Honors Application Frequently Asked Questions

Admission to Honors is competitive, and the Honors application is an additional requirement to the Kent State University application.

First-year admission to Honors is by invitation only. Invitations are sent beginning in October. To be eligible for an invitation, students must meet the following criteria:

• Have a cumulative high school GPA of 3.7 or higher (weighted or unweighted).
• Apply to and be admitted to Kent State University through the Kent State Application or the Common App.

Timelines

Applications are accepted and reviewed in cycles. Students applying for fall admission are strongly encouraged to apply early, as the greatest number of admission offers will be made during the first review cycle and space will become more limited in subsequent cycles. Application deadlines and review cycles are outlined below:

Spring Semester

• Nov. 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET — First Review Cycle
• Dec. 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET — Final Review Cycle

Fall Semester

• Dec. 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET — First Review Cycle
• Jan. 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET — Second Review Cycle
• Feb.1 at 11:59 p.m. ET — Third Review Cycle
• Mar. 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET — Final Review Cycle

Admission decisions are typically released within four to six weeks following each application deadline. Applicants will be notified of their admission decision via email. Admitted students will also receive a formal printed decision letter. Please note that printed letters are only sent to students with U.S. mailing addresses.

Yes,  Honors is test-optional. A test-optional admission policy allows you to choose whether your SAT or ACT test scores will be considered as part of the admission review.

Incoming freshmen will select their preference on the Kent State University application. If a prospective student selects on the application to submit a test score, then a test score MUST be submitted in order to complete the application process.

Honors enrolls students who are academically motivated and demonstrate the potential for significant academic and creative ability at Kent State University. We take a holistic approach to evaluating students for admission. Standardized test scores have historically been just one indicator among many in our review process.

In the absence of test scores, we will continue to look at all available factors, including the completion of a core curriculum; high school GPA; a student’s decision to take rigorous coursework such as AP, IB, honors or college credit, where it is offered; application essays; extracurricular activities; positions of employment and leadership experiences; along with other achievements or extenuating factors.

Admission decisions are typically released within four to six weeks following each application deadline. Applicants will be notified of their admission decision via email. Admitted students will also receive a formal printed decision letter. Please note that printed letters are only sent to students with U.S. mailing addresses.

Once a student receives an invitation to apply to Honors, they must submit their Honors application by the following deadlines:

Spring Semester

• Nov. 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET — First Review Cycle
• Dec. 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET — Final Review Cycle

Fall Semester

• Dec. 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET — First Review Cycle
• Jan. 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET — Second Review Cycle
• Feb.1 at 11:59 p.m. ET — Third Review Cycle
• Mar. 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET — Final Review Cycle

Admission to Honors is highly competitive; we must adhere to our Application Process and Deadlines (www.kent.edu/honors/apply) for all students and cannot make exceptions. 

Please note, students who are not admitted prior to their first semester at Kent State will not be invited to apply in subsequent semesters. They will, however, have the opportunity to join in their junior year to complete a Senior Honors Thesis. 

We expect to place approximately 550 students in the Honors freshman class.

Yes, Honors does have a waitlist for those who are not immediately accepted after submitting their application.

When a prospective student applies for Honors admission, they are also automatically considered for Honors scholarships. The same application is used to award scholarships to entering freshmen that demonstrate the potential for superior scholarly and creative activity at the university. All entering freshmen are offered an Honors Distinction Award of $2,000 per academic year, based on their academic profile (students whose tuition is fully covered through other avenues are not eligible.) Students are also considered for additional honors scholarships when they apply to Honors. With support from our generous Honors donors, these scholarships can range from $500 to $2,000 per academic year. Honors will contact those honors students who are selected to receive these scholarships each academic year.

No, honors students may live in any residence hall on campus, or may commute from off-campus.

The Honors Leadership Academy connects incoming Honors freshmen to leadership learning and civic engagement in our local community. On the Honors application, if you select that you are interested in joining the Honors Leadership Academy, you will be contacted to apply for the academy in early March. Acceptance into the academy is based on excellent high school leadership experiences. For more information, please visit the Honors Leadership Academy webpage.

Students who have applied and been accepted to Honors but no longer wish to become a member, may email honors@kent.edu.

Current Kent State students wishing to join Honors, may join for the purpose of completing a Senior Honors Thesis/Project only. Typically, this consideration occurs in the junior year. For more information, visit the Senior Honors Thesis/Project webpage.

Admission to a regional campus honors program does not transfer to the Kent campus as each has a separate first-year student application process. However, if you apply to the Kent Campus before the posted deadlines, you may still be eligible for an invitation to apply to Honors at the Kent campus.