Honors Program

The Jefferson Community College Honors Program offers students with exceptional academic skills the opportunity to receive enriched instruction. Honors students work closely with faculty who are prepared to offer different challenges in the pursuit of making good minds better. Students demonstrating excellent academic achievement in high school or who have completed 12 credit hours of college coursework are invited to apply for admission to the Honors Program. To be considered for admission to the Program, students must meet the following criteria:

• A high school Regents cumulative average of 88 or higher, or a college GPA of 3.5 or higher with 12 credits.
• An SAT composite score of 1050 or higher, or an ACT composite score of 25 or higher.
• Completion of the Honors Program application.

For the Honors Program, students elect three courses, which are part of their specific curriculum, and enhance them as Honors Options. The option is based on a project agreed to by the student and faculty member willing to work directly with the student to provide a unique and rewarding experience. The Honors Option is designed to enrich, rather than accelerate, the learning process.

Honors Program students also take the Honors Seminar, a unique inter-disciplinary course open only to Honors Program participants. The Seminar, which encourages active student participation, examines a single theme each semester and features guest speakers from a variety of disciplines. Often, the Seminar includes a field trip or some sort of field experience.

Tangible benefits of the program include Honors Graduate designation on the students' transcripts for each Honors Option course. This evidence of academic excellence and motivation provides increased visibility to prestigious transfer colleges. Honors Program students benefit not only from the intrinsic value of their learning but also in the extrinsic sense of networking opportunities.

Each year, Jefferson's Honors Program students transfer to a host of fine colleges and universities. Some recent transfer choices include:

• Cornell University
• Clarkson University
• College of St. Rose
• University of Louisville
• University of Maryland
• St. Lawrence University
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Colleges within the SUNY system such as Oswego, Cortland, and Potsdam

You may download the Honors Program Application, In-class Honors Registration Form and the Honors Option Completion Form or obtain them from the Honors Coordinator (Michael Avery, 315-786-2444), the Dean for Curriculum and Instruction (Jerilyn Fairman, 315-786-2418) or from the Admissions Office (315-786-2277). Or call toll free 888-435-6522 and ask for the desired office.