Honors Program

The Saint-Mary-of-the-Woods College Honors Program attracts and challenges high-ability students to achieve the highest standards of academic, professional, and personal excellence.  It offers an enriched curriculum that broadens cultural awareness, deepens knowledge, enhances creativity, sharpens research and writing skills, and fosters leadership.

Who may apply?

Incoming campus students, transfer students, and currently enrolled students may apply to the Honors Program. You must first apply and be admitted to the college. Selection to the program depends on available space. Transfer and currently enrolled students will be required to take all of the newly-created honors classes, even if they have already completed a regular general studies equivalent.

Selection Criteria

To qualify for the Honors Program, incoming and currently enrolled students should meet the following:

• SAT 1100 or higher; ACT 24 or higher
• High-School GPA of 3.5 or higher
• Teacher recommendation
• Excellent writing skills

Transfer students with a minimum of 15 unit credits and at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA will also be considered for admission to the Honors Program, and the Honors Committee will examine transfer student applications on an individual basis using college/university grades in lieu of SAT/ACT scores and high school GPA.  Transfer students who are admitted to the Honors Program will be required to complete all of the curricular and co-curricular requirements, except ID 100/105 if it has already been waived.

Application Materials

• Application for Admission to The Woods
• Honors Program Application (PDF)
• A letter of recommendation from a teacher (in addition to normal application requirements)
• An essay
  • Essay Topic: What about an Honors Program course of study appeals to you, and what do you think that an Honors Program should be?
  • Compose your essay in a Word document and send it to Jackie Fischer, Honors Program Director, at jfischer@smwc.edu.
  • Please limit your response to no more than 500 words.

The Program

Students enrolled in the Honors Program will be required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.3 and earn a grade of “B” or better in all designated honors courses. Students who fail to maintain these academic standards may be placed on Honors Program probation for one semester. If they fail to achieve the academic standards after a semester on probation, they may be dismissed from the Honors Program.  In addition to courses, there are co-curricular requirements to complete the program. During the four years, students will attend 20 cultural events,  participate in two events campus events per semester, and serve the community.

Students who are admitted to the Honors Program and complete all of the coursework and co-curricular requirements will be awarded a special designation on their transcript and diploma. In addition, their graduation from the Honors Program will be recognized in the printed Commencement program, and they will be announced as they receive their diplomas.  Students who do not complete all of the courses or co-curricular requirements will not receive a special designation on their transcript or diploma; however, their transcripts will reflect all of the Honors Program courses in which they enrolled.

Benefits

In addition to enhanced curriculum and cultural activities, Honor Program student benefits also include:

• Preferred, early registration for classes
• Membership in the SMWC Honors Student Association

Important Dates

• Honors Program Application Deadline: Feb 1
• Acceptance Announced: March 1
• Deadline for Reserving Place in Programs: April 1

For More Information

For further details about the Honors Program, please contact Jackie Fischer.