Admissions Decisions

Spring and Fall 2026 applications are now open! See application links and deadlines below.

All students must first earn admission to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ State University for ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College consideration. ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College admissions decisions are released separately from ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ State University admissions decisions. After earning admission to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ State University, honors applicants can expect to receive their honors admissions decision in 6 - 8 weeks. All honors admissions decisions are communicated via ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ student email. 

To ensure quality of experience, ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College is unable to serve strictly online learners at this time.

Please direct honors admissions questions to: honorsadmissions@kennesaw.edu. 

Which Type of Student Are You?

  • First-year students applying for admission to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College must have:

    • A ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ-calculated high school GPA of 3.5 or higher

          OR

    • ACT score of 25 or higher, or SAT score of 1200 or higher

     

    Admission to the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College is competitive. The essay portion of your application is given particular attention. The honors essay demonstrates your writing, your interests, and overall fit for the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College. Selection committee members are looking for:

    • Originality and creativity.
    • A strong argument.
    • Demonstration of curiosity and potential for engagement.
    • Evidence of care, effort, and clarity.
    • Appropriate essay organization, grammar, and language.

    The use of ChatGPT or any other AI technology is strictly prohibited. 

     

    How to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ

    Incoming First-Year Students may apply via the Honors internal application linked below:

    OR

    Incoming First-Year Students may apply directly through their application to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ State University in CommonApp:

    *First-year students who do not meet the minimum criteria for admission or who are not accepted based on their initial application may apply to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College after their first semester at ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ. See "Current ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Students" eligibility tab below.

    **The Department of Psychological Science has specific eligibility criteria for honors students. Please review these criteria .

  • Current ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Dual Enrollment students who are graduating from high school  must have:

    • A ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ-calculated high school GPA of 3.5 or higher

             OR

    • ACT score of 25 or higher, or SAT score of 1200 or higher

     

    Admission to the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College is competitive. The essay portion of your application is given particular attention. The honors essay demonstrates your writing, your interests, and overall fit for the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College. Selection committee members are looking for:

    • Originality and creativity.
    • A strong argument.
    • Demonstration of curiosity and potential for engagement.
    • Evidence of care, effort, and clarity.
      appropriate essay organization, grammar, and language.

    The use of ChatGPT or any other AI technology is strictly prohibited. 

    How to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ

    Dual Enrollment students may apply via the Honors internal application linked below:

    *The Department of Psychological Science has specific eligibility criteria for Honors Students. Please review these criteria .

  • High school junior and senior Dual Enrollment Program (DEP) students are eligible to apply to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College based on the following:

    • A ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ-calculated high school GPA of 3.5 or higher

            OR

    • ACT score of 25 or higher, or SAT score of 1200 or higher

     

    Admission to the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College is competitive. The essay portion of your application is given particular attention. The honors essay demonstrates your writing, your interests, and overall fit for the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College. Selection committee members are looking for:

    • Originality and creativity.
    • A strong argument.
    • demonstration of curiosity and potential for engagement.
    • Evidence of care, effort, and clarity.
    • Appropriate essay organization, grammar, and language.

    The use of ChatGPT or any other AI technology is strictly prohibited. 

    How to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ

    High School Students applying for Dual Enrollment may apply via the Honors internal application linked below:

    *Please note:

    • All courses taken by DEP students must be approved by a DEP advisor and their high school counselor.
    • If an honors section of an approved course (e.g., ENGL 1101/H01 or HIST 1111/H01) is available, then the student may take the honors section rather than a regular section.
    • Honors sections are smaller and are typically seminar-style. (The "H" in the section number code designates that it's an honors section.)
    • Courses with a HON prefix (e.g., HON 3000: Honors Colloquium) and the HON 1100: Introduction to Honors courses are not covered by Dual Enrollment funding.
    • DEP students may participate in non-course related Honors Discoveries (book clubs, etc.) to meet the Honors Learning Experience requirements. Any associated fees are not covered by Dual Enrollment funding, and the student would need to pay these expenses out of pocket.

    *The Department of Psychological Science has specific eligibility criteria for honors Students. Please review these criteria .

  • Transfer students are eligible to apply based on the following:

    • fewer than 70 credit hours.
    • transfer GPA of 3.5 or higher.

    Admission to the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College is competitive. The essay portion of your application is given particular attention. The honors essay demonstrates your writing, your interests, and overall fit for the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College. Selection committee members are looking for:

    • Originality and creativity.
    • A strong argument.
    • Demonstration of curiosity and potential for engagement.
    • Evidence of care, effort, and clarity.
    • Appropriate essay organization, grammar, and language.

    The use of ChatGPT or any other AI technology is strictly prohibited. 

    How to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ

    Transfer students may apply via the Honors internal application linked below:

    *The Department of Psychological Science has specific eligibility criteria for honors students.

  • Current ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ students are eligible to apply based on the following:

    • fewer than 70 credit hours.
    • ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Institutional GPA of 3.5 or higher.

    Admission to the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College is competitive. The essay portion of your application is given particular attention. The honors essay demonstrates your writing, your interests, and overall fit for the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College. Selection committee members are looking for:

    • Originality and creativity.
    • A strong argument.
    • Demonstration of curiosity and potential for engagement.
    • Evidence of care, effort, and clarity.
    • Appropriate essay organization, grammar, and language.

    The use of ChatGPT or any other AI technology is strictly prohibited. 

    How to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ

    Current ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ students may apply via the Honors internal application linked below:

    *The Department of Psychological Science has specific eligibility criteria for honors students. Please review these criteria .

    Honors Reinstatement

    If you have previously been a ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College student and have either withdrawn or been dismissed, you may apply for .

Consider a First-Year Cohort!

First-year students from any academic major can apply to one of our prestigious cohorts, where communities of like-minded learners progress together through common coursework and rigorous learning experiences that foster collaboration, academic success, and professional aptitude. All cohorts students receive scholarships. 

2025 & 2026 Honors Application Deadlines

 

STUDENT TYPE APPLICATION DEADLINE APPLICATION
First-Year Students

June 30, 2026

*First-Year Cohort programs have earlier deadlines - please refer to the the cohort pages linked above.

          OR
Dual Enrollment Students June 30, 2026
Transfer Students June 30, 2026
Current ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Students  June 30, 2026



STUDENT TYPE APPLICATION DEADLINE APPLICATION
First-Year Students            December 15, 2025

                  OR

 
Dual Enrollment Students December 15, 2025
Transfer Students December 15, 2025
Current ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Students December 15, 2025

 

Honors 2026 Essay Prompts

Honors General Essay

Please describe yourself by choosing three personal items or belongings that are meaningful or important to you. Include an item that represents at least one of your accomplishments as well as an item that represents at least one of your hobbies or interests. Why are these three things important to you? How did you obtain these items? What do they represent and why do you keep them? 
 
The suggested word count for this essay is 700 words.  

Ancient and Modern Classics

Students applying to Ancient and Modern Classics will respond to the Honors General Essay with the addition of a cohort-specific question. The full essay question for consideration within this cohort is: 


Please describe yourself by choosing three personal items or belongings that are meaningful or important to you. Include an item that represents at least one of your accomplishments as well as an item that represents at least one of your hobbies or interests. As an AMC Cohort applicant, please include a book of your choice as the third item and share why it is influential to you. Why are these three things important to you? How did you obtain these items? What do they represent and why do you keep them?  

The suggested word count for this essay is 700 words.  

 

President's Emerging Global Scholars

Students applying to President's Emerging Global Scholars will respond to the Honors General Essay with the addition of a cohort-specific question. The full essay question for consideration within this cohort is: 

As a PEGS applicant, please describe yourself by choosing three personal items or belongings that represent your commitment to growing in leadership, service, and/or global competency. Include an item that represents at least one of your accomplishments as well as an item that represents at least one of your hobbies or interests. Why are these three things important to you? How did you obtain these items? What do they represent and why do you keep them? 

The suggested word count for this essay is 700 words.  

 

Wellstar Tom and Betty Philips Elite Honors Nursing Scholars

Students applying to the WellStar Tom and Betty Phillips Elite Honors Nursing Scholars cohort will respond to the Honors General Essay with the addition of a cohort-specific question. The full essay question for consideration within this cohort is: 

Please describe yourself by choosing three personal items or belongings that are meaningful or important to you. Include an item that represents at least one of your accomplishments as well as an item that represents at least one of your hobbies or interests. As a Wellstar Tom and Betty Phillips Elite Honors Nursing Scholar applicant, please include an item that reflects your passion for nursing or healthcare. Why are these three things important to you? How did you obtain these items? What do they represent and why do you keep them? 
 
The suggested word count for this essay is 700 words.  

 

Journey to Italy

Students applying to the Journey to Italy cohort will respond to the Honors General Essay with the addition of a cohort-specific question. The full essay question for consideration within this cohort is: 

Please describe yourself by choosing three personal items or belongings that are meaningful or important to you. Include an item that represents at least one of your accomplishments as well as an item that represents at least one of your hobbies or interests. As a Journey to Italy applicant, please include an item that reflects your interest in travel or your passion for community. Why are these three things important to you? How did you obtain these items? What do they represent and why do you keep them? 
 
The suggested word count for this essay is 700 words.  

 

 

Accepted to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Journey Honors College? 

Next-Steps