Frequently Asked Questions about the Honors Program
The FAQ section is a good place to start a search for an answer to your
question. However, if you need further information about the Honors Program,
please do not hesitate to e-mail the CCSF Honors coordinator, Sami Kudsi
at skudsi@ccsf.edu.
What are the benefits of the program?
You will find your membership with the CCSF Honors Program will bring you many benefits. It should give you an edge in applying for scholarships, jobs, and admission to colleges and universities. It will also allow you to work on interesting and more intense projects with CCSF faculty. These projects will better prepare you for transfer and employment.
How do I join the program?
Simply fill out a sign up form which you can download from this website. You do not have to wait to hear from us to start taking honors classes.
What are the requirements to join?
You must meet one of the following criteria:
College GPA of 3.0
SAT of 1650 (1100 if taken pre-Spring 2005) or higher
ACT of 24 or higher.
Advanced placement courses in high school with a score of 4 or higher.
TOEFL of 500 (Paper Based), 61 (Internet Based), 173 (Computer Based)
or higher
Please be sure to include all test scores with your application.
Can I get in based on my high school GPA alone?
Unfortunately high school GPA alone will not get you into the program. If you have just graduated from high school and have not taken the SAT, AP tests, ACT, or TOEFL, you must wait one semester to apply.
Can I get in based on grades from another college or university?
Yes. Simply include a copy of your transcripts with your application.
Your GPA must be at least a 3.0.
Once I have been accepted, how can I take advantage of the program right away?
If it pleases you do not hesitate to begin listing this membership on
your resume and job applications. If and when you apply to transfer to
various colleges and universities you may consider listing "City College
of San Francisco Honors Program" in the "Memberships and Organizations"
section of your application.
Am I required to finish all 15 units to be in the program?
Although membership in the Honors Program is an accomplishment in and
of itself, there is still an additional goal you might consider.
If you complete a total of 15 units of honors work before you leave CCSF,
you could apply to have Honors Certification designated on a certificate.
This means
that you can list "with honors program certification" next to your
degree or GPA on resumes, job applications, or college/university applications.
In the event that you actually complete a CCSF Associates Degree including
at least 15 units of honors work, you can list "graduated with honors program
certification" next to your degree. We will also place the line “Completed
Honors Program” on your transcripts the when you complete the 15 units.
In addition to Certification, by completing 15 units you may be eligible
to apply for transfer privileges with our Honor Transfer Partners.
This will make you a more competitive candidate when applying for colleges
and universities. If you finish 15 units you should fill out an Application
for Honors Graduation or Certification so that it will be reflected on
a certificate. You should also include this fact with your application
to transfer institutions. It should be noted that while completing 15 units
is an admirable goal, it is by no means required for basic membership.
Your membership is not at risk in any way if you do not complete the full
15 units. The word “HONORS” will appear on your transcripts next to all
honors classes/contracts you complete, even if you finish less than 15
units. You must have at least a 3.0 overall GPA to apply for certification.
One way to think of it is that Honors Program membership alone gives
you an edge, but having Honors Certification as well (completing 15 units
or more) gives you an even sharper edge. Both are useful. Every time you
complete an honors section or complete an honors contract at CCSF, it will
be
reflected on your CCSF transcripts. So even if you complete less than
15 units, your transcripts will still look more impressive than if you
had never completed any honors courses at all. This is an especially desirable
option for students who enter the Honors Program towards the end of their
careers at CCSF.
After I get accepted, what is the next step? How do I know which classes offer honors credits?
If you have been accepted by our program, at this point our advice to
you would be to begin signing up for as many honors courses as possible
over the next few semesters. Courses which are offered for honors credit
are designated in the CCSF Class Schedule. Also look under “H” for Honors.
Please study the schedule carefully and look for the fine print which
designates the honors contract option or section. There are two types of
honors classes: Honors Sections and Honors Contracts. Honors Sections
require that all students in the section complete honors work and carry
honors
credit for all students in the section. Honors contracts only
require honors work for those students whom opt to do the extra / different
project in order to receive honors credit. Both Honors Sections and
Honors Contracts give you the same amount of honors credit. Please
make sure that all of the
honors courses you take at CCSF will transfer to the institutions you
want to attend in the future. You may want to check with the Transfer Center
(Ocean Campus Science Building – Room 132 /Phone 415-239-3748) if you are
not sure about whether a course you are planning to take transfers to the
college or university of your choice.
How are the courses specifically different?
Generally speaking honors courses include work that is more challenging
and interesting than the regular class might offer. If you have specific
questions about a course, which is offered for honors credit, please contact
the instructor by calling the general number for CCSF (415-239-3000) and
asking to be connected to the instructor named in the CCSF Schedule of
Classes. The Honors Program office does not keep specific information about
individual courses.
How do I get started on an honors contract?
First off, you only need to do an Honors Contract if you are in a section
with an Honors Contract Option. If you are in an Honors Section and everyone
is doing honors work, a contract is not applicable. If you are in an Honors
Option section, it should be indicated in the CCSF Schedule of Classes.
Occasionally some instructors who are not listed in the Schedule of Classes
as offering honors contract options will announce to their classes that
they are willing to do honors projects. The next step is to sit down with
your instructor and decide on a mutually agreeable project. Broad criteria
for a good project are included with the Honors Contract form. Specific
criteria are determined by your instructor. While the Honors Program enforces
the broad criteria the specific criteria are up to your instructors.
Some instructors may ask for your input in this area. Once you have decided
on a project with your instructor, simply fill out the top portion of the
Honors Contract form and send it to the Honors Program office (Batmale
572, Mail Box L221). At the end of the
semester the Honors Program office will send the form back to your
instructor for his/her signature. Assuming you have completed the project,
the Honors Contract form will be signed as completed and you will get honors
credit on your transcripts for that course.
If I am doing an honors contract, when are the projects due?
All deadlines for honors projects are to be determined by your instructor.
When are the honors contract forms due?
The top portion of the Honors Contract form (the project proposal) should be filled out and turned in to the honors office by approximately mid-semester. The top portion describes only a proposed project. Once the project is completed by the deadline specified by your instructor, the bottom portion of the Honors Contract form (Honors Certification) will be turned in to the Honors Program Office by the end of the semester. Once the Honors Program has recorded and approved your proposals they are sent back to your instructor for Certification (assuming you complete the project in a satisfactory manner).
How can I find out information about the content of an honors course?
The CCSF Catalog can give you basic information about a course. Beyond that you will need to get a copy of the syllabus from the instructor of the course. The CCSF Honors Program does not keep this information.
When is the TAP (Transfer Alliance Program) application due for UCLA?
If you wish to attend UCLA starting in the fall you will need to apply during the preceding year through normal means by the regular fall deadline (usually November 30th). In addition to the regular UCLA application, you will also need to fill out a TAP Certification Form. Your TAP Certification Form will not be due until the beginning of the spring semester immediately preceding the fall you intend to start at UCLA. Once you return from winter break and have your fall grades drop by the CCSF Honors Office with your official or unofficial transcripts from the CCSF Transcripts Office in Conlan Hall (Unfortunately web transcripts cannot be accepted because they do not reveal the honors work). Be sure to fill out a TAP Certification Form when you drop off your transcripts. After reviewing your entire transcripts the CCSF Honors Coordinator will determine if you are eligible for the TAP program. Among other things, he will be checking to be sure you have completed or intend to complete 15 units of honors work before you graduate from CCSF and that your overall CCSF GPA is 3.0 or higher. Assuming you get the approval and sign-off of the Honors Program Coordinator, you will be asked to meet with a counselor in the Transfer Center in the Science Building. The transfer counselor will need to sign the TAP Certification Form too. This form should then be sent to UCLA. If you are accepted by the TAP program, your application to UCLA will be given priority treatment. You may also be eligible for a scholarship. It should be noted that acceptance into the TAP program is not “guaranteed admission”. For more information about UCLA’s TAP program please visit the two web pages they sponsor on the topic: http://www.college.ucla.edu/up/
And also for UCLA...
http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_tr/adm_cco/tap.htm
If I have been admitted to the program, do I need to apply again the following semester?
No. Assuming your GPA remains at the 3.0 or higher level, you will continue to be in the Honors Program and need not apply again. If your GPA falls below 3.0 please re-apply for the program once your GPA has recovered.
I want to apply to a college which CCSF has no specific honors agreement.
Will taking honors
classes still be a benefit?
Yes. Please note that even if the college you want to transfer to is not listed as having an agreement with CCSF, doing honors work will still look good on your transcripts and could give you an edge when applying for admission/scholarships. Every honors course you take will be designated and should be impressive to admissions officers, regardless of the school. CCSF currently has transfer agreements with UCLA, SFSU, Mills College, CSU-East Bay, UCI, SDSU, Pacific University, Whitman College, and Saint Mary's College.
Does my honors designation appear on my transcripts when I print them off the web?
Yes. The honors designation will not appear on your report cards. We apologize for this inconvenience.
Will the Honors Program professors work with all CCSF students on honors projects?
This is often the case, but there are certainly some exceptions. Some professors are so popular with honors students that they cannot work with everyone that wants to do honors projects with them. They may give you a test and work with only the top scorers. Others may have various other criteria. Some professors will not work with students on honors projects who have not earned a CCSF GPA of 3.0 or higher (your GPA goes on the honors contract form so that is how they know about it). The best way to find out is to ask them. The CCSF website (http://www.ccsf.edu/Info/Dir/dir.shtml) has every professor's e-mail address and phone number on it so you should ask them.
Is it acceptable for a student to complete all of the 15 units required for the UCLA TAP (Transfer Alliance Program) certification during her/his last spring semester at CCSF?
No. At least 6 of the 15 required honors program units must be completed by the end of the fall semester the academic year before the student wants to begin at UCLA. So for example if a student wants to start at UCLA in the fall of 2010, s/he must complete at least 6 honors units of the required 15 honors units by the end of fall 2009 in order to be TAP certified. The remaining 9 units can be completed in the spring of 2010.
It should also be noted that in order to be eligible for TAP certification the minimum number of honors courses a student can take is five.
What are the specific benefits of the Honors Program in terms of some of the more popular schools CCSF Honors Program students typically apply to?
Although your Honors credits will impress almost any college of university admissions officer, if CCSF has an honors transfer partnership with that school you may receive additional benefits. Students in the Honors Program who complete 15 units in Honors Program may qualify for the following transfer privileges. Consult the Transfer Center or the Honors Program Office for specific requirements and deadlines. In most cases students are also required to do their General Education Requirements and in some cases (especially UCLA) they are also strongly advised to do their major preparation (see assist.org for more information on major preparation). Please note that even if the college you want to transfer to is not listed here, doing honors work will still look good on your transcripts and could give you an edge when applying for admission/scholarships. In addition to the 15 honors units, students who wish to apply must have a minimum 3.0 GPA to qualify for all partnerships with the exception of Mills College and St. Mary’s, which require a 3.5 GPA for scholarship opportunities.
Mills College, Oakland
* Priority Admission
* Renewable Annual Scholarship
Opportunities (Ranging from $10,000 to $12,500)
* Honors Credit for Mills
Classes while still at CCSF
San Francisco State University
UC, Irvine:Community College Transfer Program
* Renewable $8000 Honors at Entrance
Scholarship.
* $55 admission application fee is waived
* Complimentary access to the SMC library
facilities prior to transfer
* Guaranteed on-campus housing
UC Berkeley
* Although CCSF does not have a written agreement with UCB, during various meetings with administrators at UCB we have been informed that Honors Program participation is considered during the admissions process. Mr. Sami Kudsi, CCSF Honors Program Coordinator has met with both UCB’s Northern California Transfer Specialist and UCB’s Director of Undergraduate Admissions to explain the goals of the Honors Program and has been received favorably. Mr. Kudsi helped the Transfer Specialist design a handout about the Community College Honors Programs which is given to undergraduate admissions readers.