First-Year Students
Kent State Honors enrolls students who are academically motivated and demonstrate the potential for significant academic and creative achievement. We take a holistic approach to evaluating students for admission.
We consider all available factors, including high school GPA; completion of a core curriculum; rigorous coursework such as AP, IB, honors or college credit, where available; activities and leadership; service, work and other responsibilities; and additional achievements. Students are not required to submit standardized test scores (ACT or SAT), and we do not accept or review letters of recommendation.
Eligibility
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.
Application
Admission to Honors is competitive, and the Honors application is an additional requirement to the Kent State University application.
Students who are eligible to apply will receive an email invitation with instructions for accessing the Honors application through their applicant portal. Your application responses should reflect your own experiences, ideas and voice. We strongly discourage the use of AI software to prepare your responses.
Please use the username and password associated with your Kent State application to access your applicant portal. If you applied using the Common Application, you should have received an email containing your applicant portal login credentials. If you are unable to access your applicant portal, please contact the Admissions Office at 330-672-2444 or admissions@kent.edu.
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.
