Honors Program

The Honors Program is a curriculum designed to meet the needs of students who have demonstrated their academic excellence and who wish to take challenging, interesting, even unusual courses to meet their general education requirements - the core courses you must take for a college degree. It is not necessary to take any extra courses or courses that will not apply to your current major or program of study. You will be able to choose from courses in English, History, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Speech and Drama and the Humanities. View the available courses on the class schedule, under honors.

Why should I choose this program?
Students in Honors courses will have a greater opportunity for interaction with other highly motivated students. Classes are held in the Honors Resource Center in a seminar setting. The Resource Center is also equipped with computers, maps, and reference materials and is open to students for quiet study, research, and group projects.

Honors courses will be noted on academic transcripts, and students who fulfill the Honors curriculum requirements will earn either an Honors Certificate or an Honors Diploma. In addition, participation in the Honors Program will give students a stronger competitive edge when they transfer to four-year institutions.

How would these classes be different?
Although the materials for these Honors courses will be similar to those of their non-honors counterparts, the emphasis will be on active student learning. There will be a minimum of drill and repetition and a maximum of creative exchange and interaction. The courses will not require a greater amount of work, but will instead expose you to academically enriched content and a lively instructional method.

Because of the admissions criteria for this program, the faculty assume that the honors students are capable of A or B work. The courses are designed to challenge and interest bright students, not to penalize them. If you are capable of making an A in a non-honors section, you will be capable of making an A in the Honors course.

Qualifications:

Students interested in the Honors program must meet two of the three admissions criteria:

• A 3.3 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale
• The recommendation of an instructor or counselor
• An ACT score of 24, SAT score of 1100, COMPASS 90+ Writing score, or ACCUPLACER writing score of 108+

If you are interested in the program but do not meet the criteria, you may contact the Director of the Honors Program, Susan Todd, to ask for special admission. 

Honors Scholarship

The Elizabeth Hoyt Clark Honors Program Scholarship was created by the family of Mrs. Clark in 1994 to assist Honors Program students in pursuing their education. Two $500 scholarship are awarded twice a year and given to students pursuing an Honors Diploma and who have at least a 3.3 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Interested students are asked to submit an application in which they explain their educational goals and career plans. Then a committee of Honors Program faculty determines the recipient of the award each semester.

All applications must be submitted by February 15 for the Spring Scholarship. Please contact Susan Todd at stodd@hotelparacaes.net with questions.

Apply now for the Honors Program Scholarship!

Contact Information:
Honors Program Director, Susan Todd
(636) 481-3347/797-3000 ext. 3347