Enrollment in the OCC Honors Program is not automatic. Students wishing to enroll must meet all admission criteria (see below), attend an Honors Orientation, and submit an application including two letters of recommendation. Applications will be accepted both from students currently enrolled in honors sections as well as from those who have not yet taken honors classes. Because past performance does not always indicate future potential, we encourage students who do not currently qualify for admission into the Program (see below) to work toward qualification by improving their GPA's in honors and non-honors courses, completing their English requirement and/or removing any derogatory grades from their transcripts.
In order to be admitted into the Program, ALL APPLICANTS must:
- Be enrolled in classes at OCC
- Be in good standing with the Dean of Student Services' Office
- Complete the online Honors Orientation Quiz* with a perfect score (12/12)
- Provide evidence that the English composition requirement has been met in at least ONE of the two following ways:
- Completion of English 100 (Freshman Composition), 101/101H, 102/102H, or 109 with a grade of A or B - OCC or other college transcript
- Exemption from English 100 with an AP exam score of 3 or higher - copy of AP scores or notation of higher placement on OCC transcript
- Submit an application packet including the application form, essay, and transcripts from each college attended
AND, in addition:
Applicants who graduated from high school less than a year ago and who have earned fewer than 12 units in letter-graded college coursework (at OCC and/or anywhere else, whether a college or university) must:
- Have a minimum final high school GPA of 3.25 (grades 9-12, weighted or unweighted)
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 in all* college coursework completed
- Submit a copy of their final high school transcript with the application
Applicants who have earned 12 or more units of letter-graded college coursework (at OCC or any other college or university) must:
-
Have a minimum 3.25 GPA in all* college coursework completed
* When turning in the application, students must submit transcripts for ALL colleges attended. Any derogatory grades (D, F, NC/NP) earned at any time within the Coast Community College District, or at other colleges during the two years prior to entering any of the Coast Community College District institutions must be "lined out" or "excluded." Exceptions will be granted through petition only. Except in cases of approved appeals, "Incomplete” grades of ID, IF, or INP will automatically disqualify applicants from immediate admission to the Honors Program; the student may apply once the course has been completed and the final grade has been recorded on the transcript. Grades of IC or IB may be acceptable if the potential lowest final grade will not bring the cumulative GPA below 3.25
*Prepare for the Online Orientation Quiz: follow directions to request online Orientation materials and the link to the Orientation Quiz, which must be completed BEFORE submitting an application for enrollment in the Program. Submit your complete application packet anytime after earning a perfect score on your Honors Orientation Quiz.