Admission Process

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Batten Honors College is highly selective. Consideration will be given only to first-year applicants for fall admission who have earned a 3.5 GPA in a challenging academic curriculum that includes Honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and/or Dual Enrollment courses. For the Fall 2023 application year,Virginia Wesleyan University and the Batten Honors College have adopted a Test Optional policy. Applicants who are able to take a standardized test and who feel their test scores reflect their academic ability and potential may submit testing and these scores will be considered during our holistic application review. 

How to Apply

The Batten Honors College application process requires submission of the following:

  • Application for admission to Virginia Wesleyan University.
    Note:  no action will be taken regarding your Batten Honors College application prior to your admission to Virginia Wesleyan.
  • Batten Honors College application which includes a short answer question, an essay, and a resume.
  • Two letters of recommendation must be submitted on behalf of all applicants. The letters can be from anyone who you feel knows you well and can speak to your accomplishments in high school and your potential to succeed in a rigorous living and learning collegiate environment.
    Examples of who you can ask for a letter of recommendation include; guidance/college counselor, teacher, coach, job/extracurricular activity supervisor, or community leader. Letters of recommendation should be uploaded through the application. Consider asking for letters of recommendation from two different sources. The letters of recommendation must be signed by the author to be official.

Competition Dates

November 2-3, 2023
(Application Deadline is October 13, 2023)

February 8-9, 2024
(Application Deadline is January 19, 2024)

March 7-8, 2024
(Application Deadline is February 16, 2024)

Application Deadlines

Submission of the Batten Honors College application (including two letters of recommendation) is required by the application deadlines of October 13, 2023, January 19, 2024 or February 16, 2024. Applications submitted after those dates will be considered on a space-available basis.

*ReminderYou must be accepted to Virginia Wesleyan University in order to be invited to compete for the Batten Honors College scholarships.  Complete the VWU application for admission.

Scholarship Competition & Interview Process

The Batten Honors College Admission Committee will perform a holistic review of completed applications to determine which applicants will be invited to interview for a seat in the Honors College and one of the two available types of scholarships awarded.

Students will be invited to a multi-day scholarship competition that will include a one-on-one meeting with a professor, a group interview with the admission committee, and a collaborative activity.

The scholarship competitions will be held in November, February and March.

Holistic Review Process

The review process is two-pronged and includes information gathered both on paper and in person. Consideration will be given to the academic rigor of a student’s transcript, their standardized test scores (if submitted), essays, resume, and letters of recommendation. In addition, students are scored on how they perform in the group interview during the scholarship competition.

Within two weeks of the conclusion of each scholarship competition, students will be informed of their status. Scholarship awardees are required to accept or decline their seat in the Batten Honors College by May 1, 2024. Students not selected after the initial interview will be notified if a spot in Batten Honors College becomes available. Those remaining students may receive an updated decision any time during the recruitment cycle.


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