You are right @baxter2211 and @SFLmom that Honors acceptance, as well as acceptance into Clemson has gotten more difficult over the past several years. What some people fail to consider is the students applying for acceptance are very similar in their GPA, test scores, rank and rigor. ECs are not considered for regular admission , it really is about the numbers . My understanding from a parent who just attended Discover Clemson day last month said that the minimum SAT to be able to apply to Honors is now 1350 , previously it was 1300. They also said that once someone meets the minimum threshold , everyone is on an “even playing field” to be considered for acceptance . In other words, they don’t just take the highest stats students . Essays and ECs are weighed heavily . Based on what I saw this past year in my community , Clemson should not be considered a safety school. I’ve seen students be deferred or rejected at Clemson be admitted to Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech. It is truly so hard to predict .