MU Honors Program-FAQ

Admission		^TOP
How do I get into the Honors Program as a high school senior? All high school students interested in gaining admission to the University Honors Program must submit an application directly to our office. The Honors application is submitted in addition to the application for admission to Miami University that is submitted to the Office of Admission. For more information on selection criteria, deadlines, and to view the application, visit the admission page. How do I get into the Honors Program as a transfer student from another university? All transfer students interested in gaining admission to the University Honors Program must submit an application directly to our office. The Honors application is submitted in addition to the application for admission to Miami University that is submitted to the Office of Admission. For more information on selection criteria, deadlines, and to view the application, visit the admission page. How do I get into the Honors Program as a current Miami student? Current Miami students , who have attended Miami for at least one semester, and who are either not currently a member of the Honors Program or who entered the Honors Program prior to Fall 2009 and would like transfer in to the new Honors Framework are eligible to apply for the Honors Program after attending an Honors Admission Workshop. For workshop dates and more application information, visit the admission page. What criteria do you use when reviewing applications? We think that every student is much more than their class rank and test scores, therefore we have a holistic review process that looks at many factors. Some of these factors include critical thinking ability, demonstrated leadership and teamwork, extra- and co-curricular involvement, grade point average, intellectual inquiry, potential contributions to diversity (possibly including breadth of life experiences, geography, ideology, lifestyle, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or world view), self-awareness and self-understanding, special abilities, talents and achievements, standardized test scores, strength of high school curriculum, strong commitment to social service, and writing ability. What is the minimum test score I need to be considered for Honors admission? We review ALL applications submitted to the Honors Program regardless of test score, class rank, or gpa. These factors do carry some weight in the review process, but there is no minimum score or number students must meet in order to be considered. For more information on the academic profile of this year's incoming class, visit the admission page. If I apply for the Honors I/Harrison (Nov. 3) deadline, do I have to apply to Miami early decision? NO. Because students must gain regular admission to Miami University to be considered for admission to University Honors, both the Miami University application for admission and the Honors Application must be complete by Nov. 3. However, students DO NOT have to apply to Miami via Early Decision, which is binding. If you do not want to be considered for binding Early Decision, mark "Early Action" on your Miami application for admission, but be sure to have all of the application materials complete by the Nov. 3 deadline. Can I only apply on-line? YES. We only accept applications via the on-line Honors application form. We do not distribute or accept hard copies of the application. Can I send additional information to the Honors office for you to include in my application file? NO. In order to make the application process fair for everyone, we will only review the information submitted as part of the on-line Honors application. Additional information such as resumes, DVDs, photos, portfolios, and CDs will be discarded and not reviewed. How do you guarantee that I receive my notification on the specified date? We will send your notification letter via postal mail by the application deadline, but we do not guarantee that you will receive your notification by the deadline. In fact, in most cases you will actually receive your letter a few days after the deadline because of the time it takes for the mail to be delivered. How many students enter the UHP each fall? What qualifications do these students have? Approximately 2,000 students apply for the Honors Program each year and we have an incoming class of about 400 students annually. To see the academic profile for the class of 2013, visit the admission page. Is there any difference in the three deadline dates? If I apply earlier, do I have a better chance of getting into the Honors Program? There is no special consideration given to students who apply earlier. We accept the same proportion of students with the same overall profile at each application deadline. The main advantages of applying by Nov. 3 (the first application deadline) are that you will be considered for the Harrison Scholarship and you will know both your Honors and, in most cases, your Miami University admission decision by late December.
Academics		^TOP
What do I have to do to stay in the Honors Program? To remain in good standing in the Honors Program, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher their first and second year, and a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher their remaining two years. Students must also make timely progress toward completing Honors Program requirements. This usually means completing a minimum of 3 Honors Experiences and fulfilling 7-8 learning outcomes each year until all requirements are met. What are the requirements to graduate with university honors? Requirements differ depending on the year you entered Miami. For requirements for this year's entering class, see academic plan. What is an Honors experience? Honors Experiences encompass a broad array of learning opportunities. Honors Experiences consist of honors courses as well as other experiences such as study abroad, independent research with a professor, or a graduate-level course. You can visit our academics page for more detailed information How are university honors courses different from other courses? Are they harder? Honors courses or seminars typically focus on cross-disciplinary and compelling topics. They appeal to students from every major. Most courses use active learning approaches over lectures; assign primary source readings and incorporate opportunities for independent, outside research. Generally, Honors courses are not "harder" than other courses. They are just formatted differently. The small class size allows for deeper discussion and critical thinking. Typically, the professor serves as coach or facilitator and provides students with regular feedback and assessment. Most faculty encourage students to take intellectual risks, meet with the faculty member individually, and involve them in making certain decisions regarding class direction. Can I major in whatever I want and still be in the Honors Program? YES. We accept students of all majors into the Honors Program and assign them an Honors advisor who can help them integrate their major and Honors Program requirements. How will the credit I earn for AP, IB, CLEP, and/or post-secondary coursework apply to my Honors Program and general education requirements? This credit will apply to the total number of credit hours needed for graduation from Miami (currently 128). It may also apply toward the requirements for your major and/or your academic division. It will not automatically fulfill any of your Honors requirements. What are learning outcomes? Learning outcomes are simply a list of the skills and abilities that we expect students to master at each tier. As you move through the tiers, the learning outcomes become more advanced and therefore require students to participate in more intensive learning experiences in order to meet the desired outcomes. Examples of learning outcomes include: Tier 1- Communicate a main idea in a logical way with supporting evidence; explore an important question about society or nature; identify multiple perspectives on an issue; interact with others to explore provocative ideas; identify personal strengths and areas for improvement. Tier 2-Write an academic paper using the appropriate disciplinary tone, structure and data; analyze or compare scientific, humanistic, or artistic concepts or frameworks; articulate personal, educational, and professional goals; discover similarities and differences between their beliefs and other's beliefs; operate effectively within a diverse team to address a problem or issue. Tier 3-Produce work that demonstrates independent thinking and is meaningful to them; critically evaluate and integrate diverse knowledge systems (disciplines, fields); apply and share ideas in multiple contexts; align actions and beliefs; sustain and enact a commitment to creating an inclusive community inside or outside the classroom.
General Information		^TOP
Will I receive any special treatment or recognition as an honors student? As current students will tell you, there are many benefits of the University Honors Program. UHP students have special opportunities to work closely with faculty on research projects or as teaching assistants, meet university speakers and lecturers, participate in the Honors community activities, and assume leadership positions both on and off-campus. Will being in the UHP isolate me from other non-honors students? NO. University Honors students take honors-designated classes. However, these classes do not constitute your full schedule. Over half of your course schedule each semester will be non-honors classes. You will not be academically isolated from non-honors students. Although University Honors students have the unique option of choosing to live in a residence hall community filled with other honors students, there are numerous other on-campus residence halls to choose from. Honors Program students live in nearly every on-campus residence hall community and participate in a wide range of student organizations. May I come to campus and talk to someone about the University Honors Program? YES. All students interested in Miami are encouraged to visit the campus! We have drop-in office hours Monday through Thursday, Honors information sessions on Fridays and Saturdays, three special Honors visit days in September, and many opportunities for accepted students to visit in the Spring. See our visit page for more information. Will priority registration allow me to get whatever courses I want? NO. Priority registration, which begins after your first semester, will give you a better chance of getting the courses you want, but it does not guarantee that you get your ideal schedule every semester.
Community		^TOP
Is there housing specifically for honors students? YES. First-year students have the opportunity to live in the Honors Living Learning Communities, which are currently located in Tappan and Emerson Halls. Upper-class Honors students may choose to live in Bishop Hall. All halls provide many co-curricular activities and events, so you can make friends and develop a student community. Do honors students do anything special together? The University Honors Program provides its students with many social, intellectual, and cultural opportunities. This year, Honors students have engaged in coffeehouses, debates, community service experiences in Cincinnati, pizza dinners with professors, and other intellectual and social pursuits. Honors Program students have the option of living in the honors residence hall communities, which offer additional social programming specifically for those residents. Some of these programs include intramural sport teams, an annual coed Thanksgiving football tournament with a rival community on Academic Quad, trips to theatrical productions in Cincinnati, a riverboat formal, and various events created by Honors students (i.e. introduction to tae kwon do, massage therapy, film screenings, and trivia nights!)
Scholarships		^TOP
Do students receive scholarships for being in the Honors Program? No. Although most Honors students will receive a merit scholarship award from Miami, there is no guaranteed amount. All students accepted to Miami will be sent notification of their total financial aid package in late March. If I don't complete my Honors or Miami application by Nov. 3, can I still be considered for the Harrison Scholarship? NO. Both your Honors application and Miami University Application for Admission must be complete by 11:59pm on Nov. 3 or you will not be considered for the Harrison Scholarship. When will I know whether or not I have received a scholarship from Miami? Final award notifications will be sent to all newly admitted students in late March by the Office of Student Financial Assistance. Students who apply to the Honors Program by Nov. 3 will be notified of whether or not they received the Harrison Scholarship by Dec. 22, however, they will not know the total amount of their scholarship package until late February. Harrison recipients are guaranteed a minimum award equal to the cost of in-state tuition ($11,442 for 2009-2010), but in some cases they may receive more. If I don't apply for the Honors Program will I still be considered for scholarships at Miami? YES. The only scholarship that requires an Honors application is the Harrison Scholarship. To be considered for all other Miami scholarships only requires a complete application for admission to Miami University.

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