Preparing for Honors

Short Answer Questions (all required)

Purpose isn’t always about knowing exactly what you want to do—it’s about the kind of impact you hope to make. Whether through art, science, activism, teaching, leadership, or another path, how do you hope to contribute to the public good? What difficult challenge or “wicked problem” inspires you to imagine a better future, and how might you begin to engage with it? (Suggested length: 150 – 200 words.)

There are many benefits that our students find in the Honors experience. Some include individualized academic advising; grants for undergraduate research; interactive classes rooted in critical thinking discussions; and more. Which one of the benefits of Honors are you most looking forward to participating in? Select the benefit you are most excited about and explain in detail how that experience will benefit you. (Suggested length: 150 – 200 words.)

Application Essay Question (select one, 400-500 words)

Question 1: In their book Hacking College, Ned Scott Laff and Scott Carlson define “hidden intellectualism” as the intellectual abilities and passions that students develop outside of traditional academic settings. This may include the critical thinking and analytical skills honed through navigating social situations, understanding popular culture, or engaging in activities such as sports, music, travel, or service. What is your hidden intellectualism? How will you plan to engage in this passion area in college?

Question 2: The BGSU Honors College is rooted in critical thinking. Critical thinking is often viewed as a buzzword. What does critical thinking mean to you? How do you believe a critical thinking-based education will support you in your future career?

Alumni Laureate Scholarship Essay (optional)

Applicants will be reviewed for the Alumni Laureate Scholarship based on their essay, academic experience, and experience outside the classroom. Applicants will be unable to edit, or add information, to their Honors College application after submission. Applicants will only be considered for the Alumni Laureate Scholarship with a 3.5 GPA and a minimum 27 ACT or 1280 SAT. If you would like to be considered for this scholarship, please complete the essay before submitting your Honors College application.

College is an investment of financial, time, energy, and knowledge resources. Alumni Laureate Scholars are financially supported by a group of donors during their time at BGSU. Knowing the investment that college requires, what is your motivation for your college experience? What drives you to go to college and complete a degree? Where do you find your motivation to join the Honors College? Required length: 400-500 words.

Don't wait to apply to the Honors Learning Community! If you're interested in living in the Honors Learning Community, don't wait to submit your Honors application either!

Admission into the Honors College will increase your chances of securing a space in the HLC. Students admitted to the Honors College and who have submitted the HLC application by December 31st will be approved for HLC membership. Applications submitted after December 31st will depend on availability.

The HLC application will open in early October. You must be admitted to BGSU and set up your MyBGSU account in order to request membership.

We suggest prospective Honors students set up a visit to BGSU. We offer opportunities to talk with the Honors recruiter/advisor and current Honors students. Other visit options may include:

• Meet with the Honors recruiter
  
• A tour of the Honors Learning Community (register for an Honors appointment and specify in the comments)
  
• A BGSU Campus Tour
• A meeting with an Academic Recruiter representing your major of interest
• BGSU academic or large visit days

You can also be on the lookout for virtual offerings from the Honors College and Office of Admissions.

The application review committee wants to get to know YOU as a person beyond what your transcript says. The applications that stand out most are those that tell a student's unique story. Consider what makes you different from your peers.

There is no rubric for the Honors application. Don't try to answer questions in a way that feels like the "right" answer, because there is none! Use the space provided to tell your story. We want to know where you've been, where you hope to go, and how an Honors experience fits within your aspirations.

DO NOT WAIT TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION AT THE DEADLINE. The Honors competitive scholarship deadline is Saturday, November 15, 2025. The application is due on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Both deadlines are on weekends. Don't wait to submit the application that day because there will not be offices open to support technological issues.

Each year the Honors College hosts a scholarship competitive for a set of merit-based full-tuition, renewable scholarships. These scholarships require test scores. Applicants interested in being considered for these scholarships must be admitted to BGSU and apply to the Honors College by November 15, 2025. The Honors College application is the application for the scholarships; there is no additional application.

Scholarship finalists will be selected from the eligible applicants. These finalists will be invited to campus on January 16-17th to interview. Scholarship recipients will be selected during interview weekend.

Below are the minimum requirements to be considered for Honors competitive scholarships. These are not minimum requirements for admission to the Honors College, nor does having these qualifications automatically guarnatee admission to Honors. We conduct a holisitic review of our application.

Alumni Laureate Scholarship - 3.5 GPA, 27 ACT or 1280 SAT, and submission of the additional ALS essay on the Honors College application

Presidential Scholars Award - 3.8 GPA and 30 ACT or 1390 SAT

McGranaghan Scholarship - 3.8 GPA, 30 ACT or 1390 SAT, and a declared major in the Schmidthorst College of Business

Each application is reviewed holistically. Honors admissions decisions can take up 4-6 weeks. Around our November 15 scholarship deadline, we receive a large volume of applications. We prioritize scholarship eligible applications. If you are not eligible for Honors competitive scholarships, your admission decision will take closer to 6 weeks. You will receive notification about your decision through email.

If you believe you should have an Honors admission decision already, or if you have other questions about the application, please email honors@bgsu.edu