Shape the Next Class of Scholars
Schreyer Honors College relies on faculty volunteers to review and rate the more than 7,000 first-year applications. Faculty review anonymized applicant materials and rate each applicant according to the student's intellectual excellence and potential to fulfill the college's mission. The high school transcript is rated separately by admissions staff, and the two ratings are combined according to a rubric.
Timeline and Commitment
Application reviews begin in early December and run through the end of January, including semester break, and can be done from anywhere.
A virtual folder has 40 applications, enough for faculty reviewers to “norm” the applications (using all rating increments by making relative rather than absolute assessments). The reviews should take approximately 6 to 10 hours depending on the reviewer.
All applications receive two reviews (in addition to our transcript review). If there is a significant disparity between the two ratings, an additional review is added.
Reviewers take a one-hour online orientation, which includes an overview of the Honors College and tips to avoid implicit bias.
Volunteer for the Selection Committee
Schreyer Honors College Admissions Office will solicit volunteers each fall via college associate deans. Interested faculty can also volunteer at any time through the online form. Please contact SHCAdmissions.psu.edu with any questions.