College Scholar Program

The College Scholar Program is meant to serve students whose interests and talents would benefit from a little more academic freedom than other students have, who demonstrate exceptional promise, and who show the maturity to plan and carry out, with the help of their advisor, a well-designed program of study. College Scholars design idiosyncratic programs: some pursue diverse courses in a variety of disciplines that relate to a core research interest; others pursue great depth within a single discipline on a particular aspect of the field. Up to 40 students in each class are accepted into the program.

College Scholars must complete 120 credits of course work (100 in the college), 34 courses, the university’s physical education requirement, and, unless they receive permission from the program to accelerate, eight full terms of undergraduate study but are not required to fulfill the other usual college requirements for the degree. All College Scholars must complete a senior project. Although they are not required to complete or fulfill the general education requirements, members of the College Scholar Advisory Board believe that the spirit of those requirements is good.

Each applicant to the College Scholar Program is asked to write an essay, which is due shortly before the end of term in the spring of the freshman year. Students should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Advising, 55 Goldwin Smith Hall (607-255-5004), for further information.