Applying to the Honors College
We encourage all incoming App State students interested in pursuing an Honors education to apply to join the Honors College! The Honors College at App State proudly practices holistic admissions. Admission to the Honors College is competitive, but please use that fact to motivate you to work hard on your application essays. Your GPA and class rank are important, but your goals, achievements, ambition, curiosity, service, resiliency, leadership, and commitment to make a difference mean even more.
After submitting the Common App, you will be invited via email to access your MyMountaineer(link is external) portal. Open the forms tab of the portal and you will find a link to submit your Honors College essay. The Honors College will review your completed Common App, your App State interest statement, and your Honors College essay. Your task in completing these application materials is simple; write to:
- Teach us who you are, what experiences, values, interests, and goals contribute to your unique identity.
- Tell us why you are uniquely-suited, would benefit, and want to pursue an Honors education;
- Show us your academic achievement, resiliency, motivation, curiosity, and potential
- Explain how you have and will contribute beyond yourself, engage with the community and world;
- Get us excited about working with you and supporting your education—your intellectual, personal, and professional development—over the next four years and beyond.
Use your essays and your Common App(link is external) activities list to provide evidence of your academic achievement, motivation, and potential as well as your engagement with the community and world: leadership, service in and/or beyond the family, co-curricular and/or extracurricular activities, creative endeavors, global awareness, resilience, and curiosity.
Please reach out to Dr. Vicky Klima(link sends e-mail), associate vice provost for the Honors College, if you would like to talk about Honors education at App State, the Honors College, or the application process. We welcome such conversations.
We are delighted to announce that all incoming first-year Honors College students live together in our Honors Community in Cone Hall. We make exceptions for students who choose to live in another residential learning community, such as the Watauga Residential College(link is external) or Appalachian Community of Education Scholars(link is external) (ACES).
Application Steps for First-Year Students
Complete your application(link is external) for admission by Nov. 1 (apply using the Common App) [Extended until Nov. 15, 2024 due to Hurricane Helene]
Complete your Honors College essay by 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 15 (log into your MyMountaineer portal(link is external)) [Extended until Nov. 30, 2024 due to Hurricane Helene]
Receive your admissions decision 2-4 weeks after completing your application
Receive your Honors College decision by January 25
Secure your spot in the incoming class by March 29, or ask for an extension up to May 1