- 3.9 GPA and no/any test score (test optional for 2024)
- OR 3.75 GPA and 1100 SAT/22 ACT
- OR 3.5 GPA and 1200 SAT/25 ACT
Honors Program
Find your community and achieve excellence.
Honors students pursue innovative research projects and join other ambitious students in classes taught by PennWest’s most distinguished faculty. They have opportunities to make the most of their PennWest education and to position themselves to excel after graduation, in graduate or professional school or beginning a successful career.
Honors students will complete 18 honors credits (as part of the required credits all students need for graduation) of student-centered, research-intensive, and/or creative coursework within the PennWest Honors Program. Honors courses maintain small class sizes and are taught by distinguished full-time faculty. These courses include honors sections of required first-year composition and public speaking classes, as well as special topics courses in the general education categories of Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Arts and Humanities. Honors students will also have the option to pursue a thesis project, completed under the mentorship of honors faculty. Additionally, Honors students are encouraged to pursue Honors Addenda to courses within their major of student that enable any course to receive Honors credit.
Honors Program Benefits:
- Honors scholarships, including one-time $1,000 Honors Award Scholarship for new incoming Honors Students.
- Build a strong resume through the Honors Portfolio Program.
- Specialized Honors Courses in the General Education curriculum.
- Honors sections of composition and public speaking.
- Forge academic relationships with your Professors through Honors Addenda.
- Leadership, public service, and cultural enrichment opportunities.
- Priority registration.
- Safe, supportive housing in honors residence halls on all three campuses.
- Study abroad and honors travel opportunities.
- Faculty-led research opportunities.
- Optional Honors Thesis Track.
How to join the Honors Program
High school seniors applying for admission to PennWest will be directly offered a seat in the Honors Program if they meet one of the following set of criteria:
Students meeting these criteria do not need to complete the Honors Program Application; they will be contacted directly by the Honors Program to accept their place in the program.
Incoming high school graduates who do not meet these criteria; current PennWest students with a cumulative 3.25 GPA; and incoming transfer students with a 3.25 transfer GPA; are all welcome to apply to the PennWest Honors Program! Please see the Honors Program Application Checklist and complete your Honors Application.
Honors Program Application Checklist
High school seniors applying for admission to PennWest will be automatically offered
a seat in the Honors Program if they meet the listed criteria (3.9 high school GPA,
SAT/ACT not required; OR 3.75 GPA and 1100 SAT/22 ACT; OR 3.5 GPA and 1200 SAT/25
ACT). These students do not need to fill out a separate Honors Program application. Instead, the PennWest Honors Program will reach out to offer your seat in the Honors
Program.
Students who do not meet these criteria, but wish to be considered for admittance into the PennWest Honors Program, can follow the checklist below.
1 ) Am I eligible to apply to the PennWest Honors Program?
- I am an incoming high school graduate with a cumulative high school GPA of 3.5, but I do not have SAT/ACT scores or my scores do not meet the listed criteria
- I am an incoming high school graduate with a minimum 1200 SAT/25 ACT test score; however my cumulative high school GPA is < 3.5.
- I am an intellectually curious incoming high school graduate with GPA is < 3.5 and without the required rest scores, but I am motivated to join the PennWest Honors Program.
- I am a current PennWest student or transfer student with a minimum cumulative college GPA of 3.25.
2 ) Before submitting your application; please review the following checklist:
I have included the following materials for consideration:
- A 500-word essay developing my ideas about ONE of these topics (PDF document preferred):
- Pick one creative work - a book, film, play, graphic novel, TV show, painting, song - any piece of artistic expression that changed your life. Did it alter how you see the world or other people? Help you understand yourself better? Make you want to follow in that artist's footsteps? Something else? Explore its effect on you.
- What accomplishment are you most proud of and why?
- My updated resumé that contains my extracurricular activities, community service and
leadership experience.
- Note for Resumé Uploads: Please name your file "Full Name - Honors Application." PDF document format preferred.
- If you need to resubmit a file, please add the version number to the end of the file name (ex. v2, v3, etc.). If you try to resubmit the file with the same name, it will not submit.
3 ) As part of your application, you can indicate whether you would like to live on the Honors Living-Learning Floor or building at the California, Clarion, or Edinboro campus. ( This is optional. You are not required to live in the honors residences.)
By filling out this application, you are applying for admission consideration to the Honors Program.
The Honors Program strives to provide a select group of high-achieving new students as well as current students and transfers, with a safe, supportive community in which to excel academically, socially and professionally.
All Honors Program applications and materials are reviewed by the Honors Program directors. We are looking for ambitious, curious students who are looking to enrich their university experience.
Read more about the Honors Program Policies.
Honors Program Scholarships
All new incoming students admitted to the Honors program will receive a one-time $1,000 Honors Award Scholarship during their first academic year at PennWest. Additionally, incoming high school graduates admitted to the Honors Program, as well as current Honors students, are eligible for consideration for additional scholarships through their campus Honor's office.
Academic Scholarships (all three campuses)
In addition, a limited number of academic scholarships of up to $1,000 per year are available to Honors Program students. They are renewable for four years as long as you maintain a minimum GPA of 3.50.
These scholarship funds are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis for students who complete the Honors Scholarship Application prior to the March 1 priority deadline.
Honors Admission and Scholarship Application Deadlines
The application priority deadline for Honors Program admission and scholarship consideration is March 1. By April 1, most if not all of the Honors scholarships will have been awarded. However, exceptional late-arriving applications could result in an Honors scholarship offer if an earlier recipient chooses not to accept their award.
Contact Us
Honors Program Faculty and Staff
California
Dr. Steven Brooks
Associate Director
brooks_s@pennwest.edu
Ms. Kim Orslene
Administrative Assistant
orslene@pennwest.edu
General Inquiries:
Email: honors-cal@pennwest.edu
Phone: 724-938-4535
Clarion
Dr. Jim Lyle
Associate Director
jlyle@pennwest.edu
Ms. Tabetha Stolzenbach
Administrative Assistant
stolzenbach_t@pennwest.edu
General Inquiries:
Email: honors-cla@pennwest.edu
Phone: 814-393-2343
Edinboro
Dr. Lenore Barbian
Honors Program Director
lbarbian@pennwest.edu
Ms. Pamela Reisinger
Administrative Assistant
reisinger_p@pennwest.edu
General Inquiries:
Email: honors-edn@pennwest.edu
Phone: 814-732-2981