FAQs

What is American Honors?

American Honors is a new, competitive 2-year honors program offered in partnership with leading community colleges in the United States. Its curriculum is designed to prepare students for junior- and senior-level coursework at the best colleges and universities in the United States. At the conclusion of the 2-year program, students will earn an Associate’s degree with honors and will have the opportunity to apply for transfer to a top 4-year college or university to complete their Bachelor’s degree.

What makes American Honors unique?

American Honors is singularly focused on creating an intimate, personal, and dynamic undergraduate experience for high ability students. Students who are admitted will join a community of like-minded peers. They will take small classes taught by top faculty. They will have access to state-of-the-art educational technology and will receive a level of personal advising that goes beyond what they will find anywhere else. And they will save money on their Bachelor’s degree – potentially enough to pay for a Master’s.

Who should apply?

American Honors was created to educate future leaders. The program is specifically designed for highly motivated students who aspire to earn a Bachelor’s degree from a top university or college but would like to pay less and stay close to home for the first two years. For the Fall 2013 semester, American Honors will be offered at the Community Colleges of Spokane and Ivy Tech Community College’s Indianapolis, Lafayette, and Fort Wayne campuses. The program will only be available to students who can attend one of those locations. As the network grows, the program will become available to students in other geographies. To learn more about applying, please visit the Admissions page on one of our partner sites.

What are the program’s admission standards?

American Honors is a competitive program, with admissions rates comparable to selective 4-year colleges and universities. Strong candidates will have demonstrated a high level of motivation and ability through a combination of academic achievement, extracurricular and/or work involvement, and leadership activity. We look holistically at applications and do not accept or reject candidates based solely on GPA cutoffs; nonetheless, competitive candidates will typically have a very strong academic record. Students do not have to be recent high school graduates to qualify. We look specifically for candidates who have overcome significant obstacles – or achieved accomplishments – through hard work, grit, and strength of character. If you believe you have ability to thrive in our honors community, we encourage you to apply.

How much does American Honors cost?

American Honors costs about $3,000 per semester – more per year than a traditional community college degree but less per year than public or private 4-year universities. Most students can expect to save ~$20,000 in their first two years of college by attending American Honors.

What degree programs does American Honors offer?

American Honors coursework satisfies the general requirements of most four-year majors, including Engineering, Pre-Medicine, Liberal Arts and Sciences.

What is the difference between an honors course and a non-honors course?

Honors courses are smaller than most freshman year courses and are typically structured as seminars, with an emphasis on dialogue, debate, and in-class participation. The curriculum is designed to promote the development of higher order cognitive skills, such critical thinking, analysis and synthesis of information from multiple sources, strong written and oral communication, hypothesis development and research methods. Courses are also unique in that they’re conducted using a state-of-the-art learning platform.

How does the learning platform work?

The learning platform looks and feels a lot like Facebook. It is simple, intuitive, and integrates all elements of a student’s academic life – syllabi, assignments, course materials, notes, grades, deadlines, e-portfolio, transfer plans, and more. During scheduled class times, the platform becomes a virtual classroom, with every student occupying a live video tile on screen. This format affords students the flexibility to take class from any location with high-speed Internet, while creating a forum that is more intimate and dynamic than most traditional classrooms.

Why is class conducted through the learning platform?

The platform has three primary advantages. First, it can improve the quality of classroom experience. It does this by placing every student in a “front row seat,” and equipping the class with digital tools, like parallel text stream, in-class video and multimedia sharing, polls, and digital whiteboards. Each class session is recorded, so students can re-watch classes while studying for exams or reviewing notes. Professors capture nuanced data on classroom participation that allows them to offer more targeted feedback and guidance. Second, the platform prepares students to participate in an increasingly digital and global workplace. Many businesses and organizations require teams to collaborate using tools – like virtual conference rooms – that resemble what students will experience on the learning platform. Third, by enabling students to attend class remotely, the platform provides students greater flexibility in how they organize their lives.

Who teaches honors courses?

Honors courses are taught by some of the most talented faculty at its community college partners. Faculty are specifically selected for their passion, experience, and teaching skill.

What are Honors Advisors, and how do they work with students?

An Honors Advisor can be thought of as an advisor, coach, and advocate, rolled into one. The personal attention each student receives from his or her Honors Advisor – who becomes a single point-of-contact for support and guidance over the 2-year program – is one of the most unique and powerful benefits of the Honors College. From Day 1, Honors Advisors work with students to define academic goals, explore transfer and career options, and plan an academic pathway that maps directly to those goals. Over the course of each semester, students meet 1-on-1 with their advisors to discuss academic progress, upcoming deadlines, personal goals, and life within and outside of the Honors College.

How does American Honors prepare students to transfer?

Honors Advisors work with students on all aspects of transfer planning: exploring best-fit options, defining a list of target schools, and selecting the right courses based on transfer requirements. When it comes time to apply to transfer, Honors Advisors help students craft their applications, apply for scholarships and financial aid, keep track of deadlines, and navigate what can oftentimes be a complicated and opaque process. Students from the first American Honors cohort are applying this year to 50+ schools around the country, including Stanford, Yale, University of Chicago, New York University, Cornell University, Vanderbilt University, Boston College, Notre Dame, University of Southern California, Boston University, Pomona College, University of Washington, University of Colorado, Purdue, IU-Bloomington, and many more.

Will students who enroll in American Honors have access to financial aid?

Yes. Students have full access to federal, state, and local financial aid. Students should complete their FAFSAs immediately if they have not already done so to determine if they qualify for aid and to ensure that they meet deadlines for receiving aid.

What is the nature of the relationships American Honors is forming with 4-year institutions?

American Honors is working to develop transfer pathways with many of the top 4-year colleges and universities in the country. As it is formed, the national network of transfer pathways will augment the pathways that already exist between community colleges and their in-state universities. American Honors will work hard to make sure students are given every opportunity for consideration at the 4-year institution of their choice.

What are the benefits of participating in the American Honors program?

American Honors provides a rewarding, honors-level college experience at an excellent value. Our benefits include—

• Advanced coursework taught by talented professors
• A state-of-the-art learning platform
• A small, intimate class structure and like-minded community of motivated students
• Proactive advisers committed to your successful transfer to a top four-year university

Our platform allows you to focus on your academic growth, while balancing the responsibilities of work, family, and extracurricular activities.

Read more about our program and our mission.

The learning platform technology—What is it, and how does it work?

Our learning platform is a shared social space for collaboration between faculty and students. It combines—

• Rich multimedia course content
• Virtual live classrooms
• Social streams and chat features
• An extensive student profile system

The result is a highly interactive experience. The platform also allows your adviser to keep close track of your progress throughout the program.

What makes the honors classes different from normal classes?

Our honors courses are taught using a hybrid combination of virtual classroom technology and in-person workshops and labs. Our classes are smaller in size than most freshman courses, ranging between 15 and 30 individuals, and are composed of students who are motivated to achieve academic excellence.

What are the potential cost savings?

We partner with community colleges to offer our programs, which can result in significant cost savings for the first two years when compared to attending a four-year institution. You can also save money on room and board by living close to, or at home.

How does the application/enrollment process work?

Applying for our program includes submitting an online application, academic transcripts, and a 500-word essay. Admissions representatives review all submissions and contact qualified applicants for a follow-up interview—usually within one week. Selection is made on a rolling basis. If you are selected, our admissions team will assist with your enrollment.

What kind of student do you look for, and what are the requirements for admission?

We seek talented, highly motivated students. Realizing those attributes aren’t always reflected in a GPA, we look holistically at each applicant’s leadership abilities, extracurricular involvement, academic achievements, standardized test scores, and commitment to our program’s ideals, when determining fit.

What kinds of partners are we looking for?

We are committed to building a national network of two- and four-year institutions, and dedicated educators and administrators. Our partners seek to innovate the higher education space, provide new pathways for matriculation, and empower students to succeed at top universities. Our professors are excited to work closely and engage with highly driven students.

What do other students have to say about the program?

Our students have indicated that American Honors has positively impacted their lives and influenced them to think differently about their goals and academic potential. Here’s a brief sample. [Link to Success Stories/Our Impact Page]

Will American Honors help me find financial aid and scholarships?

Yes. In fact, we have specific advisers who can assist you in securing financial aid and scholarships—while enrolled in our program and during your time at a future university.

Is there a difference in price for an American Honors program and a regular community college curriculum?

Typically, there is slight difference; however, the difference is minimal compared to that of a traditional four-year program. We are committed to making our programs as affordable as possible.  Additionally, we are very proactive in helping you find sources of financial aid.

Will all of my credits transfer?

Yes. We review your classes and test scores, and transfer as many credits as possible. Your credits will transfer to the four-year universities that are part of our network and count toward your major.  This is a major benefit of our program.

What kind of advisory support will I have access to?

Providing extensive advisory support for each student is a major priority for American Honors. If you are enrolled in our program, you will be in contact weekly with a personal adviser who will stay with you throughout your time at American Honors, and beyond. Your adviser will help track your progress, identify networking opportunities and extracurricular activities, choose a major, and seamlessly transfer to a four-year university.

How will American Honors enhance my social experience at college?

You will have the chance to build friendships with other like-minded, motivated students through our small group class structure. We help plan and fund student-organized events, and assist in connecting you with networking opportunities and extracurricular activities.

What courses are offered?

Our honors courses focus on English and Communication, Math, Science, and the Social Sciences.
See our partner sites for specific details.

What schools are currently offering an American Honors program?

American Honors is a young company that is building its national network. Go to Our Network page to learn about our current partners.