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How to Write the Florida State University Essays 2021-2022

Located just west of Tallahassee, Florida State University is a suburban public university that hosts over 41,000 students on its campus. FSU offers its students a wide selection of 351 programs, including 107 undergraduate majors across various disciplines.

Florida State is well known for its vibrant social scene and its top varsity athletic programs. The beloved “Seminoles” have won many Atlantic Coast conferences and national championships. The intensity of the football team’s rivalry with the University of Florida’s Gators spreads throughout the entire student body and reaches a climax at the annual Sunshine Showdown.

Approximately 37% of applicants gain admission. Calculate your chances of acceptance to FSU using our free chancing engine.

Florida State accepts its own FSU Application, the Common Application, or the Coalition Application. For the FSU and Coalition Applications, there are 5 essay topics you can choose from. You only need to choose one and write a 650-word essay. We’ve broken those 5 down below. For the Common Application, you can choose from the Common App prompts .  

FSU Application Essay Prompts

Essay prompt instructions.

Candidates are to compose one 650-word essay after deciding on one of the five prompts published on the school’s website.

The purpose of the essay is to help the admissions committee learn more about you as a person. Although the essay is described as only “highly recommended,” in reality admissions officers are expecting serious applicants to submit an essay (unless under extenuating circumstances). Your writing will paint a personal picture for the admission officers and demonstrate serious interest in the school.

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

The first prompt asks for you to discuss a memory or story of a situation that either showcased or affected you personally. FSU’s goal here is to assess your storytelling ability and better understand your values and character through a specific example.

It is crucial for you to connect your story and its effect on your character to who you are as a person. It would be an easy mistake to use all 550 words to discuss this important narrative and ignore the crux of the question: its “demonstration of your character.”

Impactful essays do not have to be based on extreme physical or mental experiences. In fact, it is the accumulation of small experiences that defines how we react during turbulent times. An act of any scale that was especially memorable to you can work; it’s about how you analyze the incident, not what the incident was.

For instance, you might choose to write about being friends with someone who faced mental health issues and how that changed your feelings toward such illnesses and led you to participate in a campaign for raising mental health awareness. You could take it a step further, explaining how the experience shaped your behavior not only around that particular friend, but also around everybody else you know.

Keep in mind that the scope of the question also includes experiences that helped shape your character, so you can even choose to write about something you’ve witnessed others do. Remember to use concise but vivid imagery to describe the situation in the first 150-250 words and then devote the rest of the words to analyzing its impact on character.

It may be wise to write longer drafts at first (in the 700-word range). This allows the editing process to filter for the essence of the writing, instead of trying to add more content, thereby ensuring the fluency of the writing.

Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.

This question appears to be more challenging than the previous one, as you have to detail a selfless act of sacrifice while explaining your motivations and avoiding corny wording.

Note that this “greater good” contribution does not limit you to instances in which you interacted with groups of “great” numbers. No matter the scale of your impact, if there existed a beneficiary to your actions, then you can write about it. Remember that “greater good” excludes class assignments or other activities that were required of you.

The key to this essay is making sure your motivations for the contribution are portrayed as personal and unique to you.

Many students will choose to write about a volunteer experience they participated in. If you choose to discuss a community service activity, make sure you differentiate your experience by highlighting your motivations and your emotions during the experience (rather than describing simply the activity you participated in).  

For example, you might choose to write about a mission trip to another country that you took in your sophomore year of high school. However, rather than discussing the trip as a whole, it would be more effective to focus on a particular moment or problem that you encountered during the trip.

For instance, you could elaborate on the experience of visiting one of the children’s homes and the feeling of speaking to his parents directly. Describing a particular moment, as well as the specific emotions you felt and how your perspectives changed because of it, would help the essay stand out in a pile of volunteering essays.

In addition, focus on the process of the contribution and how you felt emotionally throughout the act.

Try to answer the following questions:

• What would have happened if you did not make that sacrifice/contribution? How would you have felt then?
• How did the contribution make you feel? How did it make others around you feel? How did it make the beneficiaries feel?
• What did you learn?

Emphasizing the internal development that occurred during your experience is key to making this essay shine.

Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?

This third prompt asks to hear about a philosophical difference you have had with a family member, teacher, peer, society at large, or even yourself. In a sense, this prompt is similar to the previous one about the “meaningful contribution.” In both cases, FSU wants to learn about a process occurring in your mind. The previous prompt emphasizes actions and their effects, while this focuses more on an ideological struggle.

For example, though you’ve believed in religion all your life, perhaps you learned of a different viewpoint while reading a research paper and began questioning the validity of adhering to the religion in which you grew up. The research paper may have been the stimulus that led you to develop your own feelings toward particular values or even the presence of the supernatural.

An average essay would discuss an incident in which you completely disregarded the challenging viewpoint or, on the other end of the spectrum, completely threw away your previous tenet and grasped onto the new idea. Such an essay does not show any meaningful growth or internal re-evaluation. Instead, a great essay would elucidate the internal struggle stemming from confronting a new viewpoint and the difficulties associated with challenging your own beliefs.

As with the first prompt, remember to focus the essay on your response to someone/something’s questioning of your tenant. Using too much of the essay for a description of the conundrum will render it ineffective in answering the latter two parts of the question.

What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

This prompt is the wild card. It allows more room for creativity and “fun” writing than any of the other questions. FSU’s goal here is not only to evaluate your ability to reflect on experiences, but also to understand what you value in life.

This essay can be particularly difficult to write well because it requires additional effort to compose an engaging, intriguing, fun, but also appropriate essay. There are universal challenges to being a teenager: arguments with parents; teenage angst; finding one’s place in school, family, and life, etc. It is completely fine to write about “common” obstacles, but you need to be able to differentiate your stories from others.

Humor and style of writing will play large roles in this essay, so we recommend this prompt if you sincerely enjoy creative writing, particularly short stories, novels, and comedies. Keep in mind, however, that the majority of admissions officers reading these essays are going to be in a generation older than you. It is not a bad idea to consider what kinds of teenage experiences would be relatable to them.

Additionally, the essay is asking for the “hardest part” as well as the “best part;” answering both of those separately in 550 words can make both answers short and ineffective. We recommend that you choose one single story that can relate to both of those questions. For example, you could use stories from your part-time job at Dairy Queen to connect the difficulties of adjusting to added responsibility in conjunction with the increased respect you received from your parents.

Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

This last question is a catch-all.

Do not let your guard down because you can write about anything here. Unless you already have a great essay prepared from answering another school’s prompts, without a prompt here your creative idea may lose focus. Oftentimes, candidates are so engrossed in telling the story that they lose sight of what is really important: selling yourself.

As with the previous essays, you should decide and write down concretely what exactly you want the admissions officers to think about you upon finishing this essay. Build the rest of the essay around how you want them to perceive you, and dedicate more than half of the writing to demonstrating that main point through various anecdotes, not general statements.

We here at CollegeVine wish you the best of luck on your FSU essay!

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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College Essays

Florida State University, or FSU, is a top-100 school and ranked number three in Florida Colleges . With a 25 percent acceptance rating , they’re considered to be a competitive school. That means you’ll need to impress them in your application, and a well-written FSU essay is one great way to go about it!

This guide will walk you through the FSU essay, including whether or not writing one is the right choice for you.

Feature image: Ayzmo /Wikimedia Commons

What Should You Know About the FSU Application Essay?

Unlike many schools, FSU’s essay is optional. You can apply using the Coalition or Common Application, or even FSU’s own app—the Coalition and FSU apps have the same prompts, whereas the Common app has its own set.

Whether you should use the Coalition, Common, or FSU-specific application depends on a few different variables. What application system do the other schools that you’re applying to use? Because these applications can be sent to multiple schools, you can use whatever one is most convenient.

If you’re not sure, read up on the pros and cons of each to help you make a decision. If you’re still not sure, you can always use FSU’s unique application.

FSU only requires one essay. You have five prompts to choose from if you’re using the FSU or Coalition Application, and seven to choose from if you’re using the Common Application. Regardless of what prompt you choose, your essay should be under 600 words.

If you're thinking about writing an FSU essay, you probably should.

Should You Write an FSU Essay?

Because FSU’s essays are optional, it’s natural to ask whether you should write one at all. You’re likely writing tons of essays for other applications, and maybe you just want a bit of a break from the whole process.

However, if you’re given the opportunity to expand on your application in an essay, it’s usually in your best interest to take it. Before you start, do some brainstorming about what aspects of yourself could use some fleshing out in your application. If you have an interest that hasn’t been covered elsewhere or an experience you want to share that will help make you a more appealing candidate for FSU, definitely write the essay—it’s your best opportunity to showcase that side of you, and those personal details are exactly what FSU wants to see.

I f you’re struggling to think of something to cover in the supplemental essay, spend some time brainstorming and looking through all of the available prompts . If you’re offered a place to write an essay, it’s best to take it, unless you truly feel that you have nothing to expand upon. If that’s the case, consider why that is—you may find that there’s an essay topic there, too!

Essentially, you should be writing an essay for this section, even if it’s optional. Taking this opportunity to expand on your application both demonstrates your commitment and shows your multiple facets. It won’t be the sole determining factor in your application, but if you have the opportunity to up your chances, do it!

A fresh notebook is one great way to get your brain in gear to write.

What Are the FSU Essay Prompts?

FSU’s essay prompts are determined by which application you choose to use— Coalition, Common, or FSU’s own application . If you choose the Coalition or FSU application, you have five prompts to choose from, and if you choose the Common Application you’ll have seven. You only need to write one essay, so choose whichever prompt resonates with you most strongly.

Because these are the same prompts used in the standard application formats, follow the guidelines for either the Coalition Application or the Common Application depending on which prompt you choose. Do feel free to get more specific than you would if the essay was going to every school, however—if you’re only sending it to FSU, tying your essay to something specific about the college can demonstrate that you’re more serious about attending!

Coalition Application/FSU Essay Prompts

• Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.
• Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.
• Has there been a time when you've had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?
• What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What's the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?
• Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

Common Application Essay Prompts

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Having a plan from the start will help you write a better FSU essay.

5 Key FSU Essay Tips

As with all college essays, having a plan before you start is the best way to ace FSU’s supplemental essay. Don’t just jump in and hope for the best—start early, give yourself plenty of time to revise, and polish your essay as best you can to impress the admissions office with your achievements and individuality.

Remember everything you learned in school about brainstorming and outlining? Now’s the time to put it into action. If you brainstorm and outline a few different options to find the one that works best for you and that makes you feel the proudest of it, you’ll save yourself some time. A strong outline is the first step to a strong essay, and you won’t be losing hours and hours of work if you decide midway through that a prompt isn’t working for you.

Once you’ve settled on a topic and you have a firm idea of how you want to write it, it’s time to draft. Don’t worry about making your first draft perfect—nobody has to see it but you! Get your ideas out first, set them aside, and return to them after a few days to polish them into a state where you’re comfortable letting others see them.

#3: Seek Feedback

Now comes the hard part—letting other people give you feedback. Choose a few people you trust to give you honest and helpful advice on your essay, not just those who are going to tell you it looks great. When you receive feedback, don’t feel like it’s a personal attack or that you need to make every change people suggest—often, you can find a middle ground between readers not understanding what you meant and maintaining your own voice and writing style.

Revising is one of the most important steps in crafting a great essay. All that feedback you got in the previous step will help guide your next draft, giving you a roadmap to work from. Make notes on your draft, add and delete things, and read the whole thing aloud to make sure it flows well. Once you’re satisfied, put it away!

#5: Let It Rest

Letting your draft rest for a bit gives you some time to forget what you’ve written and come back to it with fresh eyes. When you read your essay for the first time in a while, you can start to see any errors that have crept in or any inconsistencies in your logic. Now that you’ve already gotten feedback and revised your essay, you can clean these last bits up and have an essay you’re really proud of!

What's Next?

If you're applying to FSU, you want to be sure that your standardized test scores are up to snuff. Whether you're taking the ACT or SAT , our guides will help you figure out where you are and where you need to be.

Part of college searching is figuring out what colleges you can afford and how much financial aid you'll need to cover. With our guide to FSU's tuition and financial aid , all your bases are covered!

Not sure if FSU is for you? Check out this list of other schools in Florida to find the college that suits you best.

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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Florida State University

FSU | Writing Resources

Writing Resources

The English Department

• Reading-Writing Center

The Writing Center is closed during finals week and for summer A. We will reopen for summer B on Monday, June 24. Thank you for a great year and congratulations to all the graduates!

The Writing Center |   We work best when we work with others.

The Florida State University Reading-Writing Center (RWC) is an inclusive resource for FSU students of all majors, programs, and backgrounds. Whether you are working on a paper or larger writing project, the RWC-DS can assist you during any stage of your work process.

In the RWC, our consultants act as practice audiences for ideas and projects. Here are some of the ways we can work with you:  

• You are working on a research essay that calls for using scholarly articles and synthesizing sources.
• You are writing a personal statement for different graduate programs.
• You are writing a piece of fiction, creative nonfiction, and/or poetry and would like feedback.
• You are putting together a conference article or research presentation.
• You are revising a thesis or dissertation section.

Whether in person or online, we're committed to providing sessions that help you to express your ideas in academics and beyond. 

Schedule a Meeting

During summer B, fall, and spring semesters, the Writing Center offers in-person and Zoom meetings.  If you have not used the writing center before, learn how to make an appointment .

631 University Way

Located in the English department on the second floor (room 222) , our main writing center holds sessions Monday through Friday.

Please note: the Williams building is  NOT  the William-Johnston building! This location is on the east side of campus near Westcott Fountain between Dodd Hall and Diffenbaugh Building. 

143 Honors Way

The RWC has a satellite location in the Johnston (William-Johnston) building on the ground floor platform area Monday through Friday.

The Johnston location is in the center of campus next to Landis Green and the Honors College. Look for the large writing center sign across from the main staircase in the lobby.

116 Honors Way

Looking for later times? The RWC is in Strozier library Monday through Thursday from 5-8pm. We are located on the first floor near the circulation desk.

Look for the writing center signs on the small kidney bean tables, in-between the computers and lounge area. Can't find us? Visit the circulation desk for assistance.

Make Your Appointment Here

You can view a map of our campus locations here .

Hours of Operation

Summer b 2024 (june 24 - august 2).

We offer in-person and Zoom appointments across all locations. Please note our operating hours are in Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Writing Center @ Williams (English Building, Room 222)

To make an appointment or to see our availability, go to  fsu.mywconline.com    

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Reading-Writing Center (RWC)? 

The Reading-Writing Center is a writing resource for FSU students of all majors, programs, and backgrounds. In the RWC, consultants act as practice audiences for ideas and writing projects. 

What projects can I work on at the RWC?

The RWC welcomes all writing projects. We work with students on writing such as critical essays, research papers, theses and dissertation drafts, creative writing, and professional job documents. When you schedule a meeting, our consultants will discuss your writing goals and areas of focus (brainstorming, organization, formatting, etc.) with you. 

Who can I work with and how can they help me?

Our consultants are undergraduate and graduate students. Read their bios and learn more about their specialty areas: https://wr.english.fsu.edu/Reading-Writing-Center/Meet-the-Staff  

Whether the session is in-person or online, our consultants can work with students on any stage of the writing process from brainstorming to revising. They can work with you as you develop ideas or revise aspects of your writing, but please note that consultants cannot line edit for students. Our goal is to work with students and offer strategies or approaches for their writing projects. 

What should I bring to my appointment?

Please bring a laptop or have two paper copies of your writing ready at the start of the consultation. If you are working on a draft or have written ideas, you can upload the file(s) to your appointment form. 

How do I make an appointment? 

If you haven't used our service before, register for an account here .

Log in at fsu.mywconline.com , select a schedule, and make an appointment by selecting an available time. You will receive an email confirmation indicating your appointment has been made. You can log back into the system at any time to change or cancel your appointment.

What if I need to cancel my appointment? 

If you can’t attend your in-person or Zoom meeting, please cancel your appointment at https://fsu.mywconline.com . 

There is no penalty for a cancellation. However, if you miss your meeting and don't cancel, we will mark you as a no-show. After three no-shows, your account will automatically be deactivated until you contact the RWC Director ( [email protected] ). 

Will the RWC proofread or edit my work? 

The RWC will not proofread or line edit for students. Instead, a consultant will work with you to learn skills and strategies that will help you proofread and edit more effectively. 

If you are a graduate student who needs assistance with Electronic Thesis & Dissertation (ETD) formatting, please consult the Graduate School’s formatting guidelines.

Do I need to bring a draft to my session? 

No. You are not required to bring any writing to the RWC. Consultants can assist you at any stage of the writing process including the early idea stages. Simply make an appointment and note brainstorming as one of your goals in the form. 

What is the Digital Studio (DS)? 

The Digital Studio is a learning facility for digital and multimedia projects. Consultants in the DS can help students with digital projects such as websites, video editing, or layout design.

Digital Studio computers all have access to the Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere). For more information, visit: https://wr.english.fsu.edu/digital-studio-home . 

I am an undergraduate. How can I get more involved in the Reading-Writing Center and Digital Studio? Do I need to be an English major? 

The RWC hires undergraduate interns from any major who have taken ENC 3493: Peer Tutoring in the Reading-Writing Center and Digital Studio. This prerequisite course explores how learners approach writing and why these approaches are highly individualized. ENC 3493 is an experiential learning course that includes observation and co-consulting with current RWC consultants.  

Stay in Touch

[email protected]  |  @fsurwc         .

• How to Write the Florida State University Essay

• The Why FSU Essay Prompts
• Prompt 1 “Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.”
• Prompt 2 “Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.”
• Prompt 3 “Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?”
• Prompt 4 “What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?”
• Prompt 5 “Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.”
• 3 Cliches, That Should be Avoided

The prestige of university or college is measured by the acceptance rate. During the admission period, every application is counted and assessed. As a result, only the best get to study. Florida State University is not an Ivy League school, but getting in is challenging anyway. Let’s discuss what it takes to become an FSU student and how to write an FSU essay to pass the admission with the flying colors. 

The Why FSU Essay Prompts 

It is crucial to understand the intention behind every assignment you are given since you are going to be a college student now. The college essays will be following you around from now on. The FSU essay prompts are designed to demonstrate a set of skills that a candidate mastered during school time. The admission officer providing an essay review has an eye for talented people, and of course a list of criteria. Let’s look into the topics that FSU offers. Each of them has a different focus. Although at a first glance they do not seem to be a challenge when you get to the assessment criteria your viewpoint will change. 

Prompt 1 “Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.” 

This piece aims at seeing how events of your life influenced your personality and shaped your worldview. You can be as creative as you want with the idea of the answer. Remember the main thing, that the officer wants to see how you mastered the art of narration. 

Best colleges essays should aim to describe the thought process, a complex mental activity. However, the sentences you write should not be as complex and long-winded. Try using a hint. Put down a sentence or a couple of them. Then delete the words randomly and see if you can still grasp the sense. If the answer is yes, then some parts are redundant. 

Prompt 2 “Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.”  

To start with, recall any program or extracurricular activity you were involved in. By no means, the fact you participated is enough. It narrows down the search areas for the ideas. In this section, you need to describe a deed that served as a contribution to someone’s well being. To be more specific, use these questions to find the idea:

• Did I do something extraordinary that changed someone else’s life (community, individual, etc) without getting any advantage from it?
• What lesson did I learn from it?

Prompt 3   “Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?” 

This section aims at checking your mental preparedness for college life and the collapse of multiple opinions. The college values independent people who can stand up for their point of view and prove it. So, what you want to showcase here is your belief in something and how it was challenged by your environment. It can be a case of religion, but also any idea you followed. Describe the influence of something completely opposite to your belief happening and how it influenced your mental state.

Prompt 4   “What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?”  

Writing this section should start with flags or things to avoid. Remember that the admissions officer reading the essay prompt is most probably a parent, high chances are that he has a teenager. Expressing a one-sided point of view on some issues of a parent - teenage relationships might be disrespectful. Hence, whatever you write, stay polite. 

This section can be entertaining, and not necessarily serious. Jokes, funny incidents that happened to you when you got your first car, job, went on a school trip, are suitable for this topic. Bear in mind that 550 words that are allowed for this prompt are not enough for describing a series of events. Stick to one idea not to lose the focus. 

Prompt 5   “Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.” 

This topic deserves the title of the most provocative one. It tricks students into thinking that the task allows a flight of fancy. Under no circumstances should you forget that the rules of writing stay the same for every topic. You need to stick to the principles:

• Make up precise and meaningful sentences
• Select a limited number of ideas and keep the focus on them
• Have well -thought structure
• Draw conclusions 
• Avoid redundancy
• Make impressions with your words

You should be ready for such kind of a topic. So, browse college essay topics  beforehand to come up with some interesting ideas to write about.

3 Cliches, That Should be Avoided 

Essays for admission to Florida State University often contain typical stories and clichés, which will be discussed in this material. “Tell us about your personal qualities, talents, achievements or experience that you consider the most significant.” In one form or another this question is asked when entering almost any American university. Members of the Admission Committee read thousands of essays be it FSU,  Georgetown supplemental essays , University of Washhington essay , Cornell engineering essay , or essays that worked JHU .

So, how can you make your essay noticed in the ocean of the same stories? Begin with the choice of a suitable topic, which will help you describe your experience in a capacious and sincere way, while demonstrating the opportunity to write beautifully.

However, it is easy to say not to do. Before choosing what you will write about in your FSU essay, it is useful to know which topics should be avoided and why. Here are some of the most popular template topics.

1. A story about a volunteer project demonstrating your willingness to help others.

“Many applicants decide to write about their participation in the volunteer project or involvement in the activities of the church,” says Marie Chaufer, head of the Admissions Committee. “This is a wonderful experience that has undoubtedly affected your personal development. The only problem is that wherever you go and whatever projects you are involved in, the conclusion is always the same – you like helping people. And it’s great, – she explains, – but, unfortunately, this experience will not help you stand out against the background of other applicants».

2. “Continuity of a certain profession in your family” as a topic of fsu essay example.

“There is nothing wrong with being proud that your family is also associated with the profession you have chosen, but the continuity speculation does not help you “sell” yourself to the admissions committee,” explains Christopher Hall, assistant professor at the University. “Perhaps Mick Jagger is an excellent singer,” he adds, “but this does not guarantee that this gift was passed on to his children. Therefore, it’s better to tell about your own talents and abilities, and not about the achievements of your great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers.”

3. Overcoming sports trauma in the center of the narrative of your admission essay.

As Drew Nichols, the member of the Admissions Committee of the University of St. Edwards , rightly points out: “Applicants of most American universities come from different classes of society. Many promising candidates had to go through such difficulties as poverty, a difficult family situation, a serious illness. The essay on the topic of a sports injury demonstrates only by the fact that you do not realize how lucky you are.” “If you bring the inability to play football for one semester as the biggest difficulty in your life,” he explains, “then you simply do not realize what challenges some of your peers have to face.”

Every professional admission writer knows that essay prompts require scrupulous work. It is not a 5-minute assignment although the number of words and simplicity of the topics tell you so. It is a mistake to think that the requirements that the university sets are intentionally misleading. The real reason behind it is to sieve candidates that do not meet their standards. Writing an essay prompt is impossible without the previous research of the university background, academic life, and goals. If you are a candidate you need to know what value the university is looking for. The essay serves as a way to convey your understanding of the university’s policies and great aim. 

Although Emory is not on the list of Ivy League institutions, its reputation got the place on the so-called ‘secondary Ivy list’. The acceptance rate of Emory college is 22 %. It gives a chance to a lot of bright minds to get the education not less prestigious than Harvard. So, what is the differenc...

Every year the California Institute of Technology admissions office is swamped with thousands of applications. Alas, the acceptance rate has remained not higher than 7 % for decades. How does Caltech’s ideal applicant look? What kind of personality fits into the community of this prestigious educati...

Duke is a community of intellectuals who stand out from the crowd. The university united a group of people around the research institution founded back in 1838 in a small town of Trinity. Nowadays, this institution has millions of avid admirers who want to join the community. It takes more than a de...

Does FSU invite high stat students to accept honors college? Or does everyone that gets the freshmen scholarship have to apply? Is anyone automatically admitted?

I believe the only auto admits to the honors college are those who receive the Benacquisto scholarship, which is for National Merit Finalists. Everyone else must apply, and you are only allowed to apply if you receive the University Freshman Scholarship, the 100% Out of State Tuition Waiver or are a National Merit Semifinalist.

The FSU honors college webpage says admission to the honors college is by application only. I don’t believe there are auto admits.

@funfit , my daughter just received her admissions decision, and Searching2020 is correct - Benacquisto does include auto-admit into honors.

Congrats!!! That’s awesome. We got the freshmen scholarship so will fill out the application. Fingers crossed

@TrendaLeigh

I may have spoken too soon. I don’t believe honors is an auto admit. I believe our NMSF kids still need to do the honors application. Admittance is “guaranteed” but not automatic. I will be calling the honors office on Monday morning to double check this but just wanted to put it on your radar, just in case we might all be mistaken about this. I will come back and post her once I hear from FSU.

@amsunshine , thank you so much for the heads up! The phrasing is definitely open to interpretation, but I think you may be correct. She was looking for info on the Presidential Scholarship, and it seemed like it was tied into the Honors app somehow as well.

@TrendaLeigh Yes, you are correct. The Presidential is tied in with the Honors App anyway. I believe there may be an additional requirement for the Presidential, but in any event, I’ve already sent an email to the honors administrator and will post what I find out asap.

I hope someone will correct me if I’m wrong, but I was under the assumption that the Honors College application was used to choose the students that are brought in to interview for the Presidential Scholars program. In that case, so that you’d be under consideration for Presidential Scholars I can see why they’d want you to fill out the Honors College application even if you were already guaranteed admission to the Honors College. I’ve heard wonderful things about the Presidential Scholars program, it’s quite prestigious.

I finally was able to speak to someone in the honors office. It was a student, mind you, but she seemed to speak to someone who knew what they were talking about. She said the Benacquisto students are “auto” admitted to honors, but to be considered for the Presidential award, all students, including Benacquisto students, need to complete the honors application. So I suppose if your student is not interested in competing for the Presidential award, he/she would not need to do the application.

Daughter printed out the FSU Honors application so I could see it - wow, it’s fairly involved! Hoping she is selected to the Honors College. Fatigue has definitely set it for completing essays and applications lol.

Does anyone know what percent of freshmen scholarship winners, that fill out the honors application, get accepted?

The application is horrible, SEVEN ESSAYS. And no BS on any of them, they require you to link them all together, etc. It will take more work than most college applications; I know plenty of adults who would struggle with it. Also, it seems like they really don’t want you just because you are smart, they want you to be one of those kids who started a nonprofit at age 16, so if not, you’re SOL.

It’s bit frustrating.

S just submitted the Honors app and yes, it’s a doozy. It really requires students to reflect on who they are and what’s important to them.

I agree- very in depth. And students are only given just over two weeks to complete it! It’s almost cruel, especially since so many high school seniors are just completely fatigued from applications like this by now. I wish it was more like UF’s process- you apply to the Honors program concurrent to your regular application. I’m determined to get through it, but boy, I am feel the second-semester-senior-year drain.

I wonder if FSU Honors does this intentionally, so they get a truer response that does not have time to be over-edited.

S20 submitted his honors app yesterday. I do think FSU runs the honors program admission this way to narrow the candidates down to kids that have a strong possibility of committing. Why do all that work if FSU really isn’t a top contender for next year? And yes, those questions required some effort - certainly not the shoe-in honors apps at other schools. Happy to have this last push done as S20 is definitely burnt out at this point.

I wonder how many students are accepted to the honors program?

@funfit Seems like I saw somewhere that there were 400 or so in Honors but I can’t find that info now.

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Welcome to the application page for the Honors Program at Florida State University.

To apply to the Honors Program, make sure to read and follow everything below as it contains important information. The Lateral Application is for students in their first year at FSU.  To apply please follow the directions below: 1.) Click the log-in button in the top right corner and select "Sign in with FSUID" 2.) After logging into your account, you must click the "View programs" to access the application 3.) After finishing all questions, you will see a mark as complete box. Once you click that box, the submit button with appear. Applications are not reviewed unless you hit submit! Transfer students and students still in high school should not use this application to apply for honors.  If you have any questions or problems, please email the Honors Program at [email protected] .

• 1-800-552-4723

FSU’s Admissions Director explains the college essay

If your student is a rising high school senior, now is the perfect time to start working on that college essay. Many students find the essay challenging because it’s not the academic exercise they’re accustomed to. To do it well, they must discover an authentic, personal voice—and that can feel quite vulnerable.

Hege Ferguson, Director of Admissions of Florida State University, says she never loses sight of that.

“Behind every application, there is a young person who put their time and effort into sharing a part of themselves,” she said. “We have a responsibility to treat each one of their applications with much respect and humility and recognition that that is not an easy thing to do.”

“The most important thing is the academic performance of the student from 9th through 11th grade: the courses they took, the rigor, the grades they earned; the AP, honors, dual enrollment classes,” she said, adding that admissions officers will check that the rigor continues with senior year classes. “What subjects did the student immerse themselves into?”

Admissions officers also look at test scores (the ACT or SAT) and extracurriculars throughout high school, as well as employment (including its duration), internships, summer jobs and responsibilities at home.

“The value of the essay will depend on all of these other factors,” she said. “So if you have an outstanding student with high grades, rigorous curriculum, leadership, etc., there’s not a lot of emphasis on the essay because they have a lot of those factors that are indicators of good success in college.”

The essay does not matter much for the top 25 percent of applicants or the bottom 25 percent, she said. That middle 50 percent is where the essay ends up having the most weight.

“The essay is an opportunity to learn about the student beyond what we can already see on the transcript and test scores and extracurriculars. It lets them lend their voice to who they are,” she said, adding that sometimes a parent or student who is not accepted will call her office to ask why. “They will say, ‘But you don’t know me.’ And I say, ‘What did you share about yourself? Did you share what you wanted us to know about you?’ ”

Ferguson painted a picture of how a student could maximize their essay’s impact. A student whose transition to high school is rough—with a 9th grade GPA reflecting that—could use the essay to talk about that difficult transition and how they overcame it.

Want more advice about the essay? Lance Bergman, a college resource adviser at Pine View School in Sarasota, shares his tips here . Good luck!

“Last year, a young man was on the bubble, with a few wobbles with his academic grades, so I dove into his essay,” she said. “And I learned that he was homeless. He was living out of his car and sleeping on friends’ couches. He had a really traumatic home situation. For him to, one, share that, took a lot of courage. But it also put a lot of perspective on what I was seeing. And then you look at his curriculum and you marvel with what he was able to accomplish.”

Ferguson also shared some basic pointers.

• Yes, good grammar and punctuation matter, because students will do a lot of writing in college and she needs to believe they will be up for that rigor.
• Start the application process early, and follow all directions closely.
• Because email is the primary method of communication, consider getting an email address just for college applications, and be meticulously organized about each college’s requirements and deadlines.
• Finally, if you’re applying to multiple colleges (and you probably are), be sure to swap out names for the proper institution.

“That sounds so simple, but every year I get essays that have that another school’s name in there,” she said. “What it says to me is that you didn’t take the time to look over the information before you hit that send button, so maybe I’m feeling like I’m not as high on your list as I would like to be.”

Contrary to what many think, Ferguson said her focus is on trying to admit students. She also wants to admit a student body that reflects the state and its diversity. Last year, she received close to 64,000 applications for an admission class of about 6,000.

“I have the opportunity every year to read applications from these fantastic students who are just resilient, forward thinking, innovative – they’re just a really cool group of people,” she said.

“I get to see the world through their eyes and feel blessed to be part of their journey.”

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Home / News / Students & Campus Life / FSU awards 339 honors medallions to Spring 2024 graduates

FSU awards 339 honors medallions to Spring 2024 graduates

Florida State University awarded honors medallions to 339 high-achieving graduates during the April 29 ceremony in Ruby Diamond Concert Hall.

The FSU Honors Program supports the efforts and talents of some of the university’s most intellectually curious students who have the potential, dedication and drive for creating change.

The ceremony included remarks by D. Craig Filar, associate dean of Honors, Scholars, and Fellows; Joe O’Shea, associate provost, dean of Undergraduate Studies; Neissa Philemon, dual honors graduate; and Julie Decker, president and CEO of the FSU Alumni Association.

The breakdown of the honors awardees is as follows:

233 graduates, University Honors Program Completed the University Honors Program, earning at least 18 honors points in fulfillment of the FSU Honors Program requirements.

81 graduates, Honors in the Major Program Completed an honors thesis in fulfillment of the requirement for the distinction “with honors” in their major department.

17 graduates, Outstanding Senior Scholar Completed both the University Honors Program and the Honors in the Major Program, with a 3.9 cumulative GPA or higher.

8 graduates, Dual Honors Completed both the University Honors Program and the Honors in the Major Program.

The honors medallion recipients, along with their hometowns, academic majors and award designations are listed by state and city below:

Vestavia Hills

Robert Laughlin, Physics, Dual Honors

Martha Cooper, Psychology; Philosophy, Honors in the Major

Alexa Brunkow, Accounting, University Honors

Addison Mitchell, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professions; Psychology, University Honors

CONNECTICUT

Vanessa Polidoro, Actuarial Science; Economics, University Honors

Katherine Rolph, Dance, University Honors

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Louisa Spector, History; International Affairs, University Honors

Emilie Widarsson, English (Editing, Writing, & Media); Advertising, University Honors

Beverly Hills

Giovanna Cross, Political Science, University Honors

Eva Rucinski, Behavioral Neuroscience, University Honors

Eli McKown-Dawson, Political Science, Outstanding Senior Scholar

Emma Drac, Biological Science, University Honors

Jordan Rose, Finance; Biological Science, University Honors

Rose Walters, Commercial Entrepreneurship; International Affairs, University Honors

Bonita Springs

Justin Nightshade, English (Creative Writing); Anthropology, University Honors

Boynton Beach

Aidan Carley, Biological Science; Sociology, Outstanding Senior Scholar

Mia Crossen, Political Science, Honors in the Major

Reuven Lurie, Biological Science, University Honors

Danielle Maresca, Criminology, University Honors

Neissa Philemon, Public Health, Dual Honors

Sydney Richner, English (Literature, Media, & Culture), Honors in the Major

Scott Baker, Physics; Mathematics, Honors in the Major

Taylor Ferber – Nursing, University Honors

Gabriel Pfeuffer-Ferguson, Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, University Honors

Samantha Strickland, Psychology, Honors in the Major

Celebration

Elizabeth Orraca, Biology; Statistics, University Honors

Citrus Springs

Grace Mason, Behavioral Neuroscience, Honors in the Major

Savannah McGregor, Public Health; Sociology, Honors in the Major

Cocoa Beach

Kara Ahr, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professions, University Honors

Coral Gables

Catherine Rodriguez Barreda, Cell and Molecular Neuroscience, Honors in the Major

Coral Springs

Tiana Cates, Public Health, University Honors

Lauren Greenbaum, Media Communication Studies; Marketing, University Honors

Gillian Hightower, Biology, University Honors

Crystal River

Morgan Knipp, Biochemistry, University Honors

Carolyn Emerson, Meteorology, Honors in the Major

Pierce Thomas, Motion Picture Arts, University Honors

Chloe Wain, Political Science; English (Editing, Writing, & Media); Economics, Outstanding Senior Scholar

Joshua Weltmann, Biochemistry, University Honors

Daytona Beach

Joshua Zuckerman, Actuarial Science; Statistics, University Honors

Gavin Krueger, Political Science; Psychology, University Honors

Genevieve Reynolds, Criminology; Biological Science, University Honors

Fernandina Beach

John Sorensen, Biomedical Engineering, Honors in the Major

Fleming Island

Jaden Hamid, Finance, University Honors

Jack Lyons, Music Performance; Physics, University Honors

Leilanis Cancel-Lopez, Human Development and Family Science, University Honors

Jamie Guterman, Information, Communication, and Technology, University Honors

McKenzie Miller, Exercise Physiology, University Honors

Jason Puwalski, Political Science; Public Relations, University Honors

Erin Reeves, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professions, University Honors

Fort Myers Beach

Richard Hilpert, Psychology, Honors in the Major

Diego Mendoza-Jacobo, Exercise Physiology, University Honors

Gainesville

Katherine Buchanan, Criminology; Psychology, University Honors

Rebecca Gilland, Economics; Statistics, Dual Honors

Samantha Santelices, Human Development and Family Sciences, University Honors

Rosalyn Wadsworth, Anthropology, Honors in the Major

Gulf Breeze

Bailey Bouk, Political Science; English (Literature, Media, & Culture), University Honors

Michelle Snyder, Psychology, University Honors

Nicole Kidd, Criminology, University Honors

Indialantic

Marlee Krause, Computer Science, University Honors

Indian Rocks Beach

Haley McPherson, Environmental Science & Policy, University Honors

Jacksonville

Justin Aho, History, University Honors

Jasen Belenko, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professionals, Honors in the Major

Emily Citrano, Psychology, Honors in the Major

Caroline Giddens, Public Relations; Political Science, University Honors

Bianca Hamm, Communication Science and Disorders, Honors in the Major

Lindsey Loheac, Biological Science, University Honors

Caroline Owen, Linguistics and Languages, University Honors

Hannah Raisner, Political Science; English (Creative Writing), University Honors

Caroline Robbins, International Affairs; Political Science, University Honors

Illeana Sanders, Classical Archaeology; Political Science, Honors in the Major

Jaidyn Smith, Communication Science and Disorders; University Honors

Joshua Soffler, Political Science; Communication, Honors in the Major

Julia Wallace, Marketing; Sport Management, University Honors

Ethan Wood, Chemical Engineering, Honors in the Major

Julia Earnest, Exercise Physiology, University Honors

Kyle Rutter, International Affairs; Economics, University Honors

Breanna Heflin, Nursing, University Honors

Marielise Torres, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professions, Honors in the Major

Delaney Williams, Political Science; International Affairs, University Honors

Madison Finley, History; Russian, University Honors

Shanaya Jaitly, Interdisciplinary Social Sciences; Environment and Society, University Honors

Paige Murray, Political Science; Criminology, University Honors

Prerna Ravinder, Interdisciplinary Social Science; Computer Programming, University Honors

Skylar Klein, Biomaterials and Polymers, University Honors

Jake Langevin, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professions, University Honors

Lake Placid

Franco Angeles, Finance, University Honors

Lakewood Ranch

Samantha van der Sommen, English; History, University Honors

Samantha Mensching, Art History, University Honors

Kristina Robinette, History; Philosophy, University Honors

Cayley Williams, Anthropology, University Honors

Caysey Williams, Criminology, University Honors

Elena Villamagna, Public Health, Outstanding Senior Scholar

Roneesha Peltier, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professions, Honors in the Major

Kamryn Reynolds, Behavioral Neuroscience, University Honors

Alicia Southworth, English Education, University Honors

Cameron Valenti, Economics, Honors in the Major

William Pledger, Cell and Molecular Neuroscience, Honors in the Major

Anne Sullivan, Biological Science, University Honors

Brandon Kazmierczak, Computer Science, University Honors

Kayla Reeves, History, Outstanding Senior Scholar

Elissa Bell, Biological Science; Computational Science, Outstanding Senior Scholar

Julian Kinnaird, Psychology, Honors in the Major

Melbourne Beach

Cassandra Fetkowitz, Behavioral Neuroscience, University Honors

Marco Island

Sarah Nemeth, International Affairs; Economics, University Honors

Lauren Blackwell, Biological Science, University Honors

Fernando Carrillo, Biomedical Engineering, Honors in the Major

Victoria D’Amico, English (Creative Writing), University Honors

Jacqueline Emmerich, Psychology; Criminology, Honors in the Major

Viviana C. Gutierrez Caimary, Cell and Molecular Neuroscience, University Honors

Gabrielle Hagenlocker, Music Theatre, Outstanding Senior Scholar

Samantha Leon, Finance; Marketing, University Honors

Andrea Lopez, Linguistics and Languages; English (Editing, Writing, & Media), University Honors

Katherine Martinez, Biomedical Engineering, Honors in the Major

Keilly Miranda Torres, Political Science, University Honors

Chloe Patterson, Biomedical Engineering, Honors in the Major

Natalie Rubio, Behavioral Neuroscience, University Honors

Yuliet Sanchez, Nursing, University Honors

Thomas Suarez, Chemistry, Honors in the Major

Marissa Tellam, Psychology; Criminology, Dual Honors

Fatima Verona, Economics; Public Health, University Honors

Sara Boles, Political Science, University Honors

James Fair, Biological Science, University Honors

Alexis Amoyo, Computer Science, University Honors

Emma Everding, Computer Science; Environment and Society, University Honors

Grace Larson, English (Literature, Media, & Culture), University Honors

Kayla Mathai, Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Honors in the Major

Jonathan Oliva-Infante, Political Science, University Honors

Emilie Parry, International Affairs, Theatre, University Honors

New Port Richey

Sarah Evans, Studio Arts, Honors in the Major

Marija Travoric, Computer Science, University Honors

Colby Nobis, Applied/Computational Mathematics, University Honors

Sara Friedmeyer, Classical Civilizations, University Honors

Orange Park

James Woolard, International Affairs; Economics, University Honors

Delaney Brown, English (Creative Writing), Honors in the Major

Lena Firlotte, Cell and Molecular Neuroscience, Honors in the Major

Nikole Galeano, Biological Science, University Honors

Nye’Dra Holmes, Psychology; Criminology, University Honors

Zoie Iglesias, Communication Science & Disorders, Honors in the Major

Michelle Leibman, Exercise Physiology, University Honors

Carson Long, French, University Honors

Isabella Lyewski, Biological Science, University Honors

Luke Meunier, Studio Art, Honors in the Major

Ashlynn Pope, Music Therapy; Psychology, University Honors

Katelyn Remboldt, Communication Science and Disorders, Honors in the Major

Finn Wright, Computer Science; English (Editing, Writing, & Media), University Honors

Courtney Harrigan, Behavioral Neuroscience, University Honors

Abby Scott, Biomedical Engineering, Honors in the Major

Marbelis Lugo, Anthropology; Political Science, Honors in the Major

Palm Beach Gardens

Kayla Rodriguez, Communication Science and Disorders, Honors in the Major

Grace Alford, Actuarial Science; Pure Mathematics, University Honors

Palm Harbor

Marie Chmara, Biomedical Engineering, Honors in the Major

Emily Hale, Media Communication Studies, University Honors

Danielle Rittman, Accounting, University Honors

Fallon Trachtman, Public Health, University Honors

Pembroke Pines

Camila Aponte, Political Science; International Affairs, Honors in the Major

Lily Drasutis, Finance, University Honors

Sydney Englehart, Meteorology, University Honors

Sami Humeda, Health Management, Policy, and Information, University Honors

Yasmine Khabou, Behavioral Neuroscience, University Honors

Elizabeth Manning, Finance, University Honors

Allyson Sullivan, Marketing, University Honors

Pine Island

Madison Tilton, English (Editing, Writing, & Media); History, University Honors

Thomas Windisch, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professions, University Honors

Trinity Iwicki, Environment and Society; Media Communication Studies, University Honors

Ponte Vedra

Samuel Airheart, Finance; Real Estate, University Honors

Sophie Barley, Asian Studies (Emphasis in Business); International Affairs, Honors in the Major

Kathryn Woodford, Biological Science, University Honors

Ponte Vedra Beach

Taylor Kaminsky, Psychology, Honors in the Major

Noura Shaya, English (Literature, Media, & Culture), Honors in the Major

Alyssa Stern, Hospitality and Tourism Management, University Honors

Port St. Joe

Lee Maestri, Classical Archaeology, Honors in the Major

Port St. Lucie

Pearl Ray, Psychology; English (Creative Writing), Outstanding Senior Scholar

Aliyah Blake, Communication Science and Disorders, Honors in the Major

Santa Rosa Beach

Santiago Botero-Echavarria, International Affairs, University Honors

Allison Kukanza, Economics, Outstanding Senior Scholar

Emilio Palombo, International Affairs; Marketing, University Honors

Nicholas Schwab, Media Communication Studies, University Honors

Spring Hill

Ellianna Holcomb, History; International Affairs, University Honors

Andrew Louis, Political Science, University Honors

St. Augustine

Natalie Watson, French; Linguistics, Honors in the Major

Emma Feeks, Nursing, University Honors

St. Petersburg

Samuel Appel, Political Science, University Honors

Harrison Betz, International Affairs; Spanish, Outstanding Senior Scholar

Melody Geiger, Meteorology, Honors in the Major

Meredith Grimm, Sport Management, University Honors

Steven LaBarbera, Finance; Risk Management/Insurance, University Honors

Mia McSheffrey, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professions, University Honors

Andrew Reilly, Biological Science, University Honors

Mallory Mei, Biological Science, University Honors

Tallahassee

Grace Bouloy, Political Science; Sociology, University Honors

Anya Byrne, Economics, University Honors

Connor Couch, Public Health, University Honors

Katrin Frederickson, Human Development and Family Sciences, University Honors

Dominic Garrett, Chemical Engineering, University Honors

Ansley Garrison, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professions, University Honors

Griffin Hanson, Accounting, University Honors

Katherine Henning, Environmental Science, University Honors

Somya Joshi, Actuarial Science, University Honors

Peninah Kimelman, Communication Science and Disorders; Linguistics, Honors in the Major

Saleha Mahboob, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professions, University Honors

Mary McGrane, Communication Science and Disorders, Honors in the Major

Kathryn Merritt, Computational Biology; Statistics, University Honors

Andy Mills, Studio Art; English (Creative Writing), Honors in the Major

Chloe Molinaro, Communication Science and Disorders, Honors in the Major

Aya Najjar, Biological Science, University Honors

Hanna Neustadter, Health Management, Policy, and Information, Outstanding Senior Scholar

Ahna Peace, Human Development and Family Sciences, Honors in the Major

Oliver Schoonover, Music Composition, Honors in the Major

Emily Southwell, Public Health, University Honors

Madeleine Stults, Psychology, Honors in the Major

Makenzie Wiggins, Mechanical Engineering, University Honors

Jake Albrighton, Finance, University Honors

Natalie Bardin, Behavioral Neuroscience, Honors in the Major

Aedan Bennett, Religion, University Honors

Julia Caterson, English (Editing, Writing, & Media), University Honors

Cristina Dabrowski, Biological Science; Music, Honors in the Major

Jordyn Dees, Information Technology; English (Editing, Writing, & Media), University Honors

Arthur Egan, Biological Science, University Honors

Elise Frierson, Cell and Molecular Neuroscience, University Honors

Alexandria Fuertes, English (Creative Writing), Honors in the Major

Ethan Hernandez, Digital Media Production; English (Creative Writing), Honors in the Major

Eve Larkin, Advertising, University Honors

Jaden McCray, Biological Science, University Honors

Kayla McLoone, International Affairs; Middle Eastern Studies, University Honors

Emma Pollard, Chemical Engineering, University Honors

Arthi Solayappan, Political Science, Honors in the Major

Audrey Steadman, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professions, University Honors

Tarpon Springs

Sydney Mullen, International Affairs; Psychology, University Honors

Alana Jakee, Economics, University Honors

Fiona Giardino, Public Health, Outstanding Senior Scholar

West Melbourne

Gia Rivers, Biochemistry, Honors in the Major

Sarah Gibson, Political Science; Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, University Honors

Danielle Marie Velez, Public Health, Honors in the Major

Natalie Medina, Finance; Commercial Entrepreneurship, University Honors

Renzo Nucci, International Affairs, University Honors

Nicolas Sanchez, Biomedical Engineering, Honors in the Major

Taylor Tieder, English (Creative Writing), Honors in the Major

West Palm Beach

Madison Berresford, Classical Civilizations, University Honors

Tre Hands, English (Creative Writing), Honors in the Major

Landon Heller, Psychology, University Honors

Ian Mutschler, Meteorology, Dual Honors

Sophia Saadati, Biological Science, University Honors

Sasha Smith, Hospitality and Tourism Management, University Honors

Ty Kenoyer, Finance; Real Estate, University Honors

Winter Garden

Andrea Emmanuelli, Geology, Honors in the Major

Winter Park

Thomas Beamish, Finance; Management Information Systems, University Honors

Elizabeth Ferguson, Accounting; Criminology, University Honors

Hanna McDaniel, Meteorology, University Honors

Sydney Neibert – Cell & Molecular Neuroscience, University Honors

Alexandra Early, Biological Science, University Honors

Lucia Villanustre, Retail Entrepreneurship, University Honors

Noah Strong, Religion; Philosophy, Honors in the Major

Anna Mitchell, Public Health; Statistics, University Honors

Kiersten Schweizer, Biological Science, University Honors

Ava Terry, Media Communication Studies, University Honors

Andrew Glennon, Finance, University Honors

Will Jackson, Chemistry, University Honors

Ian Haas, English Education, University Honors

Rheanne Walton, Theatre; Marketing, Dual Honors

Baton Rouge

Anna Blanchard, Political Science; Media Communication Studies, University Honors

Sofia Lavidalie, English (Editing, Writing, & Media), University Honors

Cordelia Keeley, Production, Honors in the Major

Crownsville

Emily Shay, Accounting, University Honors

Ellicott City

Kara Sloper, Nursing; Public Health, University Honors

MASSACHUSETTS

Jason Stelman, Finance, University Honors

Payton Nestor, Public Health, Honors in the Major

East Lansing

Anisley Coty, Political Science; History, University Honors

Ryan Ollar, Accounting; Management Information Systems, University Honors

Jessica Bellaire, Mathematics; Music, Honors in the Major

Sydney Putnam, Hospitality and Tourism Management, University Honors

Victor Achard, Marketing, University Honors

Sydney Cole, Sociology; English (Editing, Writing, & Media), Outstanding Senior Scholar

Zoe Krassos, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professions, University Honors

Julia Oliveira, Biological Science; Public Health, University Honors

Green Brook

Jacqueline Mills, Finance, University Honors

Sophie Breeze, Marketing, University Honors

Dalton Britner, Actuarial Science; Statistics, University Honors

Tinton Fall

Jack Huisman, Finance; Chinese Language (Business Concentration), University Honors

Brooke Engler, Accounting, University Honors

Matthew Danise, Finance; Real Estate, University Honors

East Quogue

Rachel Frank, English (Editing, Writing, & Media); Humanities, University Honors

New Rochelle

Jamie Cantone, Commercial Entrepreneurship, University Honors

Ethan Forberg, Management Information Systems, University Honors

Pearl River

Catherine McDermott, Sociology, University Honors

Katherine Velardo, Psychology, Outstanding Senior Scholar

Haleigh Gahan, Computer Science, University Honors

Olivia Csernecky, Behavioral Neuroscience, University Honors

NORTH CAROLINA

Moriah House, Anthropology, University Honors

Gabe Herschelman, Biological Science, University Honors

Chandler Pruett, Meteorology; Statistics, Outstanding Senior Scholar

Winston-Salem

Catherine Wondra, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professionals, University Honors

Minh Tran, Finance; Management Information Systems, University Honors

Elizabeth Schutte, Public Relations; Spanish, University Honors

Emma Roush, Media Communication Studies, Marketing

Mia Mantei, Behavioral Neuroscience, Outstanding Senior Scholar

Kate Lohrey, Biochemistry, University Honors

North Olmsted

Albert Oleksy, Statistics, University Honors

Clayton Powell, Athletic Training, University Honors

PENNSYLVANIA

Monroeville.

Tadeusz Horomanski, Actuarial Science; Statistics, University Honors

Philadelphia

Anthony Psulkowski, Industrial Engineering, Dual Honors

Rebecca Anestad, Computer Science, University Honors

SOUTH CAROLINA

Michael Kopelman, Meteorology, Honors in the Major

Mary Katherine Gelasco, Biochemistry; Music, Outstanding Senior Scholar

Brayden Poorvin, Information, Communication, and Technology, University Honors

Chattanooga

Hannah Carter, Political Science, University Honors

Sofia McDonough, Biological Science; Biomathematics, University Honors

Clarksville

Nina Chong, Chemical Engineering, University Honors

Jacob Dell, Music; Economics, University Honors

Matteo Gisellu, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Clinical Professions, University Honors

Flower Mound

Jared Dasher, Political Science, University Honors

Andrew Zoch, Digital Media Production, University Honors

Robert Szot, Meteorology, Dual Honors

Jasmine Burelsmith, Dance, University Honors

San Antonio

Ethan Aguilar, Neuroscience, University Honors

Salt Lake City

Natalie Griffiths, Biological Science, University Honors

Ava Kazerani, Biological Science, University Honors

Lauren Amparo, Social Science Education, University Honors

Nicholas Vantre, Finance; Real Estate, University Honors

Melisa Sencer, Cell and Molecular Neuroscience, Honors in the Major

Benjamin Richter, Accounting, University Honors

David Quirie, Chemical Engineering, University Honors

Huiying (Amy) Ni, Media Communication Studies; Psychology, Honors in the Major

Andres Felipe Gil Arana, Neuroscience, Honors in the Major

Christiana Michael, Applied and Computational Mathematics, Honors in the Major

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Vivian Bernard, Biomedical Engineering, Honors in the Major

Isabella Coddington, Statistics, University Honors

Lydia Coddington, Political Science; Psychology, University Honors

Port-au-Prince

Thamengie Richard, Psychology, Honors in the Major

Diya Choudhary, Physics, Honors in the Major

Maria Aleman Martinez, Political Science; Economics, University Honors

Freydell Espinoza, Biomedical Engineering, Honors in the Major

REPUBLIC OF PANAMA

Panama city.

Astrid Daugherty, Biomedical Engineering, Honors in the Major

Santiago Lazarte, Biomedical Engineering, Honors in the Major

SOUTH KOREA

Yeonsu Kim, Nursing, University Honors

Ho Chi Minh City

Khoa Dao, Computer Science, University Honors

Linh Hoang, English Education, University Honors

Florida State University

FSU | University Honors Program

University Honors Program

Division of Undergraduate Studies

Signature Courses are a central feature of the Honors Program. Small, interactive courses intersect multiple thematic and interdisciplinary boundaries providing students opportunities to engages topics creatively. 

Honors signature courses

Exclusive, interdisciplinary, inquiry-based courses. Sample courses include:

HISTORIC LANDSCAPES, IMAGINED WORLDS: ANCIENT HISTORY THROUGH GAMING

Explore how the history of the ancient world is represented in tabletop and video games. Debut your own game during a playtesting event.

TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND THE AMERICAN WAY? ETHICS, RELIGION, AND SUPERHEROES

Examine the historical development of ethical norms in the United States through the lens of superhero mythology.

MAPPING THE MIDDLE AGES

Study the medieval period's rich cross-cultural trade, travel and scholarship. Think about where our assumptions about the past come from and why it matters.

GLOBAL URBANIZATION

Learn about the development of cities and the diversity that exists within them -- how cities adapt to cultural and demographic backgrounds within populations. 

UpComing Honors Courses 

Honors course sections.

Honors-dedicated sections of courses taught across the university

Honors-Augmented Courses

A course section taught outside the Honors Program with a portion of seats and additional content reserved for Honors students

Individual Honors-Augmented Contracted Course

3000- to 4000-level non-Honors course with additional contracted requirements to earn Honors credit. May contract up to two courses.

Honors Directed Individual Study contracted Course

Directed Individual Study course in major with additional contracted requirements to earn Honors credit.

Graduate Classes

5000-level or above letter graded courses. May earn up to six credit hours toward Honors points.

Honors in the Major Thesis Work

Thesis course work for Honors in the Major. May earn up to six credit hours toward Honors points.

Honors Contract guidelines and application can be found on the Honors Contract page.