University Honors

Honors Calendar of Critical Experiences

The following activities are some of the things that are fundamental to the creation of an extraordinary education for VT Honors students.

Freshman (1st Year) Guidelines

  • Use your Course of Study Planner well. It is a very comprehensive planning tool.
  • Clarify personal vision, values and vocation.
  • Thoroughly investigate the VT Undergraduate Course Catalog to confirm that major and minor courses of study are in alignment with personal vision, values, and vocation.
  • Consider double majors and/or minors.
  • Begin the “One Coffee per Semester with Your Professor” challenge.
  • Investigate Undergrad Research, Education Abroad, Co-Op, and Internship opportunities in your department.
  • Investigate ways to be actively engaged in life in your community: Service-Learning or Community Service.
  • Interested in $10,000? Plan to attend the Sophomore Scholarships information meeting in the fall or spring semester. Check with Honors for the date and time of the meeting.
    • Making applications for major scholarships requires
      considerable preparation. You should begin to prepare early in your college career if you intend to apply for one or more of these prestigious awards.

 

Sophomore (2nd Year) Guidelines

  • Notify the Honors Program of your updated local address and verify your home address. Also update the information on HokieSPA.
  • Visit the Career Services Office so that you are familiar with their services and know their deadlines.
  • Update your Personal Statement and Curriculum Vitae.
  • Fall semester of the Sophomore year is the time to begin intensive preparation for the Honors Sophomore Scholarship process. Watch the listserv and check in the Honors staff for information.
  • If you have question about approved Honors credit and/or your Honors diploma, set up an appointment with an Honors staff member to make sure that you are on track.

 

Junior (3rd Year) Guidelines

  • Notify the Honors Program of your updated local address and verify your home address. Also update the information on HokieSPA.
  • If you have concerns or questions about Honors credits or courses required for your chosen Honors degree, set up an appointment to make sure that you are on track to graduate.
  • Visit the Career Services Office.
  • Planning on Graduate, Law, Medical or Dental school? Consider the following:
    • Participate in Undergraduate Research.
    • Begin your investigation to consider where you would like to attend graduate school and what you wish to study. Talk to professors and current graduate students about schools they recommend, visit university web pages, and make inquiries.
    • The Graduate Student Association usually hosts a Graduate School Fair in early October. Check the Virginia Tech website for more information.
    • Sign up for the GRE, MCAT, LSAT, GMAT. You may sign up for the GRE and GMAT through the Sylvan Learning Center. Check with their respective websites for deadlines. For application information on LSAT or apply online.

     

Senior (4th Year) Guidelines

  • Notify the Honors Program of your local address and verify your home address. Also update the information on HokieSPA. We do not send mail to home addresses.
  • Visit the Career Services Office so that you are familiar with their services and know their deadlines.
  • Update your Personal Statement and Curriculum Vitae. If a professor or other recommender has these documents, he or she will be able to write a much stronger, more detailed recommendation letter. The more effort you put into the preparation, the better the results.
    • Write them thank-you notes after they send the letters. Inform them of your final plans and express your appreciation again. Don’t forget to tell the outcome of your application.
  • Schedule an appointment with a member of the Honors staff to complete the Application for Honors Degree. This form MUST be completed in the first month of the semester you plan to graduate.
  • Go to the Registrar’s Office to apply for VT degree one semester before graduation.
  • The Registrar confers cum laude (3.4-3.599), magna cum laude (3.6-3.799), and summa cum laude (3.8 and above) based on overall GPA the semester before graduation.

 

Recurring Items to Attend to Every Year

  • Clarify personal vision, values and vocation.
  • Keep your personal statement and curriculum vitae updated.
  • Investigate Undergrad Research, Education Abroad, Co-Op, and Internship opportunities in your department.
  • Continue the “One Coffee per Semester with Your Professor” challenge.
  • Be actively engaged in life in your community.
  • Visit the Career Services Office early and often.

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