Honors Program
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Headlines

From capstone to byline: Senior thesis by Olivia Sippel ’24 opens doors to real-world reporting

From capstone to byline: Senior thesis by Olivia Sippel ’24 opens doors to real-world reporting
After enrolling in SUNY New Paltz as a transfer student from Brooklyn, New York, Olivia Sippel ’24 (Journalism) built an extensive portfolio in campus media, from podcasting to print news.


SUNY New Paltz scholars recognized at 2025 Honors Program graduation ceremony

Exemplary SUNY New Paltz scholars recognized at 2025 Honors Program graduation ceremony
The SUNY New Paltz Honors Program held its annual graduation ceremony and reception on May 18 in recognition of the high-caliber talent and work ethic of the newest program alumni. 


Angelina Somma named Valedictorian of SUNY New Paltz’s Class of 2025

Angelina Somma named Valedictorian of SUNY New Paltz's Class of 2025
As the descendant of a family of teachers, Angelina Somma '24 (Adolescent Education: Social Studies) '26g (Literacy Education) knew she wanted to follow in their footsteps from a young age, and she knew SUNY New Paltz was the place to help her reach that goal.


 

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** You must fill out an application in order to be considered for the Honors Program.**

**There is no set deadline to submit applications for admission to the Honors Program.  The Honors Admissions Committee meets regularly to review applications.**

The Honors Program accepts applications from prospective high school students, transfer students, and SUNY New Paltz students up to the beginning of their junior year.

Choose one of the links below to fill out the appropriate application.

  1. High School Students & First Semester Freshman Application
    (The cut off for 1st semester freshman to submit their application using high school material is September 15. After this date students will need to wait until they have completed a semester and then apply using our current student application.)
  2. Current New Paltz Students Application
  3. Transfer Students Application

FAQs for Honors Program Application


ADMISSION PROCESS

The Honors Program admission review process is holistic. In addition to GPA, the Honors Program values the following attributes, and they are considered during the admission process:

  • Creativity
  • Intellectual curiosity
  • Commitment to thinking deeply and broadly about a range of ideas
  • Communication skills
  • Interdisciplinary orientation

The Honors Program is committed to diversity in admissions (broadly defined to include, minimally, race/ethnicity, family income, gender, life experience, and major).

Fall 2025 Incoming Honors Students Range of Scores

GPA Score Range High School Average Score Range
3.4 - 4.63 88.84 - 105.43


Application guidelines for incoming freshmen:

  • High school average: 95 or higher
  • Cover letter
  • Two substantial analytic writing samples.  One needs to be research based with a works cited page.
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • High school transcript

Application guidelines for transfers and currently enrolled students:

  • An overall college GPA of 3.5 or higher
  • Cover letter
  • Two samples of substantial analytic writing from the past year.  One needs to be research based with a works cited page.  Currently enrolled students should include writing samples from courses at SUNY New Paltz. 
  • Recommendations from two college professors
  • College transcript

Guidelines for the cover letter:

Prospective students have an opportunity through the letter of application to explain why they are interested in the Honors Program and why they are a good fit for it. The letter of application should address the following:

  • Why do you want to join the program?
  • What would you bring to the program?
  • What are your goals, both as a student and beyond?
  • Please share examples to illustrate your commitment to values such as creativity, intellectual curiosity, commitment to thinking deeply and broadly about a range of ideas, communication skills, interdisciplinary orientation, or other characteristics that would allow you to not only benefit from, but contribute to, the Honors Program at New Paltz.

Frequently Asked Questions


There are three basic requirements for graduating with honors:

  1. Seminars
  2. Community Service
  3. Senior Thesis

Number of Honors seminars required based on when students enter the program:

Class Entered In Number of Seminars
Freshman 4 Seminars
1st Semester Sophomore 4 Seminars
2nd Semester Sophomore 3 Seminars
Junior 2 Seminars