<p>I know the school of journalism has the program Ernie Pyle Scholars and only accepts so many people each year.</p>
<p>For those who got accepted into the program, what type of scores/grades/extracurricular did you have that set you apart from the hundred or so people who applied?</p>
<p>Is it worth trying to apply? And are there any good benefits?</p>
<p>Good question…my son applied, but was not accepted to this program. He is a direct admit to the journalism school, but did not get into the Ernie Pyle Scholar program.
I would also like to know scores, grades and extracurricular of the people that were accepted.</p>
<p>One of my friends is in it. He is EXTREMELY smart (1400+ on SATs, don’t know HS GPA) and a very talented writer - so talented, in fact, that one of his stories for the IDS just won him a major national award as a freshman. He did a lot of radio and newspaper work in high school.</p>
<p>Those kids are smart, smart stuff. Their classes for EP scholars are very demanding but from what I hear, very rewarding.</p>
<p>This is a pretty select group. Here is what the website says:</p>
<p>[Honors</a> Program:Become an Ernie Pyle Scholar Indiana University School of Journalism](<a href=“http://journalism.indiana.edu/undergraduate/undergraduate-admissions/honors-program-ernie-pyle-scholars/]Honors”>http://journalism.indiana.edu/undergraduate/undergraduate-admissions/honors-program-ernie-pyle-scholars/)</p>
<p>It seems the application eligibility is not unusually high, but the actual winners seem to have higher scores, etc.</p>
<p>Thank you for the information thus far.</p>
<p>It’d be nice if they reported on what those who got in had on their scores and extras so there’d be a better idea.</p>
<p>And I noticed that the requirements aren’t very high, which made me wonder what brought a person out instead of just those. Do they have to write an essay or any sort to apply?</p>
<p>Doesn’t think link provided in #4 tell you exactly that - their scores?..</p>
<p>“Since the program’s inception in 2006 with an inaugural class of 15 students, the program has grown in both quality and number of applicants. The freshman honors students of 2008, for example, averaged 1356 in SAT scores, 30.3 in ACT and 3.88 in GPA. Their interests vary as well, from those who wish to work as reporters and broadcasters to those who plan academic careers.”</p>
<p>1356 SAT average is higher than the Fall 2008 entering Presidential Scholars, which was 1348.</p>
<p>I’m sure there are privacy issues involved. I do not know of any university that releases the specifics that you seem to want. Whenever I have read about special programs such as this I have never seen exact scores or activities. It has always been a group of scores or an average such as IU releases about all of it’s special scholars programs. Occasionally specific achievements or extracurricular activities are mentioned. At IU the only instance I am aware of where specific extracurricular activities are mentioned is with the Wells Scholars and maybe the Kelley Scholars.</p>
<p>I’m a member of the Ernie Pyle Scholars program. When we applied, we were required to write an essay, which was more important to our application than our SAT scores and high school GPAs. We were told that in choosing students to be included in the program, the selection committee looked for essays that showed insight, curiosity, and other important qualities of a good journalist. The essay topic did not matter as much as the writing style; our subjects varied from the ethics of including women in the U.S. military draft to the motivations of a Shakespearean villain.
Most of us had worked in student publications in high school, as well as being involved in other extracurriculars. We all had fairly high GPAs, as well, but I think these factors were considered as a gauge of our work ethic and dedication, not our intelligence.</p>