HOW TO BECOME AN HONORS STUDENT
Admission for Incoming Freshmen
Qualifying high school students who have been admitted to AU will be invited to join the University Honors Program. There is no separate application.
Each year we invite a select number of incoming first-year students to join the Honors Program - usually about 15 percent. Admission to the program is highly competitive, and the Honors Selection Committee carefully considers each student's academic qualifications. Grade-point average, the strength of the high school academic program and standardized test scores are the most important factors in the selection process.
If you were not invited to join the Program as an incoming student, you may still apply to join after having completed two full-time academic semesters at AU, with a GPA of 3.6 or greater. Please see the "Admission for Current AU Students" information below.
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Admission for Transfer Students
Qualifying transfer students who have been admitted to AU will be invited to join the University Honors Program. There is no separate application.
If not automatically accepted into the Honors Program, freshman and sophomore transfer students who demonstrate academic excellence (such as a cumulative GPA of 3.6 or higher at AU or rigorous coursework) may complete the self nomination process after completing one semester at American University. (Interested junior transfer students should contact the University Honors Program at x6194 or email honors@american.edu upon arriving at American University for possible acceptance into the Program.) To nominate yourself, you must:
- Fill out the self nomination form.
- Attach an unofficial copy of your academic transcript.
- Enclose a copy of your resumé.
- Request a letter of recommendation from an AU professor. This recommendation should be sent to Michael Mass, Director, University Honors Center, 206 Hurst Hall.
- Return the form and transcript to the University Honors Program Center in Hurst Hall 206.
Upon receipt of all documents, the University Honors Program will then contact you to arrange a meeting with the Director or Associate Director of the Program. At that time, program requirements will be individually tailored to meet student needs, which usually includes credit reductions from the normal 30 hours for incoming freshmen.
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Admission for Current AU Students
Freshman and sophomores who demonstrate academic excellence (such as a cumulative GPA of 3.6 or higher, rigorous coursework, innovative research, etc.) who were not been invited as freshman may nominate themselves for admission to the program after completing two full-time academic semesters at American University. To nominate yourself, you must:
- Fill out the self nomination form.
- Attach an unofficial copy of your academic transcript.
- Enclose a copy of your resumé.
- Request a letter of recommendation from an AU professor. This recommendation should be sent to Michael Mass, Director, University Honors Center, 206 Hurst Hall.
- Return the form and transcript to the University Honors Program Center in Hurst Hall 206.
Upon receipt of all documents, the University Honors Program will then contact you to arrange a meeting with the Director or Associate Director of the Program. At that time, program requirements will be individually tailored to meet student needs, which usually includes credit reductions from the normal 30 hours for incoming freshmen.
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