Who is the Program For?
Students who have high educational goals and are interested in courses designed to appeal to the imagination and challenge the intellect will find the Cerro Coso Community College Honors Program the place to be. Students should apply to the Honors Program if they are stimulated by ideas, tend to be skeptical of definite answers or easy solutions, and are in pursuit of an education and not just a degree.
Benefits for Honors Students
- Priority registration at Cerro Coso for Honors Program students who have completed matriculation. Not sure if you have completed matriculation? Contact Rene Mora at rene.mora@cerrocoso.edu or (760) 384-6219.
- Priority admissions, extra scholarships, guaranteed housing, priority registration, and other benefits through transfer agreements at UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, CSU Fullerton, CSU Long Beach, San Diego State University, Chapman University, Pitzer College, Cal Poly Pomona College, San Jose State University, University of San Diego, Whitman College, Pacific University, La Sierra University, Occidental College, and Pomona College
- Scholarship opportunities through the Cerro Coso Community College Program, the Honors Transfer Council of California, the Transfer Alliance Program, Whitman College, and other private universities
- Small honors seminars, where students take a more active role in their learning and work closely with instructors to pursue topics of independent study
- Close academic and social interaction with other highly motivated students
- Honors designation on the associate degree and college transcripts
- Opportunity for letters of recommendation from Honors Program faculty for scholarships, transfer applications, and employment
- Honors receptions, special lectures, cultural events, tours of universities, and awards ceremonies
Eligibility For Honors Program
New Students
To be eligible for the Honors Program, a graduating high school student must attain a cumulative 3.25 GPA or higher and be eligible for English 101.
All new students must submit a completed application with two letters of recommendation from high school instructors or, in the case of home schooling, a letter from two persons knowledgeable about the student's ability.
Continuing College Students
To be eligible for the Honors Program, a continuing Cerro Coso student must attain a cumulative 3.25 GPA or higher, including at least 12 units of UC transferable courses from three or more disciplines, be eligible for English 101, and submit a completed application.
Note: a student may enroll in honors courses prior to acceptance into the Honors Program.
Completion Requirements
To be certified as an Honors Program transfer student or graduate, a student must
- complete a total of 16 or more units of Honors credit.
- have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.25 in transfer-level courses
- meet the Cerro Coso graduation requirements or the transfer requirements to a four-year college. Note that Honors students intending to complete a major or IGETC package should discuss their plans with the Honors Program Counselor, Rene Mora, to make sure all requirements are met.
- apply for graduation from the Honors Program.
Good Standing
To remain in good standing, Honors Program students must maintain at least a 3.25 cumulative GPA and complete at least one honors course per year until 16 honors units are completed. If the cumulative GPA falls below a 3.25, students have one semester to recover it. After two semesters below a 3.25, students will be removed from the Honors Program. Students may request reinstatement once the minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA is regained. No honors units earned will be lost. Students who do not make annual progress toward completing the required 16 honors units will be removed from the program. They may request reinstatement once they meet with Rene Mora and outline a plan for completing 16 honors units. To remain in good standing and eligible for the benefits and privileges of the program, Honors Program students must be free of student conduct charges.
Application
To apply to the Honors Program, students must submit a completed application form to the Honors Coordinator, Dr. Guck Ooi, or the Honors Program Counselor, Rene Mora. If coursework was completed at another institution, transcripts must be provided.
High school students applying before their first year at Cerro Coso must submit a copy of their high school transcripts.
For further information and application forms, please contact the Honors Coordinator via email at honors@cerrocoso.edu.
UCLA Transfer Alliance Program (TAP)
Some benefits of TAP are:
- UCLA and California Community Colleges cooperate to assist students in the transfer process.
- The TAP Community Colleges offer enriched academic programs and all courses necessary to transfer, including General Education requirements and preparatory courses for majors.
- Designated faculty and counselors at the community colleges help students plan academic programs that meet major and general education requirements and honors/scholars certification.
- While students are in the community college TAP programs, meaningful linkages with UCLA are provided such as on-campus informational meetings and tours, library privileges, and opportunities to attend selected UCLA cultural and athletic events.
Visit the UCLA TAP website
Scholarship Opportunities
President's Honors Scholarship for New Honors Program Students
The scholarship is an award of $1,000 to an excellent local high school graduating senior who has been accepted to the Cerro Coso Community College Honors Program and who attends Cerro Coso in the fall semester. To receive the scholarship, the recipient must remain eligible for acceptance into the program after awarding of fall grades.
Faculty Honors Scholarships for Transferring Honors Students
The Faculty Honors Scholarship for a Transferring Student is awarded in the spring for a student who has completed the Honors Program and has been accepted at a four-year college or university. The scholarship awards $500.
Faculty Honors Research Scholarships
The Faculty Honors Research Scholarship supports Honors Program students who present their work at the Honors Transfer Council of California Student Research Conference at UC Irvine. The scholarship pays all expenses associated with attendance at the conference.
Any Honors Program student who presents at the HTCC Student Research Conference should contact the Honors Program Coordinator.
