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.
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 apply to the Honors Program, you need to complete the Honors Program Application. Print out the Honors Program Application, which is available on the Honors Program link on the PCCC website (under Academics). Bring your completed application to Prof. R.G. Rader, Honors Coordinator. You may drop off the completed application in his mailbox in the English Department E210A, or stop by his office in the Hamilton Building H209, tel. 973-684-6413. To be accepted in the fall semester, the deadline is August 15. To be accepted for the spring semester, the deadline is December 15. The applications will be reviewed by the Honors Committee.
To apply for an Honors Section class, first of all you need to have the agreement of the instructor, who must be a full-time instructor, not an adjunct. Enroll in the regular section of the class, but obtain the instructor’s signature on an Honors Section Application, which is available on the Honors Program link on the PCCC website (under Academics). Bring the application to Prof. R.G. Rader who will help you obtain the other necessary signatures and take the application to the Registrar. This completed Honors Section Application must reach the Registrar before the end of the first two weeks of a fall or spring semester, or before the end of the first week of a summer semester.
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?
You may take as an Honors Section class any college-level class offered by a full-time instructor. Of course, you need the instructor's permission.