Honors College to double enrollment

East Carolina University’s Honors College will enroll 100 more incoming freshmen next fall as part of an expansion plan that will double the number of students in the program.

In fall 2017, the Honors College will enroll 200 students in its freshman class – up from 100 this year – with plans to admit 200 students in each incoming class over the next four years until overall enrollment reaches 800 students. The college currently has 403 students.

The expansion is being made possible by funds set aside from tuition increases at ECU over the past two years, which will provide additional merit scholarships.

“We have intentionally designed the use of this new funding to increase the size and visibility of our Honors College,” said Chancellor Cecil Staton in announcing plans for the expansion to the ECU Board of Trustees at its Nov. 11 regular meeting.

“The Honors College has played a key role in bringing some excellent students to ECU,” Staton said. “In turn, those students elevate the academic environment in every classroom, lab and studio that they occupy.

“We are grateful to the ECU Board of Trustees and the UNC Board of Governors for their support of the tuition increases that supported this expansion,” Staton said. “We are confident that it will have an enormous positive impact on our entire campus.”

Students first must be admitted to ECU and invited to apply to Honors College based on academic achievement, high school GPA and standardized test scores. The deadline to submit the ECU Honors College application is Dec. 1.

Dr. David White, interim dean of the Honors College

Each Honors College student receives a four-year scholarship and undergraduate research opportunities along with priority registration for classes and special programming. Students also live in the Honors College living-learning community in Gateway Residence Hall, the newest hall on campus, which opened in 2014.

“Interest in joining Honors College has increased dramatically in the six years the college has been in existence,” said Dr. David White, interim dean of the Honors College.

ECU transitioned from an honors program to a college in 2010. Since then, the number of eligible applicants to the program has tripled from 445 to 1,367 students.

Admitted student high school GPAs and standardized test scores have increased as well. In 2010, the average unweighted GPA was 3.77, the average SAT (old SAT math/reading combined) was 1254 and the average (composite) ACT was 28.1. This fall’s incoming class had an average unweighted GPA of 3.90, an average SAT of 1305 and an average ACT of 29.4.

While overall enrollment in the Honors College will increase, the university’s most prestigious undergraduate award program – EC Scholars – will remain the same at 20 students each year.

EC Scholars receive an Honors College scholarship for four years, along with a stipend for study abroad, for a total value of $62,000. The merit scholarship recognizes outstanding academic performance, commitment to community engagement and strong leadership skills.

Since 2011, the number of EC Scholar applicants also has tripled. For EC Scholars entering this fall, 530 students vied for 20 spots.

For more information, visit www.ecu.edu/honors or email honorscollege@ecu.edu.

ECU will double enrollment in the Honors College – from 400 to 800 students
– over the next four years.