F.A.Q.s
1. What exactly is the Honors College?
2. How and when can I schedule a
visit to campus?
4. Are there minimum requirements that I must meet to be eligible for the Honors College?
5. What do these two application essays need to contain?
6. How are scholarships awarded?
8. What dorms do the residential scholarships apply to?
9. How can I get an application for the Honors College?
10. How does the dual-enrollment program for high school juniors and seniors work?
11. What does my major have to be to join the Honors College?
What exactly is the Honors College?
Whether you are a freshman, a transfer student or a current UMSL student with at least 2 years remaining in your undergraduate degree program, the Honors College is a place where you can look forward to classes which meet general education and other university graduation requirements. Our classes are small and are taught seminar style, with a stress on reading, discussion, and writing. Our advisory system gives you direct access to an Honors College faculty member for support and class registration. And our writing program insures that you have time to consider, reflect, and produce your best thoughts. All Honors College students in good standing receive scholarship support, and there are no extra costs or fees involved with the program, which has been designed to fit your major and degree requirements. | Back to Top |
How and when can I schedule a
visit to campus?
Students can schedule a visit to campus
anytime, Monday through Friday, during normal business hours. To schedule
a visit with UMSL, please call the Welcome Center at 314-516-5451. UMSL campus
tours usually last about 1.5 hours, and you may request that the Honors College be included as part of your tour. All students who apply to the Honors College will attend an in-person interview as part of the admissions process (students who are unable to travel to UMSL's campus for an in-person interview may conduct a phone interview). When all of the student's application materials have been received, our Admissions Counselor will contact the student to set up his or her interview. At the student's request, a brief tour of the Honors College may be included on the day of the interview. | Back to Top |
When are Open House dates?
The Office of Admissions hosts UMSL
Day (a campus-wide open house) twice annually, normally during the
months of November and March. Please contact UMSL's Office of Admissions to find out the specific dates for this year's UMSL Day. There will be Honors College representation on the main campus at UMSL Day, as well as faculty and staff members available at the Honors College on south campus to answer questions and conduct tours. In addition,
the Honors College hosts its own Open Houses two to three times per year. Click here for more information on the Honors College Open Houses, including dates for upcoming events.
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Are there minimum requirements that I must meet
to be eligible for the Honors College?
Every student's academic record is evaluated for admission to the Honors
College. For incoming freshmen, this includes the students' ACT or SAT scores,
high school GPA, and high school class rank (if applicable). For transfer students or current UMSL students, this includes their college GPA only. The Honors
College also asks that you submit two essays and two letters of recommendation.
All of this material is evaluated for admissions. Most of our students have earned competitive grades
from previous institutions or high schools. If you believe you would find
success learning in the stimulating environment the Honors College provides,
we encourage you to apply. We will evaluate individual records fairly
and objectively for admissions. | Back to Top |
What do these two application essays need to contain?
The two essays that you submit as components of your Honors College application
can be written on any subject. If you submit a personal statement, please
make sure the other essay contains documentation and showcases your ability
to conduct and record research properly. The essays can be previously
graded, and your teachers' comments can be present. Please submit to us
what you think is your most outstanding work. Keep in mind, it will be
kept and will serve as the first pieces of your Honors College portfolio.
You will get these essays back at the end of your time with us. You may
submit your essays by mailing them to the Honors College Admissions Office
or by emailing them to our Admissions Representative at umslhonorsc@umsl.edu.
The Director of Writing, Nancy Gleason, will be evaluating your essays
and the results will be discussed briefly at your interview.
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How are scholarships awarded?
Every Honors College student in good standing receives a scholarship
from our department; that is in addition to any money the University
may have offered. We offer both academic and residential scholarships, and they are renewable for the length of time you intend
to complete the Honors College. To maintain the scholarship, we ask that
you remain enrolled as a full-time student (at least 12 hours/semester), maintain
a minimum of a 3.2 GPA, and enroll in the required Honors College classes. Scholarships are offered
at the initial admissions interview and are accepted when the student
returns the acceptance form to our Admissions Representative.
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When is the deadline?
While there is no set deadline for admission to the Honors College, scholarship money is given on a first-come-first-serve basis. Therefore, it is in the student's best interest to apply as early as possible. We will accept students up until the week before the semester begins; however, there is no guarantee that we will still have any scholarship money available in our budget at that time. | Back
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What dorms do the residential scholarships apply to?
The residential scholarships will be offered to full time students who
live in a dorm on campus. The University Meadows Apartments are not considered UMSL dorms and therefore the scholarship will
not be applicable there. For information about UMSL's dorms, please contact the Office
of Residential Life. | Back to Top |
How can I get an application for the Honors College?
You may apply to the Honors College online by clicking here. You will have the option to either fill out the form online or to print off a hard copy version of the application, which you may then mail to us. If you would prefer that we send you a packet of information about the Honors College that includes an application, please email our Admissions Representative at umslhonorsc@umsl.edu. There is no application
fee to apply to the Honors College, and there is also no separate application
for Honors College scholarships. All students who are admitted to the Honors College in good standing will automatically be considered for scholarship support! | Back to Top |
How does the dual-enrollment program for high
school juniors and seniors work?
Many area high school juniors and seniors take part in our Advanced
College Credit program at UMSL. If you are a participant, and are
interested in dual-enrollment with the Honors College, please contact
Associate Dean Nancy Gleason at
314-516-6629. | Back to Top |
What does my major have to be to join the Honors
College?
It can be anything! Students from all undergraduate majors are eligible to apply to the Honors College.
You may also change your major while you are here! You can find more information about
choosing a major from UMSL's Center for Student Success, or contact UMSL's Office of Admissions for a list of undergraduate majors that are offered.
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