The mission of the Exceptional Scholars Track is to provide an advanced, rigorous, and holistic academic experience to high achieving incoming First Year students who will be competitive for national and international fellowships as they prepare for graduate and professional training.

All Exceptional Scholars are given provisional status in the W.E.B. Du Bois General Honors Program and are expected to officially apply for the Honors Program at the end of their first semester.

The students invited for participation as Exceptional Scholars are chosen from the most outstanding members of their incoming class; participation is limited to 20 students.

Requirements of the Exceptional Scholars track

 

Successful first-year students are chosen during the application cycle (typically between September and March 1).

 Admission criteria include:

• ACT composite score of at least 26
• or an SAT 1 score of at least 1750
• Demonstrated record of service
• Demonstrated leadership
• Personal essay
• Interview with admissions staff and an Honors Program representative

Chosen participants will be registered in an Honors Cohort of CORE 110 and CORE 140 during their first year, for which they will receive Honors credit. Participants are eligible to register for Honors Independent Study in the spring term of the freshmen year if all fall requirements have been met.

Participants in the Exceptional Scholars Track will also be clustered within their respective residence halls to further promote the idea of living and learning throughout the campus; they will be required to perform community service hours to compliment academic requirements, be exposed to training through the Ethical Leadership Institute and the Race Relations Institute, be introduced to business and civic leaders, have study abroad opportunities, and participate in seminars, workshops, and conferences.