Frequently Asked Questions

Honors Education at Rutgers New Brunswick

There are several paths to Honors education at Rutgers-New Brunswick. This chart answers some of the questions asked by admitted students regarding the similarities and differences between the School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program and the Honors College – New Brunswick.

Honors at Rutgers-New Brunswick	School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program	Honors College
Overview	The School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program is a community of honors students from the School of Arts and Sciences and the Rutgers Business School Undergraduate - New Brunswick. The heart of the program lies within its determination to foster a strong sense of community and leadership among its students by offering a variety of special opportunities, including rigorous interdisciplinary Honors Seminars, discipline-based Honors Courses, personalized advising, a Faculty Mentor Program, Peer Mentoring, Honors housing on each campus, and a wide range of cultural, social, and co-curricular activities. The program accepts 400 new students each year, including first-years, transfers, and SAS rising sophomores.	The Honors College is a living-learning community of honors students from across the liberal arts and professional schools at Rutgers-New Brunswick, including the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, School of Engineering, Rutgers Business School, Mason Gross School of the Arts, and Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy. The focus of the interdisciplinary curriculum is on social innovation. The academic dean and faculty fellows live alongside the 500 first-year students at the Honors College.
What Honors courses do students take?	The SAS Honors Colloquium Interdisciplinary Honors seminars Departmental Honors courses Special discussion sections connected to SAS Signature courses Individualized options	The Honors College Forum mission course Interdisciplinary Honors seminars Departmental Honors courses Special discussion sections connected to SAS Signature courses Individualized options
Do SASHP and Honors College students take the same courses?	Yes in most cases, with the exception of the SASHP Honors Colloquium.	Yes in most cases, with the exception of the Honors College Forum.
How large are Honors courses?	Interdisciplinary Honors Seminars are capped at 17 students. Departmental Honors courses range in size from 10 to 50 students, depending on the course.	Interdisciplinary Honors Seminars are capped at 17 students. Departmental Honors courses range in size from 10 to 50 students, depending on the course.
Is there a language requirement?	Yes. All SASHP students must demonstrate proficiency in a world language.	Yes. All Honors College students who are enrolled in the School of Arts & Sciences or the Rutgers School of Business must demonstrate proficiency in a world language.
How competitive is admission?	Admission is highly competitive.	Admission is highly competitive.
Will students admitted to the Rutgers Business School (RBS) be invited to join an Honors community?	High-achieving RBS-NB students are considered for admission to the SASHP. Because admission to the SASHP as a RBS-NB student is so highly competitive, some students who are admitted to SAS as Honors students may find that they are not invited to join the SASHP as RBS-NB students.	High-achieving students who have been admitted to the Rutgers Business School-New Brunswick are considered for admission to the Honors College.
What are the benefits of being in Honors?	Individualized advising An innovative curriculum Small classes Faculty and peer mentors A close-knit community Leadership and service opportunities Special honors study abroad opportunities A community drawn from the School of Arts and Sciences and Rutgers Business School- New Brunswick. Dedicated honors housing	Individualized advising onsite An interdisciplinary curriculum focused on social innovation Small classes Live-in faculty and peer mentors A close-knit community Leadership and service opportunities Special honors study abroad opportunities A living-learning community of first-year Honors College students drawn from across the liberal arts and professional schools at Rutgers-New Brunswick, including School of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering, Rutgers Business School, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, and Mason Gross School of the Arts. Students continue in their second years and beyond as members of the Honors College with honors housing across the Rutgers-New Brunswick campuses.
Do I have to apply for admission?	Admission to honors is competitive and is based on a variety of factors, including high school academic record, test scores, and extracurricular activities. High-achieving students with the potential to excel at Rutgers can check the box to request to be considered for honors via their application to Rutgers-New Brunswick and responding to the prompt. For more information, go to http://www.sashonors.rutgers.edu/admissions/high-school-students
What if I don’t receive an invitation to join?	If you are not invited to join the SASHP as an incoming first year student by late February, you may apply for admission. For more information, go to http://www.sashonors.rutgers.edu/admissions/high-school-students	Students are admitted to the Honors College only by direct invitation; there is no application process.
Are sophomores invited to join Honors?	Students who complete the first year at Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences with a 3.700 or better cumulative GPA are invited to apply for admission.	No.
Are transfer students invited to join Honors?	Yes, high achieving transfer students can apply. A small number are admitted each year. Click here for more information.	No.
Is there merit scholarship aid connected to participating in Honors?	Not necessarily. An offer of admission to the SASHP does not guarantee a scholarship offer.	Yes. All students who are invited to the Honors College are offered a merit-based award. Amounts may vary.
How do I accept my honors invitation?	To enroll you must accept the offer of admission to the school your honors invitation came from-- The School of Arts and Sciences, or The Rutgers Business School- New Brunswick at admissions.rutgers.edu/status by May 1. In 2024 the date has been extended to June 1.	To enroll, you must accept the offer of admission to the school your honors invitation came from-- The School of Arts and Sciences, or The Rutgers Business School- New Brunswick, or Mason Gross School of Arts, or The School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, or The School of Engineering, or The School of Pharmacy at admissions.rutgers.edu/status by May 1.
Where do first year students live?	SASHP students can live in SAS Honors housing on the Busch, Livingston, Douglass, and College Avenue campuses. SASHP students are not required to live in honors housing; SASHP students are permitted to live in non-honors housing, or to commute.	All Honors College students are required to live in the Honors College in their first year.
Is there Honors housing beyond the first year?	Yes, on all four campuses.	Yes, on all four campuses.
History	Founded in Fall 2007, built on the foundation of Honors Programs at Rutgers College, Livingston College, Douglass College, and University College.	Founded in Fall 2015. The Class of 2019 was the first class of Honors College students to graduate.
For more information…	http://www.sashonors.rutgers.edu	https://honorscollege.rutgers.edu

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