FAQ's

1. What is the Honors College and where is it?

The Honors College is a program that offers students a chance to make the best of their College experience. Students are enrolled in small classes on four campuses: Kendall, InterAmerican, North and Wolfson campus. The dual-language program is housed only at the InterAmerican campus.

2. Why should a student consider the Honors College?

The Honors College establishes an intellectual community among student scholars and faculty for the most academically capable students at Miami Dade College, providing challenging course work, small classes, academic enrichment activities, leadership development models, financial support through grants and scholarships, opportunities for participation in honors competitions and recognition for scholarly accomplishments.  Encompassing the full gamut of a rich collegiate experience for its students, The Honors College includes both academic and support services, a generous financial aid package, college wide support services and enrichment opportunities that include internships and mentoring assignments with corporate coaches, study travel tours, university transfer counseling, a personalized educational plan with seamless registration, and an individual Honors College email address.

3. What benefits do students receive as being a part of Honors College students?

   The Honors College in general and the honors dual language program comprise a scholarly community of student learners and faculty. Students enjoy special privileges that include:

   • Small, interactive classes with highly qualified and committed professors committed to students
   • Campus leadership roles
   • Special access to cutting-edge science, language and computer ­laboratories
   • Individual attention and opportunities to collaborate with professors and peers
   • University transfer advisement resulting in the opportunity to ­graduate from prestigious universities
   • Internships and service learning activities related to the student’s field of study
   • Study-travel opportunities
   • Personalized and seamless registration
   • Individualized counseling for educational and career planning
   • Development of a capstone project that may result in a research presentation or publication
   • Special notation of Honors College degree on transcript and diploma
   • Recognition at Commencement as a graduate of The Honors College
   • A global perspective in all classes

   Additionally, the honors dual language program offers:

   • An opportunity for international experiences including foreign exchanges, study travel excursions and internships
   • Proficiency in two languages

    

4. Am I eligible?

   The Honors College is designed for First-time in college students. Those eligible for application must meet one of the following:

   • 3.7 GPA, and college level placement on the CPT, SAT or ACT (scores below), or
   • Combined SAT score of 1200, or
   • Enhanced ACT score of 26

   and

   for the honors dual language program only

   •  Spanish SAT II score of 600, or
   • Advanced Placement score of 4 on the Spanish Language or Spanish Literature test

   Students with dual-enrollment credits, EAP credits and less than 9 College credits should contact one of The Honors College Directors. Click this link to see their information.

    

5. In your eligibility statement, you say that students with a 3.7 GPA, and College level placement on the CPT, SAT or ACT are eligible to apply. What does this mean?

The Honors College accepts student with a 3.7 GPA on the condition that they are placed College ready after completing one of the following test CPT, SAT or ACT. Please see link for acceptable score for College course placement  http://www.mdc.edu/ir/CPT_CLAST/PCCard2006-07.pdf Students testing into  MAT 1033 only, need to contact The Honors College Director on the campus they are interested in.

6. Where do you find Honors students?

   Students in the Honors College are a highly selective and impressive group as evidenced by the ability to successfully meet the stringent entry criteria for admission.  They are selected from local and international public and private high schools.  The diversity is reflective of the South Florida community.  Among the students, 17 languages are spoken and 22 countries are represented.

    

7. What type of students are you looking for?

   Students who

   1. have a desire for an educational challenge, with greater personal involvement in the classroom

   2. appreciate small interactive, discussion-oriented classes with outstanding instructors,

   3. thrive on the exploration of new ideas in an environment which encourages the expansion of those idea,

   4. need high quality, creatively designed, transferable courses, and

   5. enjoy innovative teaching methods including critical thinking, analysis, group discussion, creative writing and public speaking.

    

8. What are some of the most rewarding “extracurricular” sorts of experiences for Honors College students?

Click this link to view all the enrichment opportunities available through The Honors College.

9. How do Honors College courses fit with the college core requirements?

The honors College courses meet the College core requirement. The major difference is that these classes consist only of students enrolled in The Honors College.

10. What are the criteria by which faculty are selected to teach in the Honors College?

Miami Dade College Faculty who choose to teach classes taught by The Honors College go through a certification workshop. These faculty members like all Miami Dade College faculty have the motivation to teach students and have developed Honors curriculum. The curriculum will include critical analysis and synthesis across disciplines, enhancing learning through different venues and methods.

11. Where do the graduates of The Honors College transfer?

The Honors College's courses transfer just like all Miami Dade College courses. Please click on the link to called articulation agreements, here you will find a list of Universities that Miami Dade College has an articulation agreement with. Also, click on the Graduation and Transfer link for a list of transfer Institutions that have accepted students of The Honors College.

12. You mentioned the Honors College scholarship?  What is it?

The Honors College Fellows Award is available to students admitted to The Honors College.  This award is one of the College’s most prestigious scholarships, covering the full cost of in-state tuition, fees and books. The Fellows Award is renewable for one additional year if The Honors College requirements are met. The scholarship is available to new students entering the college as long as he/she meets the requirements of the program.  It’s based on the students GPA, SAT and/or ACT scores.   Your official transcript, essay and teacher recommendations play a part in students being awarded a scholarship. See eligibility requirements above.

You may also obtain an application from your high school or visit the New Student Center on the Miami Dade College campus near you.

13. As an Honors College student, am I able to participate in other groups or activities on the Campus?

You have the same right as any other Miami Dade College students.  All activities are open to you.

14. According to the application, I need a letter of recommendation from a counselor, a teacher, and a community leader. Does the teacher have to be a core class teacher, or can they be an elective teacher? I don't particularly have any connections with community leaders. For the community leader category, would another letter from a teacher at my high school suffice?

The teacher, filling out your reference form, can be any teacher of your choice. For the community leader option, we expect a reference from a leader/supervisor from a community group in which you participate like church, community service, baby sitting family etc.

15.  When is the application deadline?
    
    There is no deadline for the application. We accept applications through July every year.

16. I am currently a freshmen at another institution, but would  like to transfer into The Honors College, is this possible?

At present, The Honors College accepts only 'first time in College' students. These students can have AP or dual enrollment credits. Evaluation of how these credits affect student enrollment eligibility is done on a case by case basis. If this applies to you, please contact the Director on the campus you are interested in.