Gateway Admissions

Junior Gate information into the Schreyer Honors College

Gateway Admissions for Current Penn State Students

 

Another avenue for admission is the Schreyer Honors College (SHC) Gateway application process, which takes place once each year during the spring semester. The Gateway is an opportunity for exceptional students currently enrolled at Penn State to apply for entrance to the Schreyer Honors College. Smeal College Gateway applicants must have a minimum of a 3.7 cumulative GPA, and must be completing the entrance-to-major requirements at the time of their application. Therefore, Smeal Gateway applicants must be ready to enter their Smeal major the fall semester following their Gateway application.

The Gateway application will be posted on the Schreyer Honors College web site around the first of April. The Smeal faculty reviews the applicants and makes decisions regarding who should receive nomination to the SHC. Students are notified of the decisions by the Schreyer Honors College in early June. Students entering the SHC via the Gateway do not receive scholarship money from the Schreyer Honors College.

Applicants to the Gateway must:

  1. Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.7 at the time of application.
  2. Be completing the Smeal College entrance to major requirements at the time of application.
  3. Have the desire, ability and motivation to conduct research or creative projects leading to the completion of an undergraduate honors thesis.
  4. Have an interest in, and aptitude for leadership, civic engagement, and international experience as an undergraduate.

The Junior Gateway application for Smeal will require the completion of several essay questions. Answers to the essay questions should be thorough, but concise. Below are several sample questions.

  1. Congress is currently working on a law to raise the minimum wage from $5 an hour to $7.25 an hour.  Is this a good idea?  Explain.
  2. TiVo - a technology that allows consumers to skip ads, record favorite shows etc., is TV advertising's greatest enemy and friend at the same time.  Discuss a few issues as to how an advertising barrier such as TiVo can be a threat and gift to Television advertisers at the same time.
  3. What’s wrong, or right with Walmart. Is Walmart helping or hurting us?

For more information, go to The Gateway Admissions Process page.

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