NEXT STEPS FOR INCOMING FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS
Congratulations on being accepted to Georgia State University and our Honors College.
Before you can continue your Honors journey, there are some first steps you need to take as a new undergraduate student at the Atlanta-Campus. Once finished you’ll be ready to get started with Honors.
Now that you know what you’ll need to successfully begin your academic journey, here’s where the Honors College comes in:
1. Your Honors Commitment Form. Let us know no later than May 1 at 5 p.m. Eastern time whether you will join our dedicated, supportive community of faculty, staff and students. (Because of demand and our small enrollment, we cannot guarantee you a spot in the Honors College after May 1.)
2. Register for an Honors College Accepted Student Visit.
3. Apply for housing as early as possible. (Georgia State’s housing application will open in late January; keep an eye on your inbox for more instructions) and specify that you are an honors student. Housing is available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so we encourage you to apply early.
You may find some answers to any questions you have here:
HONORS CLASSES:
Honors courses are smaller than non-Honors sections and tend to emphasize discussion and in-depth subject exploration. Many Honors courses will include projects rather than multiple-choice exams. These small classes filled with highly motivated students tend to create a nurturing environment of engagement and success. Our data over many years shows that Honors students, overall, actually have higher grades in their Honors classes than in their non-Honors sections.
Honors-only sections of lower division courses that fulfill core curriculum requirements are offered each semester. These sections are typically limited to 19 or fewer students, offering students an alternative to large lecture sections as well as a chance to study innovative and alternative curricula. You can learn more about these courses at your New Student Orientation academic advising session.
All incoming freshman honors students are required to take Honors 1000, the Freshman Seminar. This 1-hour pass/fail course is designed to provide first-semester students with an orientation to high-level academic work and exposure to a current topic. Taught in sections of 15 students or less, these seminars enable first-term freshmen to develop meaningful relationships with faculty members who can guide them toward opportunities for future research.
HONORS ACCEPTED STUDENT VISIT
Students who are accepted into the Honors College are invited to attend one of our Accepted Student Visits during Spring semester 2025. These events give students the chance to interact and engage with current Honors students and staff, as well as professors and members from different departments who students may work with over the next few years.
These visits feature a welcome from the dean, information session, resource fairs, a session on advising and financial aid, as well a housing session and an optional tour of the Honors Living-Learning Community. Check in begins at 9 a.m. and the begins at 10 a.m.
HONORS HOUSING:
As an Honors College student, we’d love for you to live in our Honors Living-Learning Community, located in the University Commons (Building A on designated Honors floors). Space is limited, so complete your housing application, indicate your preferences and pay the housing deposit as early as possible.
No, but we hope you choose to!
HONORS RECOGNITIONS:
Honors College students are encouraged to work toward one of two special laureates that awards their mastery of the honors curriculum. Learn more about the Honors Laureate and the Research Laureate, CLICK HERE.
HONORS SCHOLARSHIPS:
All questions about the Centennial Merit scholarships or Campus Atlanta scholarships can be directed to [email protected].
TUITION & FEES:
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION:
Incoming first-year students are required to attend a New Student Orientation. At every orientation, Honors students will have a breakout session to meet with the Honors Advising Team, get a recommended course schedule, receive authorization for Honors Freshman Seminars, and teach you how to register for your classes in a group format.
Learn more and register for orientation at Start with State.
Honors Advisors will be available to assist honors students at every orientation, so you do not need to register for a specific date or a separate orientation. However, we strongly encourage you to register for orientation as soon as possible as slots fill up quickly. You will have a wider variety of open classes to choose from if you register for an orientation earlier in the summer, but if this is not possible, we will still ensure you leave with courses you need for your degree.
There are several things you should do to make your orientation session go smoothly:
- Send us your test scores! This includes AP, IB, and dual enrollment transcripts. We must have original copies. We cannot accept the scores as they appear on your high school transcripts. Without these scores, you may not be able to register for the next course in any particular track (for example, if you’re missing Calculus I scores you won’t be able to move on to Calculus II until we receive those scores).
- Click here to learn whether you need to take the math placement test. There are a variety of factors that go into determining whether you need to take the math placement test like test scores, prior credit and your selected major. It’s best to take the math placement test prior to orientation otherwise you may not be able to register for math (or some science courses) until after you take this test. Honors College students have the benefit of being able to change their class schedules throughout the course of the summer, so schedule adjustments can always be made if you take the math placement test after your orientation.
No. While we understand that you are excited to discuss your academic future, we ask that you wait until your orientation session to speak with your academic advisor. Scores and transcripts are processed in the order in which you attend orientation. Your advisor cannot accurately advise you prior to your orientation because they will not have a complete record of your collegiate credit yet. Furthermore, that is what orientation is for—to get advising! We promise we’ll make sure you have a successful orientation!
There are a variety of factors that go into determining whether you need to take the math placement test like test scores, prior credit and your selected major.
Click here to learn whether you need to take the math placement test. While it’s best to take the math placement test prior to orientation, your advisor will also be able to review your academic history and help you determine this at orientation. Honors College students have the benefit of being able to change their class schedules throughout the course of the summer, so schedule adjustments can always be made later after you take the math placement test.
Nearly all Honors College students are expecting some sort of AP credit to release in July. However, orientations start in May/June. So how does this work?
At orientation, your advisor will discuss your exams with you and advise you to register for courses for which you are not expecting AP credit. Schedules may need to be adjusted after AP scores are released. Honors College students have the benefit of being able to change their class schedules throughout the course of the summer, so schedule adjustments can always be made later after AP scores are released in July. In fact, course adjustments happen all the time and are a completely normal, so don’t worry if you leave orientation with changes that need to be made later.