Frequently Asked Questions for high schoolers
Enrolling in an Honors course during high school can be an effective way to learn more about Honors early and earn college credit while you are at it. Below are answers to frequently asked questions to help you get started.
High school students are eligible to take Honors Colloquium - our first-year curriculum. Honors Colloquium is a two-semester sequence of courses designed to introduce you to the Honors College and to modes of inquiry and expression at the University of Wyoming. The theme for the fall semester course is “dreams and reality,” a topic we will explore from multiple disciplinary perspectives. Together, we will investigate how our sense of reality depends upon dreams and how dreams, in turn, extend and complicate our understanding of what reality might be. In the process, we will explore how, through grappling with dreams and reality, people historically have found meaning in the world and continue to do so, which will lead into the spring semester where we will explore the question: "What does it mean to be a human being?" Please check out the our Colloquium curriculum to learn more.
Once you submit your application, the Honors Advising team will contact you to let you know if you have been accepted into Colloquium. Because the Colloquium is reserved for current first-year Honors students, you are not able to add the course to your schedule on your end. The Advising Team would add the course to your schedule. You will be notified once the course is added to your schedule.
You are eligible to take Colloquium II if you have completed COM 1 (part of the USP Communication sequence at UW and a general education requirement) with a grade of B or better. If you have not already completed a COM 1, you need to take Colloquium I before Colloquium II. It is encouraged that you take Colloquium I in the Fall and Colloquium II in the Spring.
It depends. We strongly encourage you to take Colloquium in-person. If you have a distance limitation or need, please contact honorsadvising@uwyo.edu. These requests for online/distance learning will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, you will be asked to share your strategies for online learning to demonstrate your apptitude in this modality in your appliation.
Colloquium I and II each carry 3 credits, and they also fulfill part of the University’s USP requirements, COM 1 and COM 2.
No. If you have finished Colloquium I and II as a high school guest, you will not be required to Colloquium again as a first-year college student, and you may start taking Honors upper division courses. However, the Honors first-year SOAR badge is still required for you.
- In at least 150 words please share with us why you would like to take an Honors course as a High School Senior. Please note what appeals to you about the Honors College and Colloquium.
- In an essay of 300-400 words, please describe what curiosity means to you and how it fuels your educational journey. Discuss how your curiosity has shaped your interests, motivated you to overcome challenges, or led you to explore new areas of knowledge. Include specific examples from your own experiences to illustrate your insights.
If you are applying to enroll in an online section of Colloquium than you will be asked an additional question:
- In today’s digital age, online learning has become an integral part of education, offering both opportunities and challenges. In 200-300 words reflect on your experiences with online learning and describe your approach to navigating this environment. How do you stay motivated, manage your time, and engage with the material? Share specific strategies you use and any challenges you’ve encountered, as well as how these experiences have shaped your learning style and personal growth. Additionally, consider how these insights will support your success in a college-level Honors course.
