Lee, Hwi Hyeong (John). (2009). Recruitment at the Fully-developed Honors College

The recruitment system in Southern Arkansas University is same as at fully a developed honors college. According to the National Collegiate Honors Council , NCHC, “a fully developed Honors college should exercise considerable control over Honors recruitment and admissions, including the appropriate size of the incoming class.” Besides, the Council also emphasized, “Admission to the Honors College should be by separate application.”

SAU Honors College has the full responsibility for recruitment of Honors College students. Although the recruitment of students is limited to only “accepted students” because the Honor College program requires students more dedicated to academic work, acceptance to the regular college program is certainly a logical precedent to application to Honors College. Also, the SAU Honors College maintains the appropriate size of its classes. The current honors seminar class for freshman has around fifteen students per class, and other honors classes have no more than 20 students per class. Therefore, the SAU Honors College serves a select few – which is the intended purpose of the Honors College.

SAU Honors College also has a separate application process from the regular application. Students should submit following documents to be considered as applicant to Honors College: a copy of their current high school transcript; a copy of an essay written for a class; a short paper (1-2 pages) explaining interest in the Honors College; attraction to the Honors College, and what they will bring to the community, and two letters of recommendation mailed directly to the Honors College (1 academic, 1 personal).

In conclusion, I am sure that SAU Honors College exercises “considerable control” over the recruitment of the Honors College admission so that the Honors College can keep the class size suitable for the incoming class. Also, the Honors College recruits students by separate application. Therefore the SAU Honors College has fulfilled those accreditation standards provided by NCHC.