Academic Scholars Program

Click here to accept your Academic Scholars invitation

The Academic Scholars Program is specifically designed for incoming first-year students with strong academic records who are seeking enriched academic opportunities in the first year of college. While all Academic Scholars share a strong history of academic success, they have diverse majors and interests. Academics Scholars use the program to individually enrich their course of studies.

Enhanced Opportunities

The overall goal for the Academic Scholars Program is to provide enhanced academic opportunities for you during the first year of college. If you are interested in this type of challenge, the Academic Scholarship Program provides:

• Recognition of your high school achievements through invitation to this selective academic program
• Access to enriched coursework in your first year at MSU, including Honors section of required general education classes and selected Honors courses in the other departments
• Opportunities to begin Honors work from the start of your college years, possibly as prelude to Honors College membership
• Access to smaller classes, taught by faculty who take a personal interest in your intellectual growth
• The option to reside with other Academic Scholars in Holden Hall
• Academic Scholars recognition on your MSU transcript and at graduation for completing the program

Eligibility

Participation in the Academic Scholars Program is limited to approximately 200 students per year. High-achieving high school students will be invited to ASP following admission to Michigan State University. After being notified of eligibility, students who respond will be admitted on a first-come basis.

Limited housing for Scholars in Holden Hall will also be coordinated on a first-come basis. Academic Scholars housing is optional, so membership in the program does not create a conflict with other Living-Learning programs at MSU, such as Lyman Briggs College, James Madison College, the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, and similar residential programs.

Program Information

For Students Admitted Beginning Fall 2018 or after

Academic Scholars must complete the following requirements during their first year at MSU:

Two Honors experiences (course, section, option)
Any Honors course or section of 3 or more credits may be used to fulfill this requirement. Common choices include an Honors course/section in Integrative Studies, WRA or other Tier I writing course, math or statistics, a course required for your major or an elective. Only one of these experiences may be fulfilled with an Honors Option.

First-year experience
UGS 101 (on campus), 102 or 102H (abroad), 103 (away), 110, or college-based freshman seminar, or similar Honors experience may be used to fulfill this requirement.

Participants in the Academic Scholars Program will be encouraged to participate in a variety of educational experiences to enhance academic/student success.

Some Academic Scholars may be admitted as campus admits to the Honors College in January of their initial year at MSU. Other ASP students will receive consideration for the Honors College after the first academic year and be invited to join the Honors College if they earn a 3.5 cumulative GPA (Dean’s list threshold) and have completed two honors experiences and at least one first year experience during their initial year at MSU.

Academic Scholars who complete all three required experiences by the end of their first year at MSU and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the end of their first year will be recognized as participants in the Academic Scholars Program in the Commencement Program and on their transcripts.

ASP Approved Course List

Academic Scholars always have access to any Integrative Studies Honors section, any WRA 195H section (or LB 133H for Briggs majors), and Honors sections of several additional courses that may apply to a major or be taken as electives. Academic Scholars have access to honors courses/sections as long as they meet pre-requisites and course restrictions. Please search the Schedule of Courses and filter by honors courses.

Courses Authorized for Honors Options

Contact Us
Oscar Lopez, Admissions Associate
E-mail: lopezosc@msu.edu or honors@msu.edu

Academic Scholars Program
Eustace-Cole Hall
468 E. Circle Drive, Room 105
East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: (517) 355-2326

Academic Scholars Advising (for Current MSU students):
Chris Raisanen
Academic Scholars Program
Eustace-Cole Hall
468 E. Circle Drive, Room 105
East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: (517) 355-2326
E-mail: chrisr@msu.edu

Erika Trigg Crews
Academic Scholars Program
Eustace-Cole Hall
468 E. Circle Drive, Room 105
East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: (517) 355-2326
Email: ecrews@msu.edu

Sadiq Mohammed
Academic Scholars Program
Eustace-Cole Hall
468 E. Circle Drive, Room 105
East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: (517) 355-2326
Email: mohamm61@msu.edu

Joel Maidens
Academic Scholars Program
Eustace-Cole Hall
468 E. Circle Drive, Room 105
East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: (517) 355-2326
Email: maidens1@msu.edu