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Honors Application FAQ

Incoming Freshmen, 2009

  • Total applications: 2,723
  • Admitted to Honors: 704
  • Enrolled in UW Honors: 224
  • Average Highschool GPA: 3.92
  • Average SAT: 2060
  • Average ACT: 30

Top Prospective Majors

  1. Biology
  2. Pre-Health Sciences
  3. International Studies
  4. Bioengineering
  5. Computer Sciences
  6. Business Administration
  7. English
  8. Political Science
  9. Chemistry
  10. Civil & Environmental Engineering

We hope that most of your questions can be answered here. Please select from the list below to jump down to a question.

  1. How do I get my Letter of Recommendation to you?
  2. When will your application be available?
  3. What do you look for in an applicant?
  4. I have a GPA of 3.7 and an SAT of 1250 - should I still apply to Honors?
  5. I'm definitely applying to the Honors program, do I need to apply to the UW as well?
  6. I'm doing my UW application on paper, how can I do the Honors Application online?
  7. I'm trying to apply to the UW Honors Program, but I cannot find that part of the online application - what am I doing wrong?
  8. How much does your application cost?
  9. When do I need to apply by?
  10. I submitted my application by the Priority deadline! Will I receive notification sooner than my friends who submitted just in time for the final deadline?
  11. Do you participate in Early Decision?
  12. When will I hear back from Honors?
  13. I heard back from the UW already, but nothing from Honors - what's up?
  14. How do I know that my application is complete?
  15. Are the essay topics the same every year?
  16. May I write my Honors Essay in a foreign language?
  17. Can I come in for a tour of Honors?
  18. Can I visit an Honors class?
  19. I'm not sure Honors is right for me - can I talk with an adviser?
  20. Are there Honors Scholarships that I can apply for?
  21. Harvard is giving me a big scholarship, but I really want to go to the UW - can you offer me a competitive scholarship?
  22. I'm an out-of-state student but I got into Honors, now can I get a scholarship?
  23. Can I just respond to you, or do I need to accept the UW as well?
  24. I decided I don't want to be in the Honors Program anymore, but I still want to go to the UW! Will declining Honors affect my acceptance to the University?
  25. Can I defer my enrollment in Honors?
  26. Are Honors students all pre-med students, or can English majors be in Honors too?
  27. Is there an Honors housing option?
  28. Will I get to register early if I'm in the Honors program?
  29. My question wasn't answered here! Who can I talk to for more information?

1. How do I get my Letter of Recommendation to you?

A. You have two options:

  • Online - If you are applying online, the recommender you specify in the Honors section of your application will receive an email containing a link to our Honors Letter of Recommendation form. After your recommender completes and submits the online form, you will be notified via email that the recommendation has been submitted.
  • Paper - If you are submitting your application by mail, your letter of recommendation must be sent to us in a sealed envelope and printed on school letterhead for verification purposes. To speed up processing, you should submit your letter of recommendation together with your paper application. If you send them separately, please ensure that your recommender includes your full legal name and date of birth in their recommendation, or we may be unable to correctly match their letter with your application.

University Honors Program
211 Mary Gates Hall
Box 352800
Seattle, WA 98195

It does not matter who mails the letter, so long as the recommender seals the envelope. Also, there is no form for the letter of recommendation. The teacher or counselor is recommending you for the Honors program. Just make sure your full legal name and birthdate are clearly visible in the letter of recommendation.

2. When will your application be available?

A. The UW Freshman application will be available in late September.

3. What do you look for in an applicant?

A. Because applications to the UW Honors Program are read and evaluated on an individual basis, there are no hard-and-fast rules for an Honors applicant. All applications from students who apply to the Honors Program and have been admitted to the UW will be reviewed. We encourage both in-state and out-of-state applicants to apply. We look for globally minded, curious students who are excited to take on the challenge of the Honors Program. The program is academically competitive - Last year's entering class had an average high school GPA of 3.92 and an average SAT composite (Critical Reading + Math + Writing) score of 2060.

4. I have a GPA of 3.7 and an SAT of 1800 - should I still apply to Honors?

A. Yes! While your academic record is very important in your Honors Application, we also place a lot of weight on the Honors Essays, the UW Personal Statement, and your extracurricular activities. Students admitted to the UW Honors Program have a variety of academic and personal experiences. If you are interested in the Honors Program we encourage you to apply.

5. I'm definitely applying to the Honors program, do I need to apply to the UW as well?

A. Yes. The Honors Program application is a part of the UW Freshman application.

6. I'm doing my UW application on paper, how can I do the Honors Application online?

A. If you are applying to the UW on paper, you must also apply to the Honors Program on paper. Instructions for applying to the Honors Program on paper are clearly outlined in the UW paper application.

7. I'm trying to apply to the UW Honors Program, but I cannot find that part of the online application - what am I doing wrong?

A. You will be able to access the Honors Program section of the UW application only if you answer Yes to the question, "Do you plan also to apply to the Honors Program?" on the first page of the UW online application. This will make the Honors section appear later on in the application. If you change your mind and do not want to apply for the Honors Program, you must uncheck the Honors box on the first page before you can submit your UW application.

8. How much does your application cost?

A. There is no additional fee to apply to the UW Honors Program.

9. When do I need to apply by?

A. Our Priority application deadline is December 1st, 2009. Priority applications will receive priority consideration for merit scholarships. Our final application deadline is January 15th, 2010. Your application must be submitted in full by this time to be considered.

10. I submitted my application by the Priority deadline! Will I receive notification sooner than my friends who submitted just in time for the final deadline?

A. Not necessarily. Submitting your Honors Application by the priority deadline ensures that you will receive consideration for Honors Program merit-based scholarships, but it does not necessarily mean that you will be admitted sooner. All of our applicants can expect to hear back from the Honors Program by mid-April.

11. Do you participate in Early Decision?

A. No. If you submit your application by the priority deadline your application will receive priority consideration for scholarships, but we do not have binding Early Decision.

12. When will I hear back from Honors?

A. All applicants to the Honors Program will receive notification by the middle of April as to whether or not they have been accepted.

13. I heard back from the UW already, but nothing from Honors - what's up?

A. UW Admissions and Honors Program Admissions are two separate processes. We cannot admit students to the Honors Program until they have been admitted to the UW, so you will not hear from us until after you have heard from the UW.

14. How do I know that my application is complete?

A. If you have submitted your UW application, you will be invited to set up a UWNetID account where you will be able to view your application's status online. We will also send you an email notification when your Honors Program application is complete and when your letter of recommendation has been completed.

15. Are the essay topics the same every year?

A. No, the Honors essay topics are different every year. Be sure to check back in the fall for new essay topics.

16. May I write my Honors Essay in a foreign language?

A. No. All applicants are required to write their essays in English. We do not have any translators available for the application review process.

17. Can I come in for a tour of Honors?

A. You are welcome to come in and talk with an Honors adviser, and the UW offers UW campus tours to prospective students and their families, but the Honors Program does not host its own tours.

18. Can I visit an Honors class?

A. Yes, but you must contact an Honors adviser at least two weeks in advance! Let the adviser know which course you are interested in visiting. Because Honors courses are smaller than many UW classes we like to check in with the professor prior to your visit to make sure that it is an appropriate time to observe the course. Also, once students are accepted to the program they are matched with a Peer Mentor. It is possible to arrange to visit a class with your Peer Mentor, but they will need to get instructor permission. We do not arrange visits to non-honors courses, but the UW has a drop-in course list that allows you to visit other types of UW classes.

19. I'm not sure Honors is right for me - can I talk with an adviser?

A. Absolutely! Call our front desk at 206-543-7444 and we will help direct you to one of our advisers or arrange an appointment to meet in our office.

20. Are there Honors Scholarships that I can apply for?

A. Your application to the Honors Program also acts as your application for Honors Scholarships for incoming freshmen. Submitting by our priority deadline of December 1st will ensure consideration for Honors scholarships. Our readers will nominate eligible applicants and you will be notified by mail. There are no additional Honors Program Scholarships to apply for as a freshman.

21. Harvard is giving me a big scholarship, but I really want to go to the UW - can you offer me a competitive scholarship?

A. We offer a limited number of scholarships to our incoming freshmen based on the merit of their Honors Program Applications.

22. I'm an out-of-state student but I got into Honors, now can I get a scholarship?

A. All of our scholarships are based on Honors applications and are very competitive. If you would like to apply for additional scholarships, please check out the Undergraduate Scholarship Office website.

23. Can I just respond to you, or do I need to accept the UW as well?

A. You must accept and respond to both the Honors Program and the UW Admissions office in order to be enrolled in the UW Honors Program for the fall.

24. I decided I don't want to be in the Honors Program anymore, but I still want to go to the UW! Will declining Honors affect my acceptance to the University?

A. No! You can accept the UW and decline the Honors Program without any problems.

25. Can I defer my enrollment in Honors?

A. We cannot defer enrollment into the Honors Program. We invite you to re-apply to the program for the year that you would like to attend.

26. Are Honors students all pre-med students, or can English majors be in Honors too?

A. We have students from almost every major in our program, from Ceramics to Electrical Engineering (and some students double majoring in both!). Honors can work with any major. If you have concerns, be sure to talk with one of our advisers about different academic options and how Honors can work for you.

27. Is there an Honors housing option?

A. Yes, there is! Honors House is located in both McCarty Hall and Lander Hall. It can be a great way to meet fellow Honors students and begin to form a community. We also have plenty of students who choose not to live in the Honors House, but they are still invited to attend events there and have a lot of fun in their own residence hall communities. You will receive more information about the Honors House in your invitation packet, or check out the Housing and Food Services website for more information about all of the special interest housing options.

28. Will I get to register early if I'm in the Honors program?

A. No, registration priority is determined by class standing, even for Honors students.

29. My question wasn't answered here! Who can I talk to for more information?

A. You are welcome to call our office with additional questions. Our phone number is 206-543-7444, and we are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm during the academic year. We are not open on the weekends. If you are unable to contact us during our normal hours, you can send us an email at uwhonors@u.washington.edu, and we will respond to your questions as soon as possible.