Applying as a Transfer or Current KU Student

Essays should be intellectually curious, thoughtful, well-organized, proofread, and limited to 500 words. We will evaluate the quality of your writing and your ability to provide an expansive yet focused response. Current-student applicants and transfer applicants choose one of the following three prompts:

• Option 1: Physicist Albert Einstein said: “It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.” Drawing from your formal and informal educational experiences, assess the truth of Einstein’s statement, then discuss how you plan to nurture your curiosity at KU and in the honors program.
• Option 2: KU graduate and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara shared that seeing the planet from the International Space Station gave her “a sense of urgency to come back down to Earth and play a part in making it better.” What plans for college and beyond do you have for making our planet or society better? How have your experiences and background helped to ignite these aspirations?
• Option 3: The University Honors Program highly values interdisciplinarity. Tell us about two of your contrasting academic interests or passions and the ways they interact. How do you plan to continue exploring and interweaving them at KU as a member of the honors program?

In a single Word or PDF document, please upload your responses to all four of the following short-answer questions:

• Question 1: Which major(s) and minor(s) are you pursuing, and when is your anticipated date of graduation (i.e. Spring 2025)?
• Question 2: Help us learn about you, your life, and your experiences.  List no more than three items — clubs and organizations, employment, community service, awards and recognition, extra-curricular interests, personal or family obligations — in descending order of significance, with the most significant item first. For each, explain your role, time commitment, length of involvement, and responsibilities. You may include one activity from high school, but the primary focus should be on your life and experiences since starting college.
• Question 3: The honors program intends to attract students who make the most of the opportunities available to them. What goals and objectives shaped your selection of courses and experiences? Is there anything else you want the admissions committee to know about your academic record or activities?
• Question 4: Have you already taken any honors-designated courses or completed an Enhanced Learning Experience (ELE) at KU or another university?  If so, list them below. Up to three courses and two ELEs may be retroactively counted toward your completion requirements. Note: Previous honors coursework and experiences are not required for admission.