Penn State Schreyer Honors College

The Gateway Admissions Process

Introduction

Schreyer Scholars are expected to demonstrate excellent academic achievement with integrity, build a global perspective, and seek opportunities for leadership and civic engagement.

Current Penn State undergraduates may seek entry to the Schreyer Honors College (SHC) after they have at least one semester completed and until they have fewer than four semesters remaining at Penn State.  The process is known as the Gateway.

Selection Criteria

The Gateway entry process is based upon an evaluation of a student’s performance and research potential.  The evaluation of all applications is done by the faculty and/or administrators of an academic unit, and is overseen by the SHC administration.  The evaluation is typically based on:

  1. academic achievement since beginning college
  2. desire, ability and motivation to conduct research or creative projects leading to the completion of an undergraduate honors thesis
  3. interest in and aptitude for leadership, civic engagement, and international experiences as an undergraduate

Curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities described in the nomination packet will be considered as evidence in the selection of Gateway Schreyer Scholars.

Eligibility for the Gateway Process

The SHC requires Gateway applicants to have:

  1. at least one full-time semester of study completed at Penn State
  2. a minimum of four full-time semesters of study remaining before graduation
  3. a cumulative GPA of 3.70 or higher at the time of application
  4. an application-semester GPA of 3.50 or higher for rising juniors and 3.70 for rising sophomores

The criteria stated here are minimums set by the SHC.  In some cases, additional criteria for Gateway entry have also been established by the academic unit (e.g., higher cumulative GPA, specific courses, declaration of major, etc).   The online application form includes additional criteria for your academic unit.  In all cases, the department or academic college reviews applications and makes decisions which are communicated to applicants by the SHC.

Requirements and Benefits of the SHC

Gateway Schreyer Scholars are required to attend Schreyer Honors Orientation. Students admitted as juniors into the SHC are required to complete 14 credits of honors coursework and an approved honors thesis prior to graduation. Students must also file relevant progress reports such as annual academic plans and the thesis proposal report. Students admitted as sophomores into the SHC are required to complete three honors courses for nine or more credits in their sophomore year, along with the requirements described above for juniors.

Students entering the SHC through the Gateway enjoy most of the benefits of SHC membership, including priority registration, a wide array of honors courses, the ability to honors-option courses, enhanced access to research and scholarly opportunities, and travel and research support funding.  However, Gateway Scholars do not receive the Academic Excellence Scholarship.

For more information about SHC requirements and opportunities, please refer to the SHC Student Handbook.

Admissions Timeline

Students typically apply during the Spring semester, and the applications are reviewed in late spring and/or early summer. Students and their department supporters will be notified in early June.  Successful spring applicants become members of the college in the fall semester.  Applicants applying at other times of year will be notified in writing regarding their semester of entry.

Schreyer Honors Orientation

New Schreyer Scholars will be sent detailed information about the required orientation.  For students admitted in the fall semester at University Park, Schreyer Honors Orientation (SHO TIME) occurs prior to the beginning of the fall semester.  SHO TIME requires early move-in for students at University Park. No additional housing costs will be incurred by the students living on campus. Meals will be provided during SHO TIME days.

Paterno Fellows Program

The Paterno Fellows Program (PFP) is an additional enrichment opportunity for students in the College of the Liberal Arts. Students must already be Schreyer Scholars or must have applied for admission via the Gateway process before applying to the PFP.

How to Apply

The Gateway application process for fall 2009 is now closed. The Fall 2010 Gateway application will be available in March 2010.