Honors Foundations

Honors Foundations Program

Admissions Requirements

Test Based Admission:

For first-time freshmen, students who meet the following criteria will be invited to apply through the test-based admission process:

• 3.7 High School GPA (weighted or unweighted), and
• 26 ACT or 1230 Redesigned SAT (M/EBRW)

Students invited through standard admissions will submit an application that consists of one short admissions essay. Applications submitted through standard admissions will be evaluated on a rolling basis.

Test Blind Admission:

Students may also apply to the Honors College through our test-blind process. Test blind invitations are based on meeting a qualifying GPA:

• 3.7+ on a 4.0 scale OR
• 4.0+ on a 5.0 scale.

Students who are invited through this process will complete an extended application. Extended applications will be considered for admission by the Honors Admissions Committee on a rolling basis.

Requesting an Honors College Application

Students who do not meet the minimum GPA or test score requirements to receive an Honors invitation through the standard or test-blind admissions processes may still apply for admission to the Honors College by  requesting an extended application from the Honors College. Students who request an application through this process will have their applications and files fully reviewed and considered holistically by the Honors Admissions Committee.

Students may also join the Honors Foundations Program with a 3.7 cumulative GPA after the first semester of full-time course work with no withdrawals or incompletes, or if they transfer to WVU in good standing in an Honors program at their previous institution. For transfer students, consideration is given to the number of completed credits.

Honors Foundations Program Benefits

• Smaller sections of General Education Foundation (GEF) and introductory major courses 
• Access to innovative Honors topics courses  
• Honors classes that focus on enrichment instead of acceleration 
• Inclusion in an Honors community —including Honors housing, peer leadership opportunities and co-curricular programming—designed to make the large campus smaller 
• Organizations where you can connect with your fellow Honors students, such as the Honors Student Association, the Honors Students of Color Affinity Group and the Honors LGBTQ+ & Allies Affinity Group
• Priority registration
• Honors Advising in your major 
• Peer tutoring and mentoring   
• Recognition at graduation and on your transcript 
• Connections with other Honors students—some of the best and brightest on a world-class research campus

Honors Foundations Program Requirements

Students will ideally complete the program in four semesters, typically taking one three credit Honors course per semester. In order to complete the program, students must:

• Complete a minimum of five Honors courses (including HONR 102 - Introduction to Honors) and a minimum of 13 Honors credits.
• Meet ongoing requirements for good standing:
  • After year one, students must have completed at least two Honors courses/four Honors credits (including HONR 102) and must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 3.0 GPA in Honors courses.
    • Students who do not meet this requirement will be removed from the program.
  • Students may apply to extend enrollment in the program in order to complete the requirements after year two, students must have completed four Honors courses/ten Honors credits (including HONR 102) and must maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and a minimum 3.5 GPA in Honors courses.
  •  Students who have been found responsible for violating WVU's Policy on Student Academic Integrity may be dismissed from the Honors College at the end of the semester in which the violation occurred and will be permanently prohibited from being readmitted to the Honors College.
• Meet appropriate final requirements, including
  • Minimum 3.5 GPA in Honors credits at the time of program completion
  • Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA at the time of program completion
  • Participation in the Honors exit process