Rutgers Honors College Questions

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rutgers University
1

Hi, new to CC (actually made an account just to ask about this) -

I got into the Honors College at NB SAS + a 16K scholarship, which is cool, but all my research isn’t entirely answering my questions about it.

  1. Does being part of the college, but not part of any Honors Program, mean that you won't graduate "with honors"?
  2. Can you still apply to the Honors Program later? Would you even want to?
  3. How does this affect getting departmental honors for your chosen major?
  4. Do the extra curriculum requirements make it harder to double-major/minor?
  5. Do the extra curriculum requirements make it harder to study abroad?
  6. What's dorm-life like? I know there's a special dorm, but what's the crossover with the rest of the school? How involved are advisors/live-in-faculty? Being a fairly independent person, how able am I to get out and explore + make friends and have experiences independent of the College?

Rutgers is the only school I’ve gotten official notification from yet, and I’m from the other side of the country, so I’m waiting until late March to really consider my options (though, with the scholarship, it’s pretty high up there).

2
  1. You do graduate with honors after completing all Honors College requirements.
  2. SAS Honors College students are automatically transitioned into the SAS Honors Program starting their second year.
  3. Not 100% sure, but I don't believe the two are correlated. Departmental honors is based on your GPA at graduation.
  4. The extra curriculum requirements will undoubtedly increase your course load.
  5. Not sure.
  6. Dorm-life is what you make of it. If you decide to stay in the Honors College and exclusively make friends there, then that's that. If you want to go out and explore, make non-HC friends elsewhere and hang out with them at their dorms, you're welcome to do that as well. The greatest thing about going to a big school like Rutgers is that you're able to do whatever you want. No one impedes you from doing anything you want to.
3

what are the requirements for sas honors program?

4

@“adamaris rodriguez” Requirements for admission or for conpletitng the program if you’re already accepted? There are no specific requirements for admission, and once you’re in the program these are the requirements: https://www.sashonors.rutgers.edu/docman-lister/sas-honors-program/requirements/728-sashp-requirements-review-form-3

5

I think it is important to define what you mean by this question
<1. Does being part of the college, but not part of any Honors Program, mean that you won’t graduate “with honors”?

With honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude) are honors based on your GPA.

Graduating from the Honors College means you met their requirements in terms of specific courses completed, volunteer participation hours and other items. I’m sure there is also a minimum GPA required, but they are not the same meaning.

Cum laude grade point average estimates: gpa for cum laude - 3.5 to 3.7;
gpa for magna cum laude - 3.8 to 3.9;
gpa for summa cum laude - 4.0+.

6

what are you stats

7

@mohchan360 @NJRoadie thanks for your answers!

@“adamaris rodriguez” My stats are somewhat lower than other students on this site, which makes me glad that Rutgers did a holistic approach. It makes me feel like they actually read and liked my essay. Numbers are from when I applied, not counting first semester of senior year.

GPA: UW: 3.5, W: 3.7727, school doesn’t rank (but I’m not in the top 10%)
ACT: 35

8

@politicalstudent Hey i’m a junior who’s trying to get accepted in the rutgers honors college. can u please tell me your Extracurriculars and other stuff that’s included in a “Holistic approach”

9

@PhenixPhoenix

  • I already mentioned my GPA and test scores above.
  • I've taken 5 APs (with three 5's - and a 5 on the AB subscore of the AP Calc BC test - a 4, and a 3), and am taking 4 this year.
  • I've taken all the honors courses my school offers (though my school doesn't offer honors sciences or honors in almost anything that an AP is offered in, and it doesn't weight honors except a few senior-year classes)
  • My grade trends are fairly consistent with A's and B's. I don't believe Rutgers asked for a midyear report, but if it did, first semester this year was stellar, which might have helped. The worst grades I've gotten were C's in AP Calc BC, but I think that getting a 5 on the AP test (and the AB subscore) may have helped with that, as well as my guidance counselor (hopefully) writing in her school report about the changes to the math curriculum that have been going on for the past 4-5 years.
  • My personal essay was on how a personal experience with my family shaped me into a person who doesn't give up, due the influence of my peers and others in a community that I'm a part of. Wouldn't rate it very highly in execution, but the content was sincere.
  • 1 "college prep" writing summer intensive, but I don't remember if I actually called it that on the application
  • ECs are fairly average. Some clubs, a couple club leadership positions (one which involves outreach in the community - teaching at local middle schools). Also, 4 years of band (marching & concert), volunteer work at the local pet shelter, and the senior-year competitive civics team at my high school.
  • National Merit Semi-Finalist (when I applied) + "AP Scholar With Distinction" (though, personally, I think that one's a little dumb)
  • I'm a paid tutor, but I don't believe I ended up putting that on my Rutgers app because it was a fairly new occurrence
  • Didn't list any family obligations, except, maybe, in a roundabout way in my essay.
  • Upper-middle-socioeconomic class. Wasn't going to get any financial aid & wasn't going to help me in admissions.
10

@PhenixPhoenix

To clarify all of that, Rutgers says it bases its decisions on:

  • academic performance (rigor of the program, grades/grade trends, GPA (W), and rank)
  • test scores
  • personal essay
  • college prep courses
  • ECs
  • awards/honors
  • talents
  • employment history
  • family obligations
  • socioeconomic background
    (+ some other stuff that I don’t believe will be necessarily important to you unless you’re applying to the fine arts school/an international applicant)

We can assume that the Honors College basis its selection in essentially the same way, based on the FAQ they have up, with an emphasis on community service/involvement. As opposed to a heavy weight on academic performance, they try to take into account everything that you bring to the table as a student and a person. HC just takes the “top” applicants from each school - though I’m not quite sure of the number.

If you’re wondering about the holistic application, there’s a chance that you’re a student who’s worried about your academic record. My advice: Rutgers seems to care about sincerity and service.

My academic record shows a slight skew towards things that contribute to my intended major (but only slight). While there is focus in some areas (I basically took five years of biological science, with the courses my school offers, as well as a hell of a lot of artsy classes), I still demonstrated that I’m a student who’s well-rounded (extra-curriculars range from science to language to compsci to civics to music). Basically, try your hardest at everything, but do what interests you (and do that, specifically, well).

Be sincere about what you care about, and try to help out in your community. Not only does this prepare you for school (should you get into HC, there’s a service requirement), but it also helps you be a better person overall.

11

The honors college is a very prestigous program at Rutgers. The students have seperate housing and get special treatment by the professors.

Departmental Honors Programs are much less selective than the honors college. These programs are for students to apply to within their major.