Information for Prospective Students
Welcome, prospective Whitworth students! We're excited that you're interested in the George F. Whitworth Honors Program and the rigorous mind-and-heart education here at Whitworth. The honors program provides unique opportunities for both first-year (including running start) and transfer students.
First-Year Students (including running start)
First-year students admitted with honors are eligible to:
- Attend Whitworth's Honors Scholarship Weekend and compete for additional scholarships
- Apply for our honors Jan Term off-campus study program
- Apply to live on an honors residence hall floor
- Join the honors learning community and take a set of classes together in their first semester
Students admitted with honors also automatically qualify for the George F. Whitworth Honors Program. Students can register to participate in the program at any point after enrolling at Whitworth. Check out the About and Program Requirements pages for more details on the program.
Please note that the honors program is not automatically tied to a scholarship.
Requirements for Admission
First-year students with a 3.75 or higher weighted GPA will be considered for admission with honors. We will conduct a holistic review of the information presented in the application, including but not limited to:
- Rigor of high school or collegiate coursework
- Quality of writing
- High school format, including those that may not offer honors-level courses
- Standardized test scores. Opting to not submit test scores as part of your application will not negatively affect consideration for honors admission.
- Class rank
- Academic club membership, especially those actively participating in Phi Theta Kappa at a community college
- Leadership in meaningful extracurricular activities
- Significant life events that make a student's academic achievement especially impressive
Note: Students who feel that their eligibility for honors admission is not fully captured in the criteria above may submit a personal statement or additional information.
Transfer Students
Transfer students admitted with honors are eligible to:
- Apply for our honors Jan Term off-campus study program.
- Apply to live on an honors residence hall floor.
- Have a reduced credit load to complete requirements within the honors program.
Students admitted with honors also automatically qualify for the George F. Whitworth Honors Program. Students can register to participate in the program at any point after enrolling at Whitworth. Check out the About and Program Requirements pages for more details on the program. The requirements for transfer students are modified so that students can still complete their degree in a timely manner.
Please note that the honors program is not automatically tied to a scholarship.
Requirements for Admission
Transfer students whose application reflects a 3.5 or higher cumulative college GPA will be admitted with honors.
Questions? Contact Bert Emerson, associate professor of English and director of honors (dbemerson@whitworth.edu).