Admission to Honors

The Ithaca College Honors Program is highly selective. Applications can only be accepted from students who have been invited to apply. Invitations are not based on any single criterion, such as standardized test scores, class rank, or G.P.A. The Ithaca College Office of Admission examines all applications to the college and identifies the most highly qualified applicants. Selected students are then invited to apply to the honors program. One hundred students are selected to begin honors in the fall semester.

Incoming First-Year Students
Incoming first-year students are invited to apply to the program soon after they have been accepted to Ithaca College. Applications are typically required to be completed in mid-March. Admission to the program is based on three short original essays and past academic achievement. Selection and notification takes place on a rolling basis. Some applicants may be placed on a wait-list until the selection process is completed. Admittance is limited to 100 students each year.

Internal Transfer Students
Students who do exceptionally well at Ithaca College may be nominated by a faculty member for invitation to apply to the honors program. The application is very similar to that for incoming first-year students, though the process may include a personal interview. Successful internal applicants who enter the program before fall 2013 will complete the honors program by taking four intermediate seminars and the senior seminar.

External Transfer Students
Students who apply to transfer to Ithaca College from another college or university may apply to join the honors program. Decisions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Non-Honors Students
Ithaca College students who are not members of the honors program may, under certain circumstances, take intermediate honors seminars, if there is a below-capacity opening in the seminar and the instructor grants permission.

For further information about admission to honors please contact the director of the Ithaca College Honors Program.