1. What is the Honors Program?
The Honors Program at PCCC is for you if you are a PCCC student, are a high academic achiever, want more intellectual challenge, and want recognition of your ability. (click here for more information)
2. Who is eligible?
If you are a currently enrolled PCCC student, you are eligible for the Honors Program if you have completed 12 college-level credits and you have a GPA of 3.3 or higher.
If you are a recent high-school graduate, you are eligible for the Honors Program if you had a combined SAT score of 1000 or higher, or you graduated in the top 20% of your class.
3. How do you apply to the Honors Program or enroll in an Honors Program class?
4. What is the cost to you?
It does not cost you money to join the Honors Program. Taking an Honors Section class means doing extra work and consulting with your instructor periodically outside the class. This extra time and effort result in special recognition, though.
5. What is the benefit to you?
"Honors Program" will be noted on your transcript and diploma if you have completed the Honors Program, i.e., you have taken four Honors Section classes (12 credits) and the Interdisciplinary Seminar (1 credit) during your studies at PCCC. Such recognition may help you win a scholarship to a four-year college. Furthermore, being part of the Honors Program gives you some intellectual camaraderie.
6. What is the risk you take?
When you enroll in an Honors Section class, you agree to complete extra course work, which is an increase of roughly 20% of the regular course work for the class. If, for whatever reason, you fail to complete this extra course work, then your grade for the class suffers. For example, if you received an "A" for the regular course work, but did not do the extra course work, then your grade for the Honors Section class would be "C+." You may not switch back into the regular section of the class and receive an "A."
If you and your instructor agree that you are doing well, but your extra course work will take more time than the semester allows, then your instructor may give you an "I" for the semester. If you do not complete the course work by the end of the following full semester – so that your instructor can change the "I" to a grade – then the "I" automatically turns to an "F."
7. What classes are offered as Honors Section classes?
PCCC does not offer separate classes as Honors classes. Students may take as an Honors Section class any college-level class with the instructor's permission. When taking a class as an Honors Section, the student is required to do additional work and special assignments to meet the standards of honors level.