Info for High School Students
FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS APPLYING TO CAROLINA
Honors Carolina students are smart, driven, and inquisitive. They have a passion for learning that extends beyond the classroom. They question, experiment, create.
INDICATE YOUR INTEREST ON THE UNC APPLICATION
When applying for admission to Carolina, you will have the opportunity to indicate on the application that you wish to be considered for Honors Carolina. Students who do not indicate an interest in Honors Carolina will not be offered a place in our program. Students who do indicate an interest will have their entire application reviewed by our team to determine if we believe they will be a good fit for membership. Supplemental essays, recommendations, test scores, grades, extracurricular activities, and class rank are all considered during our holistic review of each application.
As we read supplemental essays, we’ll be looking for:
- evidence of a strong intellectual curiosity
- broad interest in interdisciplinary learning
- willingness to explore outside of one’s comfort zone
- critical self-reflection of academic goals
Recommendations from teachers and guidance counselors also tell us a lot about a student. Strong recommendations will address a student’s:
- academic success
- demonstrated ability to face challenges
- sense of discovery
- potential contribution to a community of scholars
While there is no set formula of grades, test scores, and class rank that guarantees an invitation to join Honors Carolina, the following statistics provide some measure of the academic success our students demonstrated in high school.
- Average High School Class Rank: Top 3-4%
- Average SAT Score: 1450
Decisions are final and ineligible for appeal or reconsideration.
CHECK YOUR MYCAROLINA PORTAL
If you are invited to join Honors Carolina, you will have a notice in your MyCarolina portal indicating your selection once admissions decisions are released. Additionally, you will receive a congratulatory email from the Honors Carolina Associate Dean and a hard-copy invitation packet within a few days of the UNC admissions release (usually late January / early February for early action and late March / early April for regular decision).
IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE AN INVITATION
If you do not receive an invitation to join Honors Carolina but plan to enroll at UNC as a first year student in the fall, you will want to apply to Honors Carolina in January, after completing one semester in Chapel Hill. Click here to learn more.
