Summer Honors Academy

EXPERIENCE COUNTS!

Program Overview

The Ohio University Summer Honors Academy provides you an opportunity to enroll in selected college courses, earn college credit and experience life on campus. During the Honors Academy you will:

participate in an orientation session with your parents;
have the option to live on campus or commute from home;
take two or three regular Ohio University classes;
choose from several Exploration Seminars where you’ll learn about college majors and related careers;
spend a lot of time with University student mentors, who will conduct some of the non-class activities, and be on hand throughout each day to give advice and assistance.

Who Qualifies?

This program is open to students who have completed the 9th, 10th, or 11th grades, and who have earned at least a 3.25 on a 4.0 grade scale (or equivalent achievement). We require a transcript of your high school courses, as well as two recommendations. See the “Begin the Experience” page for more details on the application deadlines, process, and materials.

Student and Parent Orientation

You will be registered for summer classes after completing the mandatory online orientation. Both students and parents are required to participate online, which will include: a review of Ohio University academic policies and expectations, information about Ohio University housing and dining, and information about campus services (student health center, disability services, recreation facilities, etc.). On-campus orientation will be held the Sunday before classes begin—June 30, 2013.

Access to University Resources

An identification card will be issued to each student participating in the Honors Academy. You will need the ID card to gain access to campus services and recreation centers, and it will serve as your meal card if you choose to utilize the meal plan. You will receive details on when and how to obtain your ID card during the online orientation.

Live on Campus or Commute from Home

If you choose to live on campus, you will live in a campus residence hall designated for high school students participating in various summer programs.

If your permanent address is within 50 miles of campus, you may commute from home. Be sure to indicate on the application form whether you intend to commute or live on campus.

Read more details under CAMPUS EXPERIENCE

Take Regular Ohio University Classes

This is your chance to explore! Want to study the universe through astronomy? Give serious consideration to contemporary gender issues? Advance your knowledge of mathematics? Learn to write short stories and essays with flair? You will choose the classes you want from a list of selected courses. You’ll take one or two regular Ohio University courses for college credit in areas that interest you. Immerse yourself in the kind of study and classroom give-and-take expected of a college student, and your classmates will include Ohio University undergraduates.

The courses you will be taking are presented on an intensive schedule during a compressed 5-week summer session—they are the same courses that would ordinarily be taken during a 15-week semester. That's why you are limited to two or three classes!

Plan to spend 3-4 hours in class each day during the week—expect an additional 2-3 hours per day in the lab if you sign up for a course with laboratory work, such as chemistry or physics. You'll spend another 2 or more hours a day preparing for each hour of class...you are expected to contribute fully to what's going on in the classroom.

Service Learning Opportunity!

Honors Academy students will be registered for UC 1900, Learning Community Seminar, which is a service-learning themed course. UC 1900 awards 1 credit hour and covers topics such as University resources, academic expectations of various colleges and programs, research and creative opportunities at Ohio University, as well as preparation for and reflection on the service learning experience. This will allow students to earn University credit for academic study related to hands-on experience with one of a number of agencies or programs in the local community. Please check back here for updated information as we finalize the program, or contact Pat Davidson at davidson@ohio.edu or 740.593.1767.

In 2012, Honors Academy students helped prepare and serve Thursday supper at United Campus Ministry (UCM) and learned about sustainable gardening at Good Earth Farm.

Earn Full University Credit

The courses you take and the grades you earn during Summer Honors Academy will be recorded on your permanent Ohio University transcript, and will be available to any college or university to which you apply in the future. Also, check with your high school guidance counselor about the possibility of receiving high school credit for the courses you select. Summer enrollment does not qualify for funding from the Ohio Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program. The academic credits you earn may enable you to take a lighter load during a semester or two at college in the future, so you can concentrate on tougher courses in your major. Or the extra credits may free up time for pursuing electives, internships, double majors, research projects, or study abroad, which could add important depth and scope to your undergraduate experience. And it could save you valuable time and money in the future!

Read more details under ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

Explore Possibilities with Exploration Seminars

A special feature of the Ohio University Honors Academy is the career exploration seminar—noncredit “mini” classes in which you learn about a degree major or career field that interests you.

During the seminars, Ohio University faculty members and experienced professionals offer advice about career and academic paths and talk about both the satisfactions and challenges of their chosen careers. You’ll be able to ask them questions about their work and about the preparation you should have for entry into their fields.

You’ll explore multiple fields of special interest—choosing from among several exploration seminars available—and have a chance to formulate and evaluate your college career plans. After attending one, you may find you are not as interested in that field as you thought. Others, after learning more, identify a niche that best combines their interests and talents, and are then able to focus their academic and career ambitions more effectively.

Each seminar has its own schedule, but most are arranged during the late afternoons so they will not conflict with your class schedule. Seminars may include guest speakers, tours, hands-on projects, and discussion sessions. You might conduct laboratory experiments, build experimental machines, or practice an artistic technique. Even though you won’t get a grade or earn credit for your exploration seminar, it will be an essential, rewarding, and fun part of your time at Ohio University.

See the list at the right for some of the Exploration Seminar topics offered for Honors Academy students in 2012.