Most universities and colleges have honors programs/colleges within their institutions. Some of them are in the form of living learning communities others include regular dorms but a series of additional classes.  With some schools, when a student applies to the university, they are automatically considered for the honors programs (UMD). With other schools, there is a seperate application required (Towson).  Below, please find Honors application process descriptions for four Maryland institutions popular with Wootton students. If you are interested in other institutions' honors programs/colleges, please look up their specific requirements on their websites.

 Honors Programs/Colleges  Application processes

The University of Maryland:

The Honors College: There is no additional application for the Honors College at UMD.  Applicants are automatically considered for this option in the application process.  If students would like to be considered for UMD Honors College, they MUST apply Early Action (November 1st deadline). The Honors college at UMD houses six living learning communities Classes vary slightly and tend to be a bit smaller.The Honors college lasts for two years and after continuously doing well in their major,  students have the opportunity to matriculate into departmental honors if there is availability. (SAT 1500+, ACT 33+, Straight A's)

College Park Scholars Program: This is not technically part of the UMD honors program but, it is a highly selective, invitation-only living learning community. Like the Honors college, this is a two year program for academically talented students. Students typically live with one another in the residence halls and take one or two classes as a group each semester. They have access to a supportive, diverse and inclusive community, close faculty connections, and opportunities to learn and grow from the moment they set foot on campus. (SAT 1420+,ACT 31+ Mostly A's)

Towson University:

   Students apply to the Honors College at the same time they apply to the general university. They must select that they wish to apply and write a specific Honors College essay (instead of Towson's open-topic essay for general admission). They are also required to submit a resume.  Students must apply early action by December 1st to be considered for the Honors College.   Students are selected based on GPA, essay, and resume. The Honors College review is extremely holistic so GPA and test scores are not the end-all and be-all for these decisions.    Incoming freshmen admitted to the Honors College have several tangible benefits: 

a.       Guaranteed scholarship for the duration of their time in the Honors College 

b.       Priority registration for classes each semester

c.       Guaranteed four years of on-campus housing in the Honors College dorm (Douglass House). They are not required to live on campus, but if they do live on campus as a freshmen, they are guaranteed those 4 years. 

Class sizes for Honors courses are much smaller. The university average class size is 24 students. Honor College classes are 12-15 students and highly discussion-based.    There is a special curriculum for Honors College students. Some classes will be in addition to the major and some may overlap. You can see the curriculum here. Honors College students must complete a study abroad, internship, research project, or independent study as part of their experiential learning piece. The Honors College is more than a curriculum and tangible benefits. It’s also a community. There are volunteer opportunities, networking opportunities (with alumni, community partners, and potential employers), clubs and organizations, special events (field trips, spring dance, etc.), and more. 

University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)

The UMBC Honors College is a community of roughly 500 students. There are 100 freshmen and 30 transfers in each class.

When you apply to UMBC through the Common Application, complete the Writing Supplement for the Honors College. Or, if you’re also applying to a Scholars Program at UMBC, check the box on your Scholars Program application to have it considered as your application to the Honors College as well.

If you decide to apply for the Honors College after you’ve submitted your UMBC application, you can download an application here and submit it to the Honors College via email.

There are seven elite major-specific scholars programs. You'll be able to find out more information about these scholars' programs, here. Students need to apply by the January 15th deadline for all scholars programs except the Meyerhoff Scholars Program. It is best for the student to be nominated or self-nominated for this program by October 15th. The priority deadline to submit your application for Meyerhoff is on December 1st. All programs offer merit award funding of $5,000 - $15,000 for in-state students. 

Salisbury University

The Thomas E. Bellavance Honors Program is housed within the Clarke Honors College and is designed to bring together high-achieving students and dedicated faculty in a small University environment. The program fosters close individual contact between students and faculty. Honors courses and extracurricular activities are intended to enrich and complement other educational opportunities and programs available to Salisbury University students. This requires a separate application process and a separate essay. Students are selected based upon their overall cumulative GPA, standardized test scores, and the essay that they submit. Additional scholarship money is awarded to our top students.

   A few benefits to the Honors College are Smaller class sizes, priority class registration, additional money is set aside for research opportunities, and students can choose to live with other Honors students in the Honors Living Learning Community. Students with a  high school grade-point-average of 4.0 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) and an SAT score at or above 1350 (or ACT score of 30 or above) are eligible to be automatically admitted into the Clarke Honors College. Students who wish to be admitted to the program under these conditions are recommended to email the dean of the Honors College Dr. Andrew Martino at apmartino@salisbury.edu with a request for automatic admission.