Honors FAQs

Scholarship opportunities, smaller class sizes, closer interaction with professors and educational field trips are just a few of the perks that come along with being a member of the program. Recent trips have included visits to museums throughout the state. Honors students also have early registration privileges each semester, and will be noted at graduation as being a member of the program. Honors graduates have a special decal placed on their diploma and college transcript noting completion of program requirements. Some Community of Scholars members also have the opportunity to participate in annual honors conferences held at the state and regional level each year.

Honors courses are typically offered in fall and spring semesters at the Ocala and Citrus campuses. See the list of honors courses for current offerings.

Students must maintain a minimum 3.3 cumulative GPA on all college level coursework attempted. Students must be enrolled full time (12 credit hours minimum) and be enrolled in at least one honors course in the semester they expect to receive a scholarship. Additionally, students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, FAFSA, each academic year. (Eligibility for federal grants or loans will not affect receipt of Community of Scholars monies). Community of Scholars scholarships are available only in fall and spring semesters. Students whose GPA drops below 3.3 may have their scholarship deferred until the end of the semester. The funds will be released only upon satisfactory completion of coursework and attainment of the required GPA. The number of scholarships available depends upon funding levels.

Students pursuing any Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree may join the Community of Scholars. However, students enrolled in an A.A. program will find that the honors classes tend to fit best with their overall program of study. Since A.S. degrees tend to focus on more specific hands-on courses, membership in the Community of Scholars would require additional classes beyond those necessary for completing the degree requirements. Students are encouraged to work with their advisors to facilitate graduating from the program in as timely a manner as possible.

Membership in the Community of Scholars is based primarily on your academic performance. Members must maintain a minimum 3.3 overall GPA, take the appropriate honors courses before graduation, and complete two service learning activities each year. Students in the Community of Scholars often become members and leaders of a variety of student clubs and organizations on campus. Honors students are encouraged to be active members of the college community, as those extra-curricular activities can be important in applying for transfer scholarships. Students also have the opportunity to attend a variety of educational field trips and honors conferences during their time at CF; attendance at these activities is not required but rather an additional benefit of the program.

Each fall semester, CF works with school officials in Marion, Citrus and Levy counties to identify graduating high school seniors who are viable candidates for the Community of Scholars. In January, students with a minimum 3.75 weighted GPA are sent a letter introducing the program and an application for membership. Students whose GPA falls below the minimum requirement may still apply to the program if they are recommended by their high school counselor or an instructor.

Twenty-nine area high school students are selected each year for admission into Track 1 of the Community of Scholars. These students are eligible to receive $1,500 scholarships each fall and spring semester for two years. Note the conditions of eligibility that must be met to maintain the scholarship. Failure to maintain any of these conditions will result in loss of further scholarship funds.

A. Students in Track 1 must complete six honors courses before graduation from CF. One class should be taken from each of the four academic areas covered by the program (Communications, Humanities, Social Science and Science/Technology). See the Track 1 Status Sheet for specifics about course offerings. Students enrolled in a program of study with a high number of technical prerequisites (e.g., engineering, premedicine) are exempted from taking a class in the Science/Technology area and can complete Community of Scholars requirements by taking just five honors courses before graduation. All Track 1 students must complete SLS2261 Leadership Development as one of their honors courses.

Track 1 students must complete six honors courses before graduation from CF, and completion of these courses is best done over a two-year period. However, our selection committee realizes that many students hope to leave CF in less time than two years. It is not normally feasible to complete the honors courses required in one academic year, so preference is given to students who plan to attend CF for at least a year and a half. The goal of the committee is to find students who can utilize the scholarship opportunity for the longest period of time and who will also be at CF long enough to become an active member of the college environment. Committee members take into account the number of credit hours a student plans to have completed when they enroll full time at CF, the academic program they plan to pursue, and the date they expect to graduate. Even if you expect to graduate from CF in one year, you are still encouraged to apply to the program because your intended major may require courses that will keep you here longer than you plan.

Any currently enrolled CF student or incoming transfer student with a 3.3 or higher cumulative college GPA is eligible to join the Community of Scholars. Any incoming freshman with a 3.3 or higher high school GPA is also eligible to apply. If you are interested in applying, download the Track 2 application and submit it to the Honors Program advisor.

CF has a limited number of partial tuition scholarships available to students in Track 2. These scholarships are for $750 per semester and are available for fall and spring semesters. Contact the advisor to determine the availability of possible scholarships for the upcoming semester.

Students in Track 2 of the Community of Scholars must complete four honors courses before graduation from CF. One class should be taken from each of the four academic areas covered by the program (Communications, Humanities, Social Science and Science/Technology). See the Track 2 Status Sheet for specifics about course offerings. Students enrolled in a program of study with a high number of technical prerequisites (e.g., engineering, premedicine) are exempted from taking a class in the Science/Technology area and can complete Community of Scholars requirements by taking just three honors courses before graduation.