and ensure you are making steady progress toward degree completion.
Learn More About Honors Advising
Do you have questions about the steps below or the advising process? Join one of our Honors Advising 101 webinars, where incoming first-year students and their families can learn what to expect and how to prepare for advising. Register under the “Events” tab of your USC Admissions Portal.
Honors Advising 101 Webinar Schedule
| Date | Time |
|---|---|
| April 22, 2026 (business major focus) | 7 p.m. EDT |
| April 28, 2026 (STEM major focus) | 7 p.m. EDT |
| May 5, 2026 (general information) | 7 p.m. EDT |
Honors Advising and Course Registration
Advising will not occur at New Student Orientation. Virtual Honors advising appointments for fall 2026 will take place May 11-June 12. During this meeting, you will be advised and enrolled in both your Honors and non-Honors classes. Students will receive information about this appointment in early May, so be sure to check your email.
Changing your Major
Whether you know you want to change your major or simply want to discuss whether your current major is right for you, meeting with an Exploratory Advisor is your next step. It may be helpful to meet with an Exploratory Advisor before your advising appointment to ensure you are getting the most accurate information for your academic goals. First-year students can change their majors during the first week of fall classes. Honors students can make a major change through the USC Admissions Portal.
Scheduling Your Advising Appointment
On May 7, Honors students will receive an email to complete Cocky Transition Part 1. Upon completion of the module, you will receive instructions and a link to schedule your advising appointment.
- When selecting a time, allot at least 60 minutes at a time when you will have access to a computer with internet in a quiet, private space – we ask that you avoid traveling in a car or being in a noisy or crowded area. If you do not have access to a computer, you will work with your Honors advisor to arrange a phone appointment instead.
- Complete The Pre-Advising Worksheet. This worksheet is your chance to share important information with an academic advisor
before your meeting and should be completed at least one week before your scheduled
advising appointment. Access your Pre-Advising Worksheet through your Enrollment Checklist
in the USC Admissions Portal.
- When completing the worksheet, you will be asked to confirm your expected AP, IB or prior higher institution coursework (aka dual enrollment). Your advisor will recommend courses based on your reported credit, so it is critical that you review and report all anticipated credit within your USC Admissions Portal.
- Review College-Specific Information. Certain colleges and/or majors may have additional information for you to review before your academic advising appointment to help your academic advisor prepare. Details will be sent to your USC email account.
Preparing for your Advising Appointment
All advising preparation steps below are required to be complete before your first Honors advising appointment.
All students should complete the ALEKS Math Placement Test at least one week prior to their academic advising appointment. The ALEKS Math Placement Test helps determine your current math knowledge and your score will determine your ability to register for certain STEM courses. This information will be used by your advisor (in conjunction with any AP/IB scores and/or dual enrollment course credit) to plan your options for fulfilling your STEM requirements based on your major and course placement. Failure to complete your math placement test prior to your advising appointment will impact your advisement.
Schedule your Foreign Language Placement Exam or complete the Placement Exemption Form 24 hours prior to your appointment if you intend to start a new language.
It is recommended that students take the Foreign Language Placement Test prior to meeting with your academic advisor. Register to take your exam on the Language Placement Testing Website. Upon registering, students will receive an email confirmation with details about the exam. Be aware that the exam may only be taken one time per language.
If you are planning for a parent or legal guardian to participate in your appointment, please complete the University FERPA release form. You will need to complete and submit this form before your appointment.
Your appointment will take place using Microsoft Teams. Learn how to log-in and use Microsoft Teams by watching this video.
Familiarize yourself with degree requirements of both the Honors College and your intended academic major using the Honors College website, the Undergraduate Academic Bulletin and the Major Map Repository.
Check out the Honors College Courses offered this fall and make a list of those you might be interested in. (Please note: some of these courses may be full and not available for first-year registration – in that case, your Honors advisor will help direct you toward some great alternatives!)
Frequently Asked Questions
We have several Honors College students who play a collegiate sport at the university. Prior to your advising appointment, contact your coach/assistant coach and ask for the practice schedule. You can then use the Schedule Planner tool help build a fall schedule with these times in mind.
Please contact the USC Band Office at 803-777-4278 or uscband@mozart.sc.edu to find out your fall practice schedule prior to your scheduled appointment.
When completing the Pre-Orientation Advising Worksheet, you will be asked to list your current and past AP/IB scores. In the appointment, you can share your anticipated AP/IB scores or dual enrollment courses. Honors students generally have a good sense of their anticipated scores based on past academic performance. Please view the University course equivalency table and search for information on whether credit could be applied for your dual enrollment course(s). If needed, your Honors advisor will work with you after scores are released in July to adjust your fall schedule.
Contact your Honors advisor so they can make any adjustments to your schedule.
Yes. On the USC Admissions Portal, students can request to make changes to their application in the bottom right corner. After logging in, click the drop down box for “Application Change Requests,” then select the “Request to Change First-Choice Major” option.
For questions regarding Foreign Language Placement Test, please email your request to Prof. McAteer, DLLC Placement Director.
Contact Us
Questions about advising? Please send our advising team an email.