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Honors Program

Who is the Program For?

Students who have high educational goals and are interested in courses designed to appeal to the imagination and challenge the intellect will find the Cerro Coso Community College Honors Program the place to be. Students should apply to the Honors Program if they are stimulated by ideas, tend to be skeptical of definite answers or easy solutions, and are in pursuit of an education and not just a degree.

Benefits for Honors Students

• Priority admissions, extra scholarships, guaranteed housing, priority registration, and other benefits through transfer agreements at UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, CSU Fullerton, CSU Long Beach, San Diego State University, Chapman University, Pitzer College, Cal Poly Pomona College, San Jose State University, University of San Diego, Whitman College, Pacific University, La Sierra University, Occidental College, and Pomona College
• Scholarship opportunities through the Cerro Coso Community College Program, the Honors Transfer Council of California, the Transfer Alliance Program, Whitman College, and other private universities
• Priority registration at Cerro Coso
• Small honors seminars, where students take a more active role in their learning and work closely with instructors to pursue topics of independent study
• Close academic and social interaction with other highly motivated students
• Honors designation on the associate degree and college transcripts
• Opportunity for letters of recommendation from Honors Program faculty for scholarships, transfer applications, and employment
• Honors receptions, special lectures, cultural events, tours of universities, and awards ceremonies
   

Eligibility For Honors Program

New Students

To be eligible for the Honors Program, a student must do one of the following:

• attain a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average in all high school college prep and AP courses, with AP courses weighted according to UC standards
• receive a passing score (3) on at least three AP exams

All new students must have two letters of recommendation from high school instructors or, in the case of home schooling, a letter from two persons knowledgeable about the student's ability.

Continuing College Students

To be eligible for the Honors Program, a continuing student must  

• attain a minimum 3.5 GPA or higher in transfer courses in at least 12 units of transferable courses at Cerro Coso or transfer school

Note: a student may enroll in honors courses prior to acceptance into the Honors Program.  
 

Completion Requirements 

To be certified as an Honors Program transfer student or graduate, a student must  

• take a total of 16 or more units of Honors courses (typically equivalent to four honors classes)
• have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.25 in transfer-level courses
• meet the Cerro Coso graduation requirements or the transfer requirements to a four-year college. Note that Honors students intending to complete a major or IGETC package should discuss their plans with the Honors Program Counselor, Heather Ostash, to make sure all requirements are met.
   

Application

To apply to the Honors Program, students must submit a completed application form to the Honors Coordinator, Dr. Christine Swiridoff, or the Honors Program Counselor, Heather Ostash. If coursework was completed at another institution, transcripts must be provided.

High school students applying before their first year at Cerro Coso must submit a copy of their high school transcripts.

> Cerro Coso College Student Application for Admission

> High School Student Application for Admission and President’s Honors Scholarship

For further information and application forms, please contact the Honors Coordinator via email at honors@cerrocoso.edu.
 

Scholarship Opportunities

President's Honors Scholarship for New Honors Program Students
 

> High School Student Application for Admission and President's Honors Scholarship

Faculty Honors Scholarships for Continuing and Transferring Honors Students

The Faculty Honors Scholarship for a Continuing Student is awarded in the spring for a student continuing in the Honors Program for the fall and spring semesters of the following year or for a student who has completed the Honors Program and has been accepted at a four-year college or university. The scholarship awards $500 in the fall semester.

> Faculty Honors Scholarship Application for Continuing and Transferring Honors Students

Faculty Honors Research Scholarships

The Faculty Honors Research Scholarship supports Honors Program students who present their work at the Honors Transfer Council of California Student Research Conference at UC Irvine. The scholarship pays all expenses associated with attendance at the conference.

> Any Honors Program student who presents at the HTCC Student Research Conference should contact the Honors Program Coordinator.

Examples of Honors Program Courses

The following courses, tentatively scheduled to run between fall 2008 and spring 2010, are typical of the Honors Program offerings over a two-year period, with a minimum of four honors classes each semester:

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Related Links

:: Phi Theta Kappa

From the Students:
 

“Coming from UC Davis, I initially had low expectations for Cerro Coso.  But when I joined the Honors Program, the personal attention that the professors gave and the intelligence that they displayed made me feel like I was attending a top-rate university with just 15 students.” — Jeff Peoples, graduated with Honors 2002, transferred to Pomona College

“My real college experience started with Cerro Coso Honors program. It is within the small setting and friendly atmosphere of Honors discussions that I’ve discovered new and interesting points of view of my fellow students. I found out that I was looking forward to those weekly class sessions — engaging controversial discussions in Mr. Girardot’s class or fascinating experience of in-depth conversation with Dr. Rosenberg.” —Ally Kroytor, graduated with Honors 2000, transferred to American University of Paris

"Coming from a country with a completely different system of university education, I have found the Honors Program at Cerro Coso intellectually exciting.  By placing me among other students who bring passion and imagination to everything they do, who are inspired by ideas, and who are in pursuit of an education and not just the acquisition of a degree, the Honors Program has further stimulated my eagerness to embrace opportunities and challenges as well as utilize knowledge to explore the thoughts and ideas of others who were also not afraid to ask the question 'Why?'" — Ana Petrovic, graduated with Honors 2001, winner of an HTCC Scholarship to Whitman College

“The increased intensity of the Honors courses stimulates and challenges my perspective on things.  Along with other Honors students, together you delve deeper into the subject.”            — Christina Vega, graduated with Honors 2001

 
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Last updated October 07, 2008