Click on your question to get an answer:
Q: How do I apply to the Honors College?
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Q: What are the minimum qualifications
for admission to the Honors College?
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Q: Does the Honors College
have early admission?
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Q: If I'm not admitted to the Honors
College will that affect my Stony Brook application?
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Q: Do I have to be pre-med
to get into the Honors College?
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Q: How many AP courses should I have
taken in order to be admitted to the Honors College?
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Q: Does being in the Honors
College affect financial aid?
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Q: What if I'm eligible for two types
of scholarship, such as one from the Honors College and another because
I'm a valedictorian or salutatorian?
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Q: Do SAT-II test scores matter in Honors
College admissions?
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Q: How important is the new Writing component
of the SAT?
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Q: Is it a good idea to take the SAT
again to improve my score?
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Q: Will being in the Honors College
affect my plans to major in the field I choose?
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Q: If I am in the HC will I have
a better chance of getting into medical school?
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Q: What if the major I'm interested
in has an honors program? Do I have to choose between that and the Honors
College?
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Q: I'm interested in WISE (Women in
Science and Engineering). Which is better for me, WISE or the Honors
College?
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Q: Can I apply to both WISE and the
Honors College?
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Q: Can I be in both WISE and the Honors
College?
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Q: Is there a minimum GPA to remain
in the Honors College?
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Q: Is it true that I will have more
homework because I am an Honors student?
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Q: Will I only take classes with
other HC students?
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Q: I've heard that the Honors College
curriculum essentially replaces the DEC. What is the DEC?
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Q: Honors College courses are described
as being in a ‘seminar' format. What does that mean?
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Q: What makes Stony Brook's Honors
College different?
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Q: What are the ‘minicourses'?
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Q: Do I have to live on campus if
I am in the HC?
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Q: In which dorms do Honors College
students live?
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Q: What are the ‘Undergraduate Colleges',
and how are they related to the Honors College?
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Q: What is the Scholars for Medicine
program?
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Q: Why is SBU’s Scholars for
Medicine Program eight years and not six or seven?
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Q: If I am in the Scholars For Medicine
Program, do I have to major in Pre-Med?
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Q: How do I
apply to the Honors College ?
A: The application is a two-step process: you must apply to Stony Brook
University and, separately, to the Honors College. To obtain more information, click
here.
Q: What are
the minimum qualifications for admission to the Honors College?
A: The minimum criteria for the Honors College are a combined score of
1300 on the two traditional (math & critical reading) components
of the SAT or a 30 on the ACT), and an un-weighted high school average
of 93. We are looking for excellent, energetic students who have demonstrated
an ability to thrive in a rigorous academic program. About 17% of all
applicants are admitted.
Q: Does the Honors College have early admission?
A: The Honors College does not participate in early admission. Students
may still choose the Early Decision option for their general acceptance
into Stony Brook University. The Honors College notifies students of
their decision in March. The Scholars for Medicine Program sends out
notification in early April.
Q: If I'm not
admitted to the Honors College will that affect my Stony Brook
application?
A: No. In fact, you cannot be considered for admission to the Honors
College until you have been admitted to Stony Brook University.
Q: Do I have to be pre-med to get into the Honors College?
A: The Honors College welcomes students from any major Since the HC curriculum
replaces the DEC requirements (general education classes), students have
the option to choose whichever major they wish to pursue. We do not give
any priority to students based on intended majors/interests.
Q: How many AP courses
should I have taken in order to be admitted to the Honors College
?
A: You are expected to have followed, and succeeded in, a rigorous program
of study. We understand that you can't take courses that your high school
doesn't offer and that you couldn't possibly take everything offered
- but success in a range of AP courses is a good indicator of likely
success in a rigorous academic program in college.
Q: Does being
in the Honors College affect financial aid?
A: Yes. Every Honors College student receives at least $2000 per year
for four years. Some, depending upon the strength of their applications,
receive various university scholarships for as much as full tuition and
fees each year.
Q: What if I'm
eligible for two types of scholarship, such as one from the Honors
College and another because I'm a valedictorian or salutatorian?
A: In that case, you will be offered the larger of the two.
Q: Do SAT-II
test scores matter in Honors College admissions?
A: Not as much as SAT scores, and certainly not as much as your essay,
recommendation letters, or grades - but we do look at them if they are
available.
Q: How important is the new Writing component of the SAT? A: Because that test is new we simply don't know how to interpret it. Therefore, we look at only the two traditional (math and verbal) parts of the SAT.
Q: Is it a good
idea to take the SAT again to improve my score?
A: To a point, yes. We count your highest SAT math score and your highest
verbal score, even if you took them on different dates. On the other
hand, when someone retakes the SAT a large number of times it can begin
to look desperate.
Q: Will being
in the Honors College affect my plans to major in the field I choose?
A: The Honors College curriculum is completely independent of your major
(at present, Honors College students are enrolled in 34 different majors!).
You'll need to make sure to set aside time in your senior year for your
senior project - but that's commonly part of the program for graduating
with departmental honors anyway.
Q: If I am in the Honors College will I have a better
chance of getting into medical school?
A: Although acceptance into a Medical Program cannot be guaranteed (except
for those in Scholars for Medicine), being an active member of the Honors
College has many benefits. Honors College students certainly have an
advantage over other students applying for medical school because they
are more prepared to meet the growing demands expected of prospective
applicants. Often, Honors College students have personal relationships
with both staff and faculty who support their goals and aid in their
achievements. In addition, Honors College students have the opportunity
to gain the confidence which results from completing such an academically
strong program.
Q: What if
the major I'm interested in has an honors program? Do I have to
choose between that and the Honors College ?
A: No. Many Honors College students are also in departmental honors programs,
and many (but not all) of the students in departmental honors programs
are also in the Honors College . In academic departments that offer departmental
honors, students often take honors sections of courses in that major
and carry out research or creative activities in that field. All of this
is compatible with, but distinct from, the Honors College curriculum.
If you are in both the Honors College and a departmental honors program
that requires a senior project/thesis you will, however, need to do only
one senior project.
Q: I'm interested
in WISE (Women in Science and Engineering). Which is better for
me, WISE or the Honors College ?
A: It depends. Whereas the Honors College program includes a diverse
range of students (male as well as female) interested in the arts and
humanities as well as science and engineering, WISE concentrates on providing
a single-sex environment for young women in science and engineering who
think that would be best for them. It's a matter of personal taste. The
four years of seminar-based courses offered by the Honors College , is
very different than the WISE program . The minimum admission requirements
for WISE (a combined score of 1240 on the critical reading and quantitative
SAT and a high school average of 91) are also different than the requirements
for the Honors College .
Q: Can I apply
to both WISE and the Honors College ?
A: Yes, though you should expect to be admitted to at most one of the
two programs, and will be asked to specify your preference when you apply.
If you are not admitted to your first choice, you will still be considered
for your second choice.
Q: Can I be
in both WISE and the Honors College ?
A: No, you can only be in one or another. Generally, students are admitted
to one of the programs, but not both. Even if a student were to be admitted
to both WISE and the Honors College, she would need to choose between
them.
Q: Is there
a minimum GPA to remain in the Honors College ?
A: Yes. You are expected to maintain a GPA of 3.0 to remain in good standing.
Q: Is it true that I will have more homework because
I am an Honors student?
A: This is a common misconception. Honors courses are designed to give
students an intellectually simulating college experience that requires
them to analyze lessons in a different way than non-honors courses.
Although the number and scale of assignments are not necessarily greater,
a higher standard of quality is expected.
Q: Will I only take
classes with other Honors College students?
A: Although the Honors College classes and mini-course are only open
to students within this program, they make up only about one quarter
of your academic credits. All other classes will be taken with regular
SBU students. This gives the HC students an opportunity to feel a sense
of closeness and community with their fellow HC peers, while encouraging
potential friendships outside of the Honors College as well.
Q: I've heard
that the Honors College curriculum essentially replaces the DEC.
What is the DEC?
A: To graduate from the university, you need to do two things: complete
the requirements for your chosen major (as determined by the faculty
of that department), and satisfy an additional set of university requirements
that are unrelated to your major. At Stony Brook, those university requirements
are called the DEC (Diversified Education Curriculum). The DEC includes
categories of courses covering the full range of the academic disciplines
offered at the university. With a few exceptions, the Honors College
curriculum replaces all of the requirements of the DEC.
Q: Honors College
courses are described as being in a ‘seminar' format. What does
that mean?
A: They meet as small-enrollment classes (about 20 students), in a format
that emphasizes discussion and student participation, as opposed to lectures.
Instead of tests, Honors College courses involve quite a bit of reading,
analysis, discussion, and critical writing. There is a great deal of
interaction among the students and between the students and professors.
Q: What makes Stony
Brook's Honors College different?
A: Beware of the difference between an honors program and a true Honors
College . Honors programs typically do not offer a four-year series of
dedicated seminars outside of a student's major. Nor do they typically
offer the opportunity for housing as a group, or the four years of special
advising, early course registration, cultural enrichment, and scholarships
that characterize Stony Brook University 's Honors College .
Q:
What are the ‘minicourses'?
A: The minicourses are 1-credit ‘topics' courses taken each semester
during the first two years in the Honors College. Honors College freshmen
and sophomores each get to choose among a constantly changing set of
minicourses - eight of them are offered per semester. They offer the
opportunity to explore a diverse range of topics in small groups, with
an average enrollment of 15 or 16.
Q:
Do I have to live on campus if I am in the Honors College?
A: Students who choose to live on-campus will receive priority housing
and will reside in the same Residence Hall. Although some students choose
to commute, they are still very much a part of the Honors College community.
Students participate in the same events, campus organizations and courses
regardless of their commuter status.
Q: In which
dorms do Honors College students live?
A: Honors College students are offered the opportunity to reside together
in a residence hall dedicated to fostering a close-knit community of
high-achieving students. Although they are free to live elsewhere or
to commute from home, most Honors College students choose to stay there
throughout their four years at Stony Brook.
Q: What are the ‘Undergraduate
Colleges', and how are they related to the Honors College ?
A: The Undergraduate Colleges are a series of theme-oriented programs
and living colleges that Stony Brook University has created to help freshmen
make the transition to college. Although Toscanini, the Honors College
residence hall, is part of ACH (College of Arts Culture and Humanities),
the intense Honors College programs replace for them virtually all of
the programs offered by ACH.
Q: What is
the Scholars for Medicine program?
A: The Scholars for Medicine program allows a small number of incoming
freshmen to be admitted to Stony Brook's medical school straight out
of high school. This is a serious commitment - both for the student and
for the medical school. To learn more, click
here.
Q:
Why is SBU’s Scholars for Medicine Program eight years and not
six or seven?
A: Stony Brook University is committed to giving students the highest
standard of education as possible. We feel that it advantageous to the
student to complete a four-year undergraduate program to allow them to
be better prepare for the training they will receive in the extremely
competitive field of medicine. We believe that the undergraduate experience
should be an opportunity to explore different interests. Making the most
of such opportunities will result in a better educated individual and
citizen.
Q:
If I am in The Scholars For Medicine Program, do I have to major in Pre-Med?
A: Like anyone interested in medical school, students who are accepted
into the Scholars for Medicine Program can pursue any of Stony Brook’s
more than 50 majors in the arts, and humanities, aw well as the sciences.
The limited number of courses required by medical schools can be taken
along with any major a student might choose.