How to Apply
Becoming an Honors student
General Beadle Honors students typically have:
- ACT composite scores of 26 or higher
- High school GPA of 3.7 and up
- Graduate in the top 20% of your class
*Students interested in the Honors program with scores or GPAs not quite matching those above are still encouraged to apply. All applications that demonstrate the promise of achievement will be considered.
After you've been accepted, you'll enroll in classes, including Freshman Seminar, and be eligible to live in the freshman Honors dorm. As you excel through your academic career, you’ll enter Honors-only classes and embark on senior-level research, as well as creative projects with peers and faculty. Honors requirements are arranged so that students can fulfill all general education requirements within the Honors program. As a result, the Honors program does not require additional courses or prolong your degree completion time.
Demonstration of achievement
Our Honors application asks that you demonstrate achievement and potential in four areas: academic excellence, commitment to service, demonstration of leadership, and a written statement of purpose.
- Demonstration of Service – list more than volunteer activities, address your most significant service efforts and how they affected you, and/or others
- Demonstration of Leadership – you do not have to achieve a formal position of leadership (such as Class President) but should focus on activities that show responsibility and independent initiative in your adventures or activities
- Demonstration of Analysis – use your best writing skills to submit a written piece that reveals your capacity to think about experiences and yourself (final drafts should be proofread and carefully edited), but make sure it is far more than a writing sample
Application deadlines
We encourage you to apply to our General Beadle Honors Program as soon as you know you’ll be attending Dakota State University. Admissions decisions are made in the first week of June, though later applications are accepted. However, late applicants may face limited Honors course offerings and are not eligible to live in the Honors dorm. Notifications of admissions are sent out in early July, with housing information to follow.