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Hey everyone, I'm a junior and starting to look at colleges seriously. I’ve heard that the Honors College at UCF offers some unique classes. Can anyone tell me whether taking these UCF honors classes will make a significant difference in my college application? Are they seen as much more rigorous or beneficial by admissions committees? Thanks in advance!

Hey there! Absolutely, taking honors classes at UCF's Honors College can be a great addition to your college application. Admissions committees typically regard honors classes as more rigorous than standard courses, as they often feature more in-depth study of the subject matter and a faster pace. Plus, successfully completing these courses demonstrates your readiness for college-level work and a willingness to challenge yourself academically. It's not just about the difficulty, though.

Taking honors classes that align with your academic interests or intended major can also help you to develop a more focused academic profile, which can be attractive to colleges looking for students who have delved deeply into their chosen fields. Just be mindful to maintain a balance to avoid being overwhelmed, as your grades in these courses will also be a critical factor in your application. Good luck!

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Honors Undergraduate Thesis

Honors Undergraduate Thesis (HUT) is UCF's most advanced undergraduate research program. It is designed to assist juniors and seniors to develop their own independent research project under the direction of a thesis advisor and faculty thesis committee. Students do not need to be Honors students to take advantage of the HUT program; it is available to all qualified UCF students. Over two to four semesters, students work closely with a faculty committee to research, write, defend, and publish an original thesis that serves as an honors capstone product of their undergraduate career. This thesis is published through the university library,  UCF's STARS Repository , and is available to researchers worldwide through electronic databases.

The Burnett Honors College partners with all colleges in sponsoring HUT Scholarships. These $1,000 scholarships are awarded every fall and spring on a competitive basis within each college and are available to all students who are enrolled in HUT credit hours.

• Visit The Burnett Honors College Honors in Undergraduate Thesis for additional information including deadlines.
• Join our Facebook group.
• Contact Dr. Sherron Killingsworth Roberts for additional information.
• Learn about the benefits of participating in HUT.
• First, find out if you are eligible and meet the basic requirements by visiting the Honors Undergraduate Thesis admissions page. If you have questions or you almost meet the requirements, stop in and see the great folks in the Office of Honors Research (OHR), now relocated in Trevor Colbourn Hall, Suite 248 (Phone: 407-823-0851). Email [email protected] with any questions. The HUT Coordinator will help you (1) apply for the Honors Undergraduate Thesis program and then (2) help get you registered. Remember you will be taking the Honors in Undergraduate Thesis project credit hours in the following semesters. You need a minimum of two semesters to complete the program. Additionally Dr. Padmini Coopamah Waldron, Director, is a valuable resource to your thesis chair and you.
• You will need to gain the permission of a professor to serve as your thesis chair and work with you weekly as part of an independent study or Directed Readings . By the end of the semester of Directed Readings, you should have a 15-20 page proposal (with 15-20 references) outlining the Honors in Undergraduate Thesis project that is approved by your thesis chair, a committee of one additional person, and the Honors in Undergraduate Thesis Coordinator, Dr. Sherron Roberts . If you need help identifying a chair, Dr. Roberts can help.
• Obtain all the necessary signatures on your application form and get the ball rolling. Even though you can now use HelloSign to obtain your chair's and Dr. Robert's signature electronically, please go introduce yourself to Dr. Roberts (ED 315T) in person, and seek her help to get started. Congrats!

For resources, videos, and PowerPoints, visit our Student Learning & Licensure (SLL) .

Requirements

Honors in Undergraduate Thesis (HUT) is the oldest and most prestigious undergraduate research program at UCF and provides students from all disciplines the opportunity to engage in independent and original research as principal investigators. Over the course of at least two semesters, students work closely with a faculty committee to research, write, defend, and publish an original Honors thesis. Upon successful completion of the program, students earn Honors in Undergraduate Thesis distinction on their diplomas and transcripts. Contact Dr. Sherron Roberts.

At a minimum, the following criteria must be met for admission into the Honors in the Major program:

• Sixty (60) completed hours of college credit
• Twelve (12) completed upper division hours of college credit
• At least a 3.4 UCF or Overall GPA
• At least two semesters remaining prior to graduation

This GPA is calculated based on all college-level course work regardless of the institution. For the Honors in Undergraduate Thesis program, all GPA's are calculated without rounding.

If you are close to the above requirements, contact Dr. Sherron Roberts .

Application deadlines are typically three weeks prior to the beginning of a semester to give students time to obtain faculty signatures .

HUT Thesis Titles

Briand, C. S. (2016). A grounded theory study of the impact of Florida school report cards on high school English Language Arts teachers’ self-efficacy and perceptions of student writing .

Foresman, D. B. (2016). Representations and impacts of transgender and gender nonconforming ideals in children’s literature for young children.

Greuel, A. L. (2016). Exploring preservice teacher attitudes toward black students.

Parsons, C. (2017). Metacognitive coaching as a means to enhance college and career success for students with executive function disorders.

Quintero, A. M. (2016). A qualitative assessment of preservice teachers’ perceptions of the at-risk student.

Rawles, L. S. (2017). Introspections of an African American preservice teacher’s growth: An autoethnography.

Rusoff, B. G. (2016). Exploring attachment behaviors in urban mothers and their infants.

Shimada, M. M. (2017). Third grade science teachers’ perspectives on implementing sentence frames and word banks during science lectures to increase the writing levels of English Language Learners.

Smith, D. (2017). The integration of music in an ELA classroom: Creating pedagogical parodies for elementary education.

Van Westering, J. (2016). Implementing Growth Mindset principles for girls in STEM elementary classrooms through the creation of a children’s book.

To access more thesis titles, search the STARS Digital Repository.

FAQs about Honors in Undergraduate Thesis

Future Knight Application Portal

Undergraduate application completion deadlines:.

• If you have previously submitted a Common App to UCF, do not begin a new institutional application.  Doing so will cause a delay in the processing of your application.   Common App will begin releasing applications to UCF in late August, please wait for an email from UCF with further instructions regarding creating your portal account.
• You may only have one (1) unsubmitted application at a time. If you start an application, but do not submit it, then create another application, the unsubmitted application will be removed. 
• To begin your application for admission, click " Start New Application " below.

Returning User:

• Applications marked "In Progress" have not been submitted to UCF.
• Applications marked "Submitted" have been submitted, but MAY be awaiting payment or materials
• NOTE: You may only have one(1) active application on file at a time.  While multiple applications for different terms may appear below, only the application submitted most recently is being considered for admission.
• Application Status: To check the status of your most recent submitted application, click on the application link and press the "Open Application" button, then click "Status Page" on the left-hand navigation column.
• Changes such as major, campus location, address, phone number, personal data (such as date of birth, name, gender) can be made by sending an email to [email protected] . Do not submit a new application to make these changes. 
• For Social Security number changes, please visit:  https://www.ucf.edu/admissions/undergraduate/question/ssn/ 

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For students who are really set on enrolling in a quality honors program, it's important to learn about some of the best honors colleges before making that big decision. That's especially true because your honors program will dictate how difficult your classes are...and the perks you get from doing well in them!

We're here to help you get all the information you need about the top honors programs in the country so you can pick the program that's right for you. In this article, we'll:

• Explain what an honors college is
• Provide our research-based ranking of the ten top honors colleges and programs at U.S. colleges and universities
• Give you five tips for applying to top college honors programs

Ready? Let's dive in!

Feature Image: slgckgc/ Flickr

What Is an Honors College?

Honors colleges and honors programs are supplemental and/or alternative learning programs that undergraduate students can complete while pursuing a traditional bachelor's degree.

Honors colleges typically function independently within a larger university system, similar to the college of business or the college of arts and sciences at a big university. Additionally, honors colleges typically come with their own funding, facilities, faculty, course offerings, and perks for their students. In many instances, honors colleges can offer their students more rigorous educational opportunities since they serve fewer students and often have better funding than the bigger colleges within a university system.

College honors programs , on the other hand, function like an academic track. Eligible students can follow honors programs' guidelines to receive a more rigorous education and an honors distinction at graduation. At many universities, these honors programs are managed by individual departments. While honors programs aren't usually big enough to constitute a college within the university system, honors programs can still offer students the opportunity to take special courses and participate in extracurricular activities that aren't open to "regular" students.

If honors colleges and honors programs sound similar...that's because they are! They both give qualifying college students the opportunity to pursue a more challenging educational track and graduate with honors. Even more importantly, honors colleges and programs provide students with the opportunity to get an elite education at colleges and universities of all kinds.

While honors colleges across the U.S. are pretty similar in terms of their rigor and individualized attention, some honors colleges stand out from the rest . The best honors colleges support and reflect their universities' mission and identity, create ties to their community, and offer top-tier resources to support their students' career goals. Enrolling in an honors college can help set you on the path to long-term success.

If you're still curious about honors college and want to learn more, check out our introductory guide to honors colleges in the United States .

We considered many different factors, like academic rigor and funding opportunities, when deciding which schools to put on our list.

Our Methodology for Choosing the Best Honors Colleges

Now that you know a little more about honors colleges, it's time to look at the best honors colleges in the US. Here's our methodology for our honors college rankings.

To put together our list, we evaluated honors colleges based on admissions requirements, curricular and extracurricular program offerings, community, financial aid opportunities, and innovative approaches to the honors educational experience. The colleges that made our list offer rigorous coursework, tailored learning plans, excellent funding opportunities, and unique or out-of-the-box learning experiences.

During our research, we found that there are many different types of honors colleges and programs out there, and every honors college is unique. And you know what? That's a great thing! Every student is different, so our goal is to include a diverse array of honors colleges so you can find your perfect fit.

Now that you know how to navigate our list of the nine best honors colleges, let's look more closely at our picks for the ten best honors colleges and programs in the U.S.

Barrett College at Arizona State University tops our list of best honors colleges in the United States.

The 10 Best Honors Colleges

We've divided up our list of the ten best honors colleges into three main categories: the best honors colleges, best honors programs, and best affordable honors colleges.

The Best Honors Colleges

These are honors colleges that are stand-alone schools within a university. They can have the benefit of additional funding, school-wide extracurriculars, and sometimes even additional distinctions at graduation!

Here are the honors colleges that are at the top of PrepScholar's list.

Barrett College, Arizona State University

• Location: Tempe, Arizona

Barrett College, the honors college at Arizona State University, is a stand-alone college within the ASU system. Ranked #1 among honors colleges in the United States , Barrett College has a presence on ASU's four campuses in Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, and Glendale, Arizona

In the 2021-2022 academic year, Arizona State had an 88% acceptance rate, which means it's an accessible school for many students. Though Barrett College doesn't publicize its acceptance rate, it does provide other stats that can help prospective students know where they stand as applicants. For example, the average unweighted high school GPA of students admitted into Barret in 2021 was 3.81 . In terms of test scores, the average composite score on the SAT was 1347, and the average composite ACT score was 29. If your GPA and test scores are above average, you have a better shot at getting into Barrett.

Despite the large number of students attending Barrett College, honors class sizes are still small. In addition to offering a required sequence of signature honors courses (the central theme being "The Human Event"), Barrett College allows students to conduct research and thesis projects , has a private writing center for Barrett students, and offers many global internship, study abroad , and real-world service opportunities. Barrett College also provides quality housing facilities for the majority of its nearly 7,100 first- and second-year undergraduate honors students.

Barrett is nationally prestigious, and is among the top 20 universities in the US for recipients of the Fulbright fellowship . It's also the only honors college that has a Nobel Prize recipient teaching undergraduates.

Schreyer Honors College (SHC), Pennsylvania State University

• Location: University Park, Pennsylvania

Schreyer Honors College is Penn State's honors college. Considered one of the top honors colleges in the nation , Schreyer provides approximately 2,000 honors college "Scholars" with an educational experience that is dedicated to academic integrity, fostering a global perspective, and rich opportunities for leadership and civic engagement.

The acceptance rate to Penn State is about 54% , but the average acceptance rate to Schreyer Honors College is between 8-10% , making this one of the more competitive public university honors colleges. Another unique feature of Schreyer Honors College is it doesn't consider SAT/ACT scores or high school GPA as part of the application process . Instead, the Schreyer admissions committee is interested in the creative thinking and authenticity applicants demonstrate in their admissions materials.

Schreyer also offers an abundance of honors-specific courses for admitted students. In fact, Schreyer offers over 300 smaller-sized honors courses to its students , usually taught by senior faculty members. Schreyer students also have the benefit of access to priority registration and living learning communities (LLCs) in residence halls that primarily house honors students .

One stand-out offering at Schreyer Honors College is the Integrated Undergraduate Graduate (IUG) Program . The IUG program allows exceptional students to complete their undergraduate and graduate degrees concurrently, or at the same time. Eligible students will be able to meet the requirements for this accelerated program by completing an honors thesis that meets both undergraduate and graduate standards and taking a series of cross-listed undergraduate and graduate courses. If you're interested in enrolling in an honors college and completing an accelerated graduate degree program, Schreyer could be a good fit for you!

Clemson Honors College at Clemson University offers honors students a rigorous academic experience. ( Spyder_Monkey /Wikimedia)

Clemson  Honors College, Clemson University

• Location: Clemson, South Carolina

Clemson University's honors college is called Clemson Honors College. Clemson’s acceptance rate is 62%, and while Clemson Honors College doesn’t publish its admissions rates, it’s likely that getting in is more challenging. That’s because the honors college has more rigorous GPA requirements: the minimum required GPA for the honors college is a 3.7, but most students accepted to Clemson Honors College far exceed that minimum.

There are plenty of benefits to being an honors student at Clemson. Honors students receive priority registration, extended library privileges, and are eligible to apply for research grants to support their Departmental Honors research projects at the beginning of both the fall and spring semesters.

Another stand-out feature of Clemson  Honors College is the brand new Honors Residential College (HRC) facility , which includes housing and dining for honors students, administrative offices, a library, study rooms, classrooms, and a kitchen. These facilities are available exclusively to honors students, so you'll have the space you need to study (and have fun, too).

Clemson Honors College also offers many unique academic opportunities, including the highly selective EUREKA! Program . The EUREKA! Program invites 50 incoming honors freshmen (25 in person, 25 online) to participate in research projects over a five week period before the start of the fall semester. Many EUREKA! Program participants go on to receive elite scholarships and fellowships , such as the Rhodes, Fulbright, Goldwater, Marshall, and Truman scholarships.

Rutgers University Honors College

• Location: New Brunswick, New Jersey

The Honors College at Rutgers University is both a stand-alone school and a student living-learning community . The goal of the honors college is to blend the classroom and the community to create a transformative learning experience for its students.

The Rutgers acceptance rate is 67% , and while the honors college doesn't publish its admissions rates, it's safe to assume that getting in is more competitive. The test scores of accepted students reflect that idea: the median SAT score for the Honors College class of 2022 is 1530 (the composite SAT score for non-honors students is 1300).

Luckily for incoming students, there isn't a separate or additional application for the Honors College. The Honors College admissions committee uses the general Rutgers application to determine who will be admitted into the honors program.

Once admitted into the college, honors students have access to top-notch facilities and academic resources . The Honors College at Rutgers has its own state-of-the-art building, which is the hub for honors courses and seminars, research opportunities, an Innovation Lab, on-site academic advising, and lounges where honors students can build community and even get to know live-in faculty.

One of the best things about the Honors College at Rutgers is that all honors students receive a four year renewable scholarship . The Honors College also provides additional scholarship opportunities for study abroad, research projects, and even has an Honors College Student Emergency Fund for students who encounter unexpected financial hardship.

The University of Texas at Austin takes the top spot in our list of the best honors programs in the United States. (Kumar Appaiah /Flickr)

Best Honors Programs

The biggest difference between an honors college and an honors program is that honors colleges are stand-alone schools within the university system, and honors programs are not. For our list, we focused on finding the best university-wide honors programs in the United States.

Plan II Honors Program, University of Texas at Austin

Location: Austin, Texas

The College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin offers the Plan II Honors Program, which is an interdisciplinary arts and sciences major with a core curriculum. Unlike stand-alone honors colleges like the ones listed above, the Plan II Honors Program is housed within UT's College of Liberal Arts .

Sometimes called a "public Ivy," UT has a 32% acceptance rate. Plan II, however, usually receives around 1400 applications every year and only admits around 175 freshman honors students every fall. (In other words, getting into Plan II can be a little tough!)

Plan II Honors is a prime example of the difference between an honors college and honors program . As an honors program, Plan II Honors doesn't have its own housing, nor are its programs consolidated in one stand-alone honors college. However, Plan II does have its own scholarship and grant programs, study abroad opportunities, and student clubs.

A major perk of the Plan II Honors Program at UT is its flexibility. For students who are interested in double majoring, combining multiple UT honors programs, or even getting a second degree concurrently, Plan II Honors is a great choice. Over 70% of Plan II Honors students complete the requirements for a second, third, or fourth major , and close to 35% complete the requirements for a second degree. That makes the Plan II honors program great for ambitious students who are pursuing a more interdisciplinary course of study!

Echols Scholars Program, University of Virginia

• Location: Charlottesville, Virginia

The honors program at the University of Virginia (UVA) is called Echols Scholars Program. UVA's Echols Scholars Program is housed within the College of Arts & Sciences at UVA.

The acceptance rate to UVA is around 23%, making it one of the most competitive schools on our list. Luckily, all applicants to the College of Arts & Sciences first-year class are automatically reviewed for admission to Echols. Each new class of Echols students typically has approximately 200 students, so if you want to get into Echols, you'll need to make sure your UVA application stands out from the crowd .

The key value that defines the Echols is that students get the opportunity to shape the program. For instance, the Echols Council is a student-led governing body that represents Echols students and works with the honors program's administration to design and implement initiatives that give students the best learning experience.

Another unique opportunity that the Echols Scholars Program offers is the Echols Interdisciplinary Major . The Echols website explains, "The principle underlying the Echols Interdisciplinary Major is that no existing major, or combination of majors, fully satisfies a student's broader interests." This means that Echols students have the chance to create their own course of study that best fits their future career goals. If you want the chance to chart your own course in college, you may be a great fit for the Echols Scholars Program.

University Honors Program, the University of Kansas

• Location: Lawrence, Kansas

The University of Kansas Honors Program, which is more commonly referred to as "University Honors," is a campus-wide honors program open to students of all majors.

The acceptance rate to KU is about 91% , but acceptance to the University Honors Program is highly competitive. The average GPA for freshmen entering the honors program is 3.95, which is much higher than the average GPA of all incoming freshmen, which is 3.6. To get into the honors program, students have to apply to University Honors as part of the KU admissions application, which requires you to submit an additional essay and short answer response.

The University Honors program at KU is built on the concept of experiential learning . To graduate from University Honors, students are required to earn "Honors Experience" units by engaging in Enhanced Learning Experiences (ELEs) . ELEs at KU include opportunities in public service, cultural literacy and social justice, global citizenship, aesthetic engagement, professional development and social entrepreneurship, leadership, and research. Honors students can even propose alternative experiences of their own design to meet the ELE requirement.

Honors College, University of South Carolina

• Location: Columbia, South Carolina

The Honors College at the University of South Carolina is one of the larger honors college programs on this list, with roughly 2,300 students, but that doesn't mean they receive fewer resources. In fact, the honors college offers nearly 600 honors courses, as well as the option (only available to honors students) to design your own major. Average class size for honors college classes is only 16, so students there also get more one-on-one interaction.

The acceptance rate to the University of South Carolina is roughly 68%, with an estimated SAT midrange of1100-1300 and an estimated ACT midrange of 21 to 29 for South Carolina residents, and an SAT midrange of 1250-1400 and ACT midrange of 28-32 for nonresidents. For the honors college, the SAT midrange is 1410-1520, the ACT midrange is 32-34, and the average weighted GPA of admitted honors students is 4.77.

Honors college students benefit from additional perks like honors-specific living communities in particular dorms and strong financial aid packages. The Honors College at the University of South Carolina has also received the highest ranking among public school honors programs for the fifth straight time by the publication  Inside Honors.

An impressive 87% of Macaulay Honors College students graduate debt free! Beyond My Ken /Wikimedia

Best "Bang for Your Buck" Honors Programs and Colleges

If you're looking to get the most out of your educational dollars, you might consider enrolling in an honors college or program that offers financial assistance. Here are two honors colleges that can give you a top-tier education without breaking the bank.

Macaulay Honors College, City University of New York (CUNY)

• Location: New York City, New York

Macaulay Honors College is the independent honors college housed within the City University of New York (CUNY). Macaulay is affiliated with eight senior colleges within the CUNY system and has a presence on the following CUNY campuses: Baruch College, Brooklyn College, City College, Hunter College, John Jay College, Lehman College, Queens College, and the College of Staten Island (CSI). And guess what? All of these campuses are located in New York City!

CUNY is pretty selective—the university's acceptance rate is about 51%. Macaulay itself is also competitive, offering just 520 seats to incoming students across all eight campuses each year. To apply to Macaulay, prospective students must submit a high school transcript, resume, two letters of recommendation, and two maximum 500 word essay responses.

While Macaulay scholars will spend most of their time studying at their home campus, they will have the opportunity to attend lectures, seminars, and even take courses at the other CUNY campuses in New York City. In fact, Macaulay makes learning about New York City a key feature of its honors education. To that end, Macaulay students receive free admission to hundreds of the city's cultural institutions, and participate in required honors seminars that use New York City as a teaching tool.

Besides its exceptional honors education, perhaps the most appealing thing about Macaulay Honors College is its financial aid package . Macaulay offers all of its students a merit scholarship package that includes tuition and a laptop computer, plus access to funding to support study abroad, research, and internship opportunities. Most impressively, 87% of Macaulay students graduate debt-free!

Macaulay's excellent academics—they even have a Nobel Prize winner on faculty— and its generous financial aid package makes it an excellent value. High-achieving students who have limited funds (but want to get a top-tier education!) should definitely consider CUNY's Macaulay Honors College.

The University of Alabama Honors College

• Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The honors college at the University of Alabama, which enrolled students call "UA Honors," is a stand-alone college within the larger University of Alabama campus.

Admissions into UA Honors is equally competitive : applicants must have a minimum ACT score of 30, minimum SAT score of 1360, and a 3.5 high school GPA or higher to get accepted to UA Honors. There is a fast track into UA Honors for certain students: National Merit Finalists and National Achievement Finalists are admitted automatically once they complete the honors application.

UA Honors offers admitted students tons of academic opportunities . One of the most prestigious is the Randall Research Scholars program , which is the first interdisciplinary research program in the United States. Randal Research Scholars learn how to combine computing skills with their academic interests to perform high-level research in their field.

UA Honors also offers top-tier leadership and service opportunities through the University Fellows Experience . This four-year program allows students to develop elite leadership skills while empowering them to give back to the community around them through service and mentorship. The combination of academics and service offered by UA Honors helps honors graduates stand out as they embark on their future careers.

The amazing academic and extracurricular activities available through UA Honors comes at a reasonable price, too. That's because UA Honors offers some of the most generous merit aid packages in the country to its students . At least eleven different types of merit and need based scholarships are available to UA honors students. On top of those scholarships, UA Honors students are eligible for study abroad scholarships and research fellowships.

5 Tips for Applying to Top College Honors Programs

Applying to college is already a demanding task. If you're planning to apply to honors colleges on top of that, you've got your work cut out for you!

Our list of five tips for applying to top honors colleges can help simplify the honors application process.

Tip 1: Do Your Research Before You Apply

Lots of prospective honors students consult the annual honors college rankings to help them decide which honors colleges to apply to. But rankings are just the tip of the iceberg! You can—and should!— learn a lot about college honors programs just by browsing university websites before you make any decisions about where to apply.

Honors college applications can be long and involved. You want to make sure you know that an honors college is a good fit for you before you dump your time and energy into a secondary application. By doing a little research up front, you'll save yourself precious time during college application season.

Tip 2: Learn How You're Being Evaluated

You can almost always find out the average SAT/ACT scores and GPA of students who are accepted to a school's honors college before you apply. Many college honors programs have higher requirements for standardized test scores and GPAs that determine whether an applicant qualifies for admission.

Though you shouldn't necessarily let your GPA, class rank, or standardized test scores deter you from applying to honors colleges, these numbers can help give you an idea of where you stand going into the application process. If your scores and GPA are a lot lower than the honor program's stated requirements, then you may have a hard time getting in.

On the other hand, some schools no longer take SAT/ACT scores and GPA into account as a part of their honors college applications. These schools are more interested in learning about who you are through written essays and short answer questions. If you're applying to these schools, you can't plan to simply rely on a perfect SAT score or 4.0 GPA—you'll need to make sure you're a well-rounded candidate before you decide to apply.

The bottom line? Go into the application process knowing how different honors colleges are going to evaluate you and what qualities they're looking for. This will help you know which components of the application to focus your energy on.

Tip 3: Brush Up on Your Writing Skills

We've already mentioned that honors college applications are more demanding than regular college apps, usually because they ask you to write additional essays as part of the application process.

Also, the essay prompts usually require you to think creatively about yourself, your intellectual interests, and global issues. While some honors colleges ask standard questions like "why this school," most are going to ask you to think way outside the box. (For examples of essay questions like these—and to prepare yourself for what you may see on an honors college application— check out the University of Chicago's essay prompts .)

You'll also want to apply for special scholarships or fellowships available through your selected honors programs. Most merit-based scholarship applications include a required essay section that asks you to explain what experiences, achievements, or goals make you the best candidate for the scholarship. That's right— more writing!

Are you starting to see how the essays can add up if you plan to apply to an honors college? Don't worry, though! If you're prepared to write persuasively about your skills and achievements, you're prepared to show that you're an amazing honors college candidate.

Tip 4: Be Ready for an On-Campus Interview

Sometimes (though not always) honors colleges will narrow their applicant pool by inviting select applicants to visit their university's campus for an in-person interview . There are some great things about being invited to an on-campus interview: you get to meet faculty and current students, and you'll get to tour the college's facilities.

There are also some scary things about an interview: namely, it will help admissions officers determine whether you'll be invited into the program or not.

Does this sound nerve-wracking? Don't worry: you can take a lot of the anxiety out of the interview process with a little preparation. Our guide to conquering the college interview is a great place to start !

Tip 5: Be Yourself!

It may sound cheesy, but honors colleges want to get to know you through your application. Don't lie or exaggerate to try and impress the admissions committee! You're already a great student: all you have to do is put together an equally great, authentic application .

Keep in mind that creativity and curiosity are two of the qualities that honors colleges desire the most in potential students. If you can demonstrate what makes you a creative thinker and what intellectual topics get you excited in your application essays, you'll be more likely to stand out to the faculty and staff members who evaluate your application materials!

What's Next?

If getting into an honors college your goal, then you need to make sure you're setting yourself up for success. This starts with having a solid GPA . First, make sure you're calculating your GPA correctly . Once you figure out what your current GPA is, you can focus on raising it as quickly as possible !

Once your GPA is looking good, it's time to start focusing on your test scores. Having good test scores is one key to getting into the honors program of your dreams! The first step is deciding whether you should take the SAT or ACT . Then it's time to start studying. Check out our expert SAT study tips and expert ACT study tips to make sure you're studying smarter and harder.

But like we mentioned earlier, the best honors programs know that you're more than just your grades and test scores. Honors colleges want to see that you're involved in things beyond school, which is where extracurriculars come in . This article will teach you everything you need to know about writing about extracurriculars on your college applications so that you stand out from the crowd.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Become part of a tradition of excellence.

The College of Central Florida offers accelerated options for high-achieving students. Explore opportunities to get involved with CF Community of Scholars and Phi Theta Kappa below.

Honors Institute

The Honors Institute includes the prestigious Community of Scholars honors program and the coordination of major scholarship programs for students. As honors program participants, students automatically are members of the Honors Institute, which is devoted to the recognition and enhancement of the academic achievement of CF scholars. Many members become eligible for scholarships through the Community of Scholars. Go to Community of Scholars

UCF Honors Pathway

Phi Theta Kappa

Phi Theta Kappa Kappa Nu Chapter integrates the honor society’s core values and is open to our two-year students. Our students enjoy a plethora of activities amongst the camaraderie of their group.

Phi Theta Kappa is the largest honor society in American higher education with more than 1.5 million members and 1,200 chapters located in the United States, U.S. territories, Canada and Germany. The innovative programs and services and array of membership benefits offered by Phi Theta Kappa are unequaled among honor societies. Co-curricular programs focus upon the society’s Hallmark of Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Fellowship.

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Living Learning Communities

• What is a LLC?
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EXCEL/COMPASS

Lead scholars, nursing @ nike, interest-based communities, what is a living learning community.

Last Updated: 2/22/2024

Living Learning Communities (LLC’s) are a great opportunity for first-year students to connect to a smaller community and engage in unique experiences.

LLCs provide students with an opportunity to live with like-minded students who want to engage in a shared academic experience or a common interest. Being part of a Living Learning Community has a number of different perks.

Students will be able to….

• Connect, collaborate and engage with faculty and staff across the university
• Participate in specialized programming and engagements tailored to their specific student experience needs
• Engage with a smaller community of like-minded individuals
• Participate in classroom and out-of-classroom learning experiences that are exclusive to the LLC program
• Create study groups to assist in their academic success and progression to graduation
• Enjoy access to resources

Housing agreement type:

Fall/Spring

Population:

Incoming first-year students

Additional requirements:

EXCEL/COMPASS Program acceptance required

The EXCEL/COMPASS Living Learning Community located in Nike is for students who are a part of the  EXCEL  and  COMPASS  programs (students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math majors). Students living in this LLC program will receive:

• STEM course tutoring in the community
• Networking opportunities with STEM faculty
• Priority scheduling for common EXCEL and COMPASS courses

No LLC Application required. EXCEL/COMPASS admitted students who are confirmed for Academic Year housing agreements will be eligible to select rooms in Nike 103 during LLC Room Selection Day in June (online).  It is important to note that all members of a roommate group must be in EXCEL/COMPASS in order to select rooms on the appropriate floors.

Location: nike.

EXCEL/COMPASS LLC Partners

Dr. Melissa Dagley

Excel/compass director, istem, [email protected].

Sarah Evans

Excel/compass coordinator, istem, [email protected].

LEAD Scholars Academy acceptance required

The LEAD Scholars Living Learning Community located in Neptune is for students who are a part of the  LEAD Scholars Academy  program (leadership, service, involvement, academic success). Students living in this LLC program will receive:

• Connections with LEAD Scholars Academy faculty
• Networking opportunities with LEAD alumni and upperclass students
• Resources to fulfill necessary LEAD Scholars requirements and learning about personal leadership development

No LLC Application required . LEAD students confirmed for Academic Year housing agreements will be eligible to select rooms on designated floors in Neptune 157 during LLC Room Selection Day in June (online) . It is important to note that all members of a roommate group must be in LEAD in order to select rooms on the LEAD floors.  

Location: neptune.

LEAD Scholars LLC Partner

Dr. Virginia Koch

Assistant director, lead scholars academy, 407-823-3492, [email protected].

Declared pre-nursing major, specific course enrollment

The Nursing @ Nike Living Learning Community located in Nike is for first-year students pursuing a degree in nursing. Students living in this LLC will receive:

• Registration in an NSP 1800 Nursing As a Profession class designated exclusively for the residents of the Nursing @ Nike LLC
• Resources focused on your success as a UCF student and gaining access to the College of Nursing (a limited-access program)
• Mentorship from second-year nursing students
• Networking opportunities with faculty from the College of Nursing and professionals in the nursing field

No LLC Application required . First year students interested in Nursing @ Nike may contact [email protected]  for more information and availability for the 2024-25 academic year.

Students who are confirmed for academic year housing agreements and identified by nursing @ nike staff as participants will be eligible to select rooms in nike 102 during llc room selection day in june (online). , nursing@nike llc partners.

Donna Breit

Instructor/lecturer, college of nursing, [email protected].

Jessica Fasano

Assistant director, academic advising, [email protected].

Fall/Spring/Summer

Incoming first-year students (*Students will be identified by the Burnett Honors College)

Honors College admission required

The HONORS Living Learning Community, located in Tower III, is for students who are a part of the  Burnett Honors College . Students living in this LLC will receive:

• Opportunities to get involved with Honors Congress
• Networking with Burnett Honors College faculty and staff
• Access to the honors computer and print lab in Tower III

No LLC Application required. Honors students confirmed for Towers housing agreements will be eligible to select rooms in Tower III.

Location: tower iii.

Honors College LLC Partner

Brandy Blue

Admissions specialist- burnett honors college, [email protected].

The Burnett Honors College

Upcoming events, honors undergraduate thesis information session.

Maximize your undergraduate experience at UCF by participating in the Honors Undergraduate Thesis (HUT) program. Join us to learn more. About this event The Honors Undergraduate Thesis (HUT) program allows juniors and seniors from all disciplines to engage in original and independent research as principal investigators. Over the course of two to four semesters, students work closely with a faculty …

Fulbright Information Session (Recurring Event)

The Fulbright Scholarship Program fully funds students of all disciplines to live abroad for an academic year to conduct research, pursue graduate study, or teach English. Attend this Zoom session to learn more! 

Fulbright Information Session

The Fulbright Scholarship Program fully funds students of all disciplines to live abroad for an academic year to conduct research, pursue graduate study, or teach English. Attend this Zoom session to learn more! Pizza will be provided for registered attendees! Registration is required.

BHC Graduation Medallion Conferral

Graduating Scholars and their families and friends are invited to celebrate their May graduation. More information and a registration link will be shared directly with Scholars as the event approaches.

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Undergraduate Applications

We’ve made it easier than ever to apply to UCF. Whether this is your first time in college, you’re transferring from another institution or you’re enrolling from another country, we’ve streamlined the process to make it as clear and quick as possible. In fact, there are only two steps.

Before You Get Started…

Make sure you’ve reviewed UCF’s undergraduate admissions requirements in the official Undergraduate Catalog before you apply. For details, visit the Undergraduate Admissions website .

Steps to Apply

1. complete and submit the online application.

When you’re ready, fill out the undergraduate application online .

2. Submit required documents

After completing your application, you’ll receive an email with specific instructions for submitting required documents based upon your student type. For more information about requirements, visit the Undergraduate Admissions freshman or transfer pages.

International students must also submit required immigration documents as necessary. Review the undergraduate admissions process on the UCF Global website .

Undergraduate Admissions Deadlines

International, after you apply.

After clicking submit, you can track your application status in your Future Knight Portal .

UCF operates on a rolling admission basis. You will receive an admission decision once we have received all of your supporting documentation. Transfer students will receive a transfer credit summary once admitted.

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More Information

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Visit the UCF Admissions FAQs for frequently asked questions about the undergraduate application process and requirements.

Graduate Applications

Now is the time to push yourself to new possibilities. Graduate school is your chance to make important discoveries, master cutting-edge skills and advance both your knowledge and your career. With an advanced degree from UCF, you’ll make a big impact on the world.

Make sure you’ve reviewed UCF’s graduate admissions requirements in the official Graduate Application Deadlines and Requirements before you apply. For details, visit the Graduate Admissions website .

1. Choose your degree

UCF offers more than 100 graduate degree programs. Find the master’s degree , doctoral program or graduate certificate that’s right for you.

Or, learn more about UCF’s top ranked online master’s programs .

2. Review and complete any pre-application requirements

3. complete and submit the online application.

When you’re ready, fill out the graduate application online . A non-refundable $31 application fee is required to submit your application.

4. Submit required documents

The documents listed below are required for admission into all graduate programs:

• One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended*
• Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores or General Management Admissions Test (GMAT) scores (for doctoral programs and certain master’s programs)
• Immunization Form

Some programs may require additional documents. Review your program’s graduate admissions requirements to ensure you’ve submitted everything needed for your program.

International students must also submit required immigration documents as necessary. Review the graduate admissions process on the UCF Global website .

After clicking submit, you can track your application status through your Applicant Portal .

UCF operates on a rolling admission basis. You will receive an admission decision once we have received all of your supporting documentation.

Resources for Graduate Applicants

• College of Graduate Studies Admissions
• International Graduate Admissions
• Online Graduate Admissions
• Explore Graduate Programs
• College of Graduate Studies

Visit the UCF Graduate Admissions FAQs for frequently asked questions about the graduate application process and requirements.

Congratulations, COM Founders’ Day Faculty Awardees

• Burnett School Faculty News Research

Five medical school faculty members are college honorees at this year’s Founders’ Day, where UCF recognizes educators for their academic excellence, research and service.

The Founders’ Day Celebration is Wednesday from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Student Union’s Pegasus Ballroom.

“It’s a joy to celebrate extraordinary faculty who model academic excellence, student success and societal impact,” says Michael D. Johnson, UCF provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “Their remarkable work lifts up the university’s excellence and shows us all what UCF can become.”

College of Medicine college awardees are:

Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching — Kersten Schroeder

Excellence in Graduate Teaching – Mariana Dangiolo

Excellence in Research — Debopam Chakrabarti

Retired and Retiring Faculty — Diane Davey, Victor Davidson

For more information on the Founders’ Day faculty awards, please visit https://www.ucf.edu/news/ucf-celebrates-honors-faculty-with-2024-founders-day-awards/

• faculty awards Founders' Day 2024

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Texas Tech Now

Texas tech’s honors college launches new program.

April 1, 2024

Kelsey Kimzey and Jill Hernandez have implemented a Resilience & Retention program tailored to honors students who often slip through the cracks.

There is a misconception that high-performing students don't need much support. 

Recent research in Texas Tech University 's Honors College has proven even the best and the brightest need a helping hand. 

Honors College Dean Jill Hernandez and Senior Academic Adviser Kelsey Kimzey have launched a Resilience & Retention program that is showing promise after only a few semesters. With retention rates steadily rising and Hernandez and Kimzey publishing their research for other universities, it's another way Texas Tech is leading the way in academic innovation.

Interceding & Intervening

Kimzey has a tremendous deal of empathy for the honors students she advises because she sees herself in them. A Lubbock native, she was raised by educators and was active in academics. She still faced obstacles, though.

“I was diagnosed with dyslexia in the second grade,” Kimzey said. “I had just enough dyslexia for it to interfere with school but not enough for the state to require support.” 

Luckily, Kimzey's parents recognized the need for early intervention, solidifying their daughter's long-term success. Because Kimzey was diagnosed at such a young age, her learning disability doesn't carry much shame. It's just part of who she is, she says. 

But for many people, a learning disability does carry shame. This is especially true in high-achieving students who mask their inner struggles.

According to the American Psychological Association, these students are known as “multiexceptional” youth, and their talents and disabilities often mask each other. 

Unfortunately, many of these disabilities are not identified or treated until college, and sometimes, well after. Kimzey was surprised by how many intake forms she was getting with learning disabilities checked, or more common, students checking boxes indicating they were concerned they had an undiagnosed learning disability. 

“That's another misconception,” Kimzey said. “We have students on campus who are incredibly intelligent and have a learning disability. It's not accurate to assume people with learning disabilities are somehow less intelligent.” 

Managing the Clock

The Resilience & Retention program targets multiple pain points for honors students, of which learning disabilities are only a small part of the puzzle. Time management and study skills also are stumbling blocks.

In high school, a student's day is quite structured. The average high school student spends approximately 30 hours a week at school. In turn, the average college student spends 12-16 hours a week in class. This sudden shift can give the illusion of added free time when most work is expected to be completed outside of class. 

For students who come to college unprepared, the transition is jarring. For honors students, the expectations are even higher, and their schedules are busier. 

Honors students often enroll in more courses per semester than other students. They must maintain a 3.5 GPA or higher, fulfill a set amount of volunteer hours, complete 24 hours of specialized honors coursework, two of which are seminars, all before graduating. There also are added social expectations and events that honors students are encouraged to attend. 

“One of the biggest concerns I hear from students is time management,” Kimzey said. 

These are students who were straight-A achievers in high school, often not having to put in much effort, Kimzey says. When they get to college the adjustment hits them like a brick. 

“It also doesn't help that these students often hear statements like ‘Oh, you're an honors student, you'll be fine.'” Kimzey said. “When in reality, they're stressing and regularly pulling all-night study sessions.”

According to Kimzey, students express they think all-nighters are not only normal, but expected in college. Rather than the exception to the rule, students think they should be studying all hours of the night and that it's normal to be sleep-deprived and have poor mental health. 

Kimzey suspects this largely comes from media portrayals of college. 

“Incoming students see a lot of television and movies that portray unrealistic and unmaintainable study habits,” she said. 

With these challenges stacked against honors students, and some people dismissing high achievers' needs, Hernandez and Kimzey decided to do something about it. 

Resilience & Retention

The road to graduating with honors is no easy feat. That's why only 5.4% of Texas Tech's student population does it. When students decide to travel this road, leadership does everything in its power to help them succeed. 

That's how the Resilience & Retention (R&R) program started. 

R&R first began at the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) as an institutional effort to bring relational advising to students who were academically at-risk. 

“At the beginning of my time at Texas Tech, the honors advising team worked with me to identify where the college could improve in advising our own high-achieving students,” Hernandez said. “I saw instant parallels to UTSA's efforts with a different population of students.” 

Hernandez joined Texas Tech in 2022, and at that time, the Honors College's retention numbers were suffering. 

“We were losing students, but we weren't sure why,” Kimzey said. 

Texas Tech wasn't losing these students, but the Honors College was. Students were graduating, just not with honors. So, when Hernandez introduced an honors-tailored R&R program, Kimzey enthusiastically agreed to spearhead it. 

The process began by identifying 61 students to participate in a pilot program. The mission was to create a high-touch mentorship experience, not only helping those at risk of being suspended from the college for academic probation, but also successfully forecasting those who might be at future risk. 

The pilot group in 2023 showed a positive correlation in participation and retention. While those statistics are exciting, the outcome that stood out most was qualitative. 

“More than the numbers, I saw an increase in confidence,” Kimzey said. “Students felt more secure going into their next semester and expressed confidence in their study skills and interpersonal abilities.”

When a student participates in the R&R program, they work with Kimzey and other advisers to put a success plan in place. This looks different for every student. Sometimes this includes an agreement to make use of a professor's office hours to better understand material. For other students, they work on time-blocking their schedules. The pilot program ran for one semester with a pre-self-assessment, mid-semester check-in and a final check-in. 

The college saw a dramatic rise in retention. The average retention rate was around 50%, but students who participated in the pilot were retained at an 80% rate. Participants even saw an increase in GPA at almost double the rate as those in the control group. 

The program also intervened beyond academics.

Kimzey and her team are there for students during life's tougher moments. Sudden losses can threaten a student's academic progress. Whether that's a death of a family member or friend, or even a breakup, the team is there to listen and to refer students to the many mental health and wellbeing resources on campus . 

Kimzey's listening skills and compassion are part of the reason she went into this work. 

In her own undergraduate days at a private university, Kimzey was unofficially a part of retaining a student who experienced a traumatic hazing incident and was planning to drop out of school. 

“I didn't know until after the fact, but he said I was part of him staying,” Kimzey said. 

But that's just who Kimzey is. She fosters a sense of belonging and purpose in everyone she knows. 

For Tijana Lekić, the R&R program along with Kimzey's support has made all the difference. 

“The R&R program is one of the reasons, if not the reason, I am still in the Honors College,” said Lekić, a third-year industrial engineering major. “Coming into university, I thought I understood how to study and manage life, but I did not.”

Lekić struggled finding a balance among making new friends, work, school and having a personal life, all while away from home. She quickly realized she needed support. 

“Ms. Kimzey did a wonderful job creating my success plan,” Lekić said. “Together we assessed my struggles, and she then researched and found awesome methods to help me overcome. Although it takes the grit of the student to want to overcome their struggles, the R&R program provides the support you need and gives you courage as a student.”

Lekić plans to attend law school after graduation.

A New Standard 

The R&R program is in its third semester and continues to have a positive impact on students.

Hernandez and Kimzey presented their findings recently at the National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in Chicago, and they have plans to present at numerous other conferences around the nation. 

“We are excited that Texas Tech's Honors R&R program is becoming a national model for meeting the unique needs of honors students,” Hernandez said. “Kelsey's work, which has been featured at several conferences and now has been published, demonstrated the transformative impact R&R has on assessing and addressing challenges to student success.” 

Honors students are learning about the program and Kimzey has seen them advocating for themselves, wanting more information. In fact, students interested in the program have even started coming to her. 

This is the mark of honors students – always wanting to get better. 

“Most students have a semester that knocks them off-course,” Kimzey said. “The idea behind R&R is making sure that one semester does not define them.” 

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Brevard students vie for scholarships. But it's not an easy feat, even for top performers

Getting scholarships can be difficult. here's how brevard students are getting their tuition covered..

It was 2020, during the early days of the pandemic. With hopes of earning a degree in public health, Karly Hudson applied for more than 100 scholarships. Some required 1,000 to 2,000-word essay responses to even be considered.

She never heard back from any of them.

"You pour your heart out for this essay to hope to get a thousand-dollar scholarship, and you're just ghosted," she said.

It's not unusual. While a university may offer scholarships, students often need to be accepted before they can be considered. Scholarships from outside sources often require essay responses and may get hundreds to thousands of applicants, generally with no real response ever sent to those not chosen to receive funds.

These opportunities outside of a college or university can be hugely helpful, said James Almasi, Florida Tech’s director of financial aid. But they can also be extremely time-consuming.

"They take a lot of work," Almasi said. "It's sort of like a part-time job, applying for these things."

So what are some of the ways students can try for scholarships?

That depends on many factors.

Many chosen based on merit, though other factors considered

Hudson, a Melbourne resident, considers herself lucky: Though she didn't get scholarships from the numerous places she applied, University of South Florida, now her alma mater, awarded her a scholarship.

It was a scholarship based on merit, meaning the school took Hudson's high school grade-point average, SAT scores and other factors into consideration before awarding her a certain amount of money.

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It's not an unusual kind of scholarship to get. Students looking into the Space Coast's various local postsecondary education opportunities — whether that be at a private institution like Florida Tech, or a public college like Eastern Florida State College, or University of Central Florida — have opportunities to earn scholarships based on their grades and testing scores.

Most students accepted at Florida Tech qualify for a partial scholarship, Almasi said. That amount may vary based on their SAT or ACT scores, as well as their high school GPAs.

"If you're admitted, you'll tend to get something," he said. "The better performer you are, the more you will get."

The true is same for both UCF and Eastern Florida State College students.

And those aren't the only types of scholarships available. The Eastern Florida State College Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation that helps provide financial support for EFSC students, also offers other types of scholarships, working with sponsors and donors to lay out the parameters of each kind of scholarship. While some may be awarded based on test scores, others are given out based on need, degree programs or to first-generation students.

"Donors get to select the criteria and the name of their scholarship," said Tonya Cherry, executive director of the foundation. She added that donors do not select the recipients of scholarships.

"We have a few scholarships that want the average student — the 2.0, the 3.0 — to get the scholarships because they feel like they are the ones that really need it," she said.

The likelihood of receiving a scholarship at any of these schools — and the amount awarded — is highly dependent on how many students apply.

"The competitiveness of scholarships is dependent on a variety of factors including the funding source; the funding amount; the scholarship requirements; and the applicant pool," said Karemah Campbell Manselle, interim director of UCF's office of student financial assistance.

In-state vs. out-of-state tuition struggles

In addition to the scholarship from USF, Hudson also received a partial scholarship from Bright Futures, a program through the state department of education and Florida Lottery that provides funds for eligible students seeking a postsecondary education.

The website boasts that the program has helped more than 950,000 students receive a postsecondary education and provides multiple opportunities for students looking to apply for scholarships: the Florida Academic Scholarship, Florida Medallion Scholarship, Gold Seal Cape Scholarship and Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship. All by the GSC scholarship require a certain GPA and a minimum ACT or SAT score, as well as additional criteria like a certain number of service hours or paid work hours.

While many top-achieving Floridians qualify for Bright Futures, the funds can only go toward in-state schools. Figuring out funding for out-of-state schools can be a challenge.

That's what the Cenker family of Rockledge discovered when Gabe Cenker, now a junior at the University of Oklahoma, graduated from high school in May 2021. Cenker hopes to work in radar/meteorology. His career goals played a big role in his college choice — and in the price tag that came with it.

While he was offered free ride scholarships at Florida State and Embry Riddle, their meteorology programs didn't appeal as much as OU’s, which has a top-flight weather center research facility and is located in the center of "Tornado Alley," said mom Jennifer Cenker.

“We’re not well off, but we do have it slightly better than some others,” Cenker said. “But we are struggling with paying Gabe’s out of state tuition, and have not found many scholarships for families in the upper lower-class or lower middle-class range.”

Outside scholarships, grants supplement university scholarships

Grants are also a way students can access funding. While Florida Tech's current scholarships are merit-based, they'll offer students a chance to receive the Brevard Boundless Opportunity Grant in the fall of 2024. It's a way to make the university more accessible to local students, Almasi said, with eligible students owing the university no money for tuition and fees.

To be eligible, a student must live in Brevard, complete the FAFSA and be federal Pell Grant-eligible, qualify for the Florida Academic Scholarship or the Florida Medallion Scholarship through Bright Futures and apply and be admitted to Florida Tech by May 1.

There are also scholarships awarded to individuals of certain races, gender identities or other marginalized experiences.

Hudson is currently attending Cooley Law School in Tampa, where she won a scholarship through an ambassador program for diversity, equity and inclusion. It's a dream come true, and something she wouldn't be able to do if she hadn't gotten scholarships during her undergraduate schooling.

"I have no debt from undergrad," she said. "So I was like, 'Well, taking out the debt for law school isn't going to be so bad,' because I had all of my undergrad paid for."

As for Gabe Cenker, he won an Award of Excellence Scholarship from the University of Oklahoma, which pays $64,000 spread over the course of four years. Additionally, he was awarded a $1,000 scholarship just this past month in honor of Paul Samaras at the National Storm Chaser Summit.

“He probably spent half of his Christmas break filling out scholarship applications. I lost track of how many he applied to,” Cenker said. “He got word that he won that Paul Samaras one, and then got one from the OU Honors College for $2,000 to be used for his summer abroad at Oxford.”

Scholarships can help prevent life-long debt

Scholarships are one way to keep students from incurring massive debt through loans.

While President Joe Biden had canceled about $138 billion in federal student loan debt as of this month, according to the U.S. Department of Education, the total federal student loan debt still equals about $1.6 trillion.

The Cenkers “never in a million years” thought it would be so hard to find scholarship money for a young man who is in an honors program and an honors scholars fraternity and currently has a cumulative 3.81GPA. Even with his scholarships, the cost for an undergrad living on campus still comes out to about $53,000 a year. This meant his parents needed to co-sign loans for him.

It’s worth all the struggle, Jennifer Cenker said, and the search for scholarships continues.

“I can’t imagine the number of kids who are missing out because of the high costs and then not being able to earn a scholarship,” Cenker said. “So he is lucky in that we will figure out how to cover everything, even if we have to sell our home and downsize or whatever.”

For many Eastern Florida students, scholarships are the reason they can attend school, Cherry said.

"They all apply for federal financial aid, but not everybody qualifies for that, and even if they do ... tuition and books are not the only cost associated with going to college," she said, adding that many EFSC students have families and may struggle to go to school full-time. "I think that our scholarship program benefits the community at large because it empowers them to pursue their dreams ... to ensure that we are building a community that is successful."

Hudson is attending law school with no debt from her undergraduate schooling thanks to the scholarships she received. She felt comfortable taking out loans for law school because of that lack of debt, and because she believed she would receive scholarships once she enrolled.

What fees aren't covered by the ambassador program scholarship — and the merit-based scholarship she was awarded based on her class rank that covers 40% of her schooling — she'll pay back through the federal public service loan forgiveness program. The program forgives the remaining balance on a student's direct loans after they make 120 monthly payments while working in a qualifying job.

"I graduate in 2025; I'll be 24," Hudson said. "So what? (I'll be) 34, and I was a public defender for 10 years. All of my loans will be forgiven; I'm debt-free by 34."

Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at   321-290-4744  or   [email protected] . X:  @_ finchwalker .

Jada Cody Becomes Third in Program History to Earn UCF's Order of Pegasus Honors

ORLANDO – In seeing its players receive the most prestigious honor that can be bestowed upon a student at UCF, the UCF softball team has now gone back-to-back.

As announced by the university Tuesday, fifth-year utility player Jada Cody has become the third player in program history, and the second in as many years, to be honored with the Order of Pegasus award, as well as the lone student-athlete to be selected in 2024.

“It was every emotion I could think of. The biggest one was excitement of how far I’ve come,” Cody said. “When I was eight years old, that was my first time speaking full sentences. I’ve always had a speech delay, so knowing that I’ve gone from that to receiving this award means a lot to me. I can’t thank my family enough for taking the time to really understand how I functioned when I was younger. Receiving this award means everything to me.”

The Order of Pegasus award is given annually to those who display incredible academic achievement, university involvement, leadership and community service, and Cody joins Shannon Doherty (2023) and Shelly Frick (2010) as the third Knights softball player to receive the honor.

“It’s such an amazing award and honor, and I’m just incredibly proud of her,” said head coach Cindy Ball-Malone of Cody. “She’s worked so hard to get to where she’s at. I know this is about Jada, but to have back-to-back Order of Pegasus awards coming from our program is pretty special, and coming from two of the most prestigious athletes I’ve coached in my career.”

The fifth-year senior has represented a pillar of the Knights’ starting lineup since her debut season in 2020. Cody has appeared in 241 of UCF’s total 245 games since her collegiate debut Feb. 6, 2020, including 239 starts following UCF’s Tuesday doubleheader against North Florida April 2, 2024, and has scattered her name across virtually every offensive career leaderboard in the program’s history.

Entering UCF’s weekend series against the BYU Cougars, Cody ranks second on the UCF all-time batting average (.335), slugging percentage (.585), runs scored (179), doubles (48), home runs (37) and RBI (167) lists, third on the all-time on-base percentage (.418) list, tied for third on the all-time hits (245) list, and fourth on the all-time triples list (12).

Her current .376 average this season would rank fourth highest in a single season in program history, and her .642 on-base percentage would rank tied for fifth highest in a single season as well.

“It means everything to be able to accomplish what I’ve done,” Cody continued. “Having the UCF fanbase support me on and off the field means a lot to me. Every day, I put my heart into everything that I can do, both academically and athletically. It’s been challenging, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

A health science and medical sociology major, Cody has also made the Dean’s List five times and earned a spot on the President’s Honor three times throughout her academic career.

“When we talk about her ability to make in-game adjustments, it takes belief, discipline and this competitive edge, drive and honor,” Ball-Malone continued. “I see her doing that in all parts and facets of her life. When a goal is set out there, she’s able to attain it because she studies how she’s going to go about it, tackle it and accomplish it. Learning those skills for when she gets into the game of life even more, she’s going to be able to approach it with the same discipline, belief, competitiveness and honor. That’s Jada.”

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Honors Community Ready to Host 2024 USF Climate Teach-In

• April 1, 2024

Community , Events

In an effort to increase climate education, students and educators at the University of South Florida (USF) are spearheading a campuswide event to raise awareness and accessibility for sustainability solutions. With a week-long series of events across the USF Tampa campus, students will have the opportunity to educate each other about the challenges caused by a changing climate and develop interdisciplinary connections that will help them work towards tangible solutions.  Part of the Worldwide Climate and Justice Education Week originally founded by Bard College in 2019, the USF Climate Teach-In is built on cross-campus partnerships with over 18 student environmental organizations and the Judy Genshaft Honors College, working together to host an array of events. Now in its third year, the Climate Teach-In concept was introduced to USF by Judy Genshaft Honors College faculty member Dr. Andrew Hargrove, who serves as the USF director of the initiative.  A sustainability expert who teaches Honors courses like “How to Save a Planet” and “Solarpunk: Imagining Sustainable Futures” in which students engage with scientific literature or art to learn how to overcome feelings of powerlessness in the face of problems like climate change, Hargrove stresses the importance of inclusion and cooperation when it comes to climate education. “There’s no discipline that isn’t touched by the environment and sustainability because we live in our environment, we live in our world,” said Hargrove. 

Initially an effort led by the Hargrove and staff in the Honors College, the Climate Teach-In has evolved to incorporate events and activities designed by students from across USF.   “We have events like the Off the Wall art gallery, campus cleanups, a student research fair, a career and internship fair ... We have crafts, labs, cooking demos, a crocheting event where you can learn to crochet with recycled plastic bags, a farmers’ market and even a 5k run,” said Hargrove. “We really want this event to feel like it’s by students and for students, to amplify the good work that these student organizations are already doing.”

CULTIVATING STUDENT LEADERS 

One of the Climate Teach-In's event organizers is Honors student Morgan Mathews. An environmental science and policy student in the College of Arts and Sciences School of Geosciences, Mathews is also the president of GLOBE (Global Leaders Outreach for a Better Environment), a student organization dedicated to environmental advocacy and service projects on and off campus.  Under Mathews leadership, GLOBE will be an active participant in this year’s Teach-In, teaming up with the USF Marine Biology Club and Tampa Bay Watch to lead a microplastics lab which will offer students insight into the impact microplastics have on our health and daily lives.  “We are really big on having an educational aspect and a hands-on aspect to each of our events,” said Mathews. “This semester we are focusing on wildlife, ecology, and restoration.”

Professor Andrew Hargrove and Honors student Morgan Mathews

For Mathews, GLOBE’s increased involvement in the Climate Teach-In was a natural fit and one that mirrored her own climate education journey. “I got involved my freshman year as a general member and the president at the time was a really great mentor,” said Mathews. This experience led her to start her own recycling project on campus and to work to pass a resolution through student government that demonstrated students were supportive of improving USF infrastructure.  Mathews attributes her heightened involvement in climate advocacy efforts to her involvement in the Honors College and to her experience as part of the “Systems of Sustainability” study away course in the spring of 2023.

“We really want to open this up to anybody from any major.” – Honors Professor Dr. Andrew Hargrove 

During this course, she met Professor Hargrove, who encouraged her to expand her sustainability efforts in more interdisciplinary and collaborative ways. “Dr. Hargrove reached out to me and my organization and I immediately wanted to get involved,” said Mathews. “I am open to any collaboration with any student organizations, and this was the next step to participate in a campuswide event.”

SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN REACH 

The student-run events during the Climate Teach-In will help remove barriers for students as it brings them together to actively participate in open dialogues with assistance from experts in the field.    “It’s trying to teach people in a more casual setting how to engage with this big problem. It’s hard for people to have these conversations because maybe they don’t feel that they have the knowledge or they don’t feel comfortable doing things because they don’t know how effective it’s going to be,” said Hargrove. “This is a space for students to come and learn and engage in a conversation and just try things out and see what works.“  According to Matthews, one of the most important features of the Teach-In is how accessible all of the events are. “I suggest going to a couple of events that you are interested in, each one is meant to be fun and engaging and you get to meet new people,” said Mathews.  Ultimately, the goal of the Climate Teach-In is to inspire collective action that can make a greater impact. Hargrove knows the only way to make a difference is to work together: “One thing that’s really important that we’re trying to emphasize with the Climate Teach-In is that it takes everybody to solve a global problem, and that this isn’t just the responsibility of environmental scientists, legislators or people who own major corporations,” said Hargrove. “This is about everybody. So whatever group or student organization you’re a part of, there is a way where your expertise or your interest can contribute to building a more sustainable future.”  Interested students and USF community members can visit the 2024 USF Climate Teach-In webpage for a full list of this year’s events and information on how to get involved on and off campus. 

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Committed to intellectual curiosity, global citizenship, and service across three unique Tampa Bay campuses, Honors News shares the exceptional stories of the Judy Genshaft Honors College.