Frequently Asked Questions about the Path Program
Have questions about the Honors College Path Program? We've got answers for you here.
To join the Honors College Path Program, you must be from an underrepresented background, live in Arkansas, be academically strong, and show a level of leadership and civic engagement. Specific eligibility requirements include:
- high school GPA of 3.5 or above
- ACT composite score between a 23 – 27 (1130 – 1300 SAT)
- apply for University of Arkansas scholarships
High school students who meet the above requirements will be invited to apply to the Path Program.
The Path Program defines underrepresented in various ways. Students are considered underrepresented if they
- are from a low-income/socioeconomic background
- will be a first-generation college student (neither parent graduated from a four-year college)
- are from a geographic area of Arkansas that doesn’t have a lot of representation on the U of A campus
Path students can pursue a degree from any of the six academic colleges on the University of Arkansas campus. Our Path students are pursuing majors ranging from agribusiness to architecture. However, if you're interested in finding new ways to do things and plan to pursue a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM), check out the NSF Path Innovation Scholarship!
Yes! Thanks to a National Science Foundation grant of nearly $1 million, the Honors College is launching annually renewable NSF Path Innovation Scholarships that will support students interested in innovation who are pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics.
Are you interested in the arts, humanities or business? Thanks to generous support
from private donors, we also offer Honors College Path Scholarships to a select group of students who are pursuing degrees in disciplines across campus.
We also work with current students to identify other scholarships and grants, from
local and institutional opportunities to nationally competitive awards.
The intersession bridge program is a two-week bridge program that gives Path Scholars
the chance to move to campus early, take a class, and make meaningful connections
with other students, as well as with faculty and staff.
The intersession bridge program is free to participants. The program will cover the
cost of living on campus (including meals), classes taken during the program, and
program activities and supplies.
Interested in the NSF Path Innovation Scholarships? Read on.
To be an NSF Path Innovation Scholar, students must:
- Be considered low-income as defined by the federal government. This would include being eligible for Stafford Loans or Pell Grants.
- Have a high school GPA of 3.5 or above.
- Score between a 23 - 27 composite ACT (1130 - 1300 SAT).
- Pursue a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) major.
The University of Arkansas offers STEM degrees in the College of Engineering and the J. William Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences.
College of Engineering STEM majors include:
- biological engineering
- biomedical engineering
- chemical engineering
- civil engineering
- computer engineering
- computer science
- data science
- electrical engineering
- industrial engineering
- mechanical engineering
Fulbright College STEM majors include:
- biological sciences
- chemistry and biochemistry
- geosciences
- mathematical sciences
- physics
The Path Interview Weekend will focus on finalists' past experiences, their aspirations towards a career in a STEM field, and other relevant topics. This year, due to COVID-19, events will take place online. In addition to the interview, we will host a Q & A Session where prospective students will meet U of A faculty, staff and current Path students.
Participation in the interview weekend is mandatory for consideration as an NSF Path Innovation Scholar.
The intersession bridge program is a two-week program that gives Path Scholars the chance to move to campus early, take a class, and make meaningful connections with other students, as well as with faculty and staff.
This program is free to participants. The program will cover the cost of living on campus (including meals), classes taken during the program, and program activities and supplies. You will have the chance to take a course that will count toward your degree.
NSF Path Innovation Scholars will take one 3-credit-hour STEM course to jump start their pursuit of STEM degrees and to ensure that they are well positioned among their peer scholars.
NSF Path Innovation Scholars are not allowed to pursue the pre-med track. If a scholar declares pre-med, they will forfeit participation in the program and the scholarship.
Current University of Arkansas students are ineligible for consideration.
More questions? No worries: Contact Xochitl Delgado Solorzano at xdelgad@uark.edu or (479) 575-3874.