Honors Course to Help Students Refine Academic Portfolios

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Medical school, law school, Ph.D. programs, fellowships … University of Arkansas honors students naturally have high ambitions, but the application process for these programs can often be daunting. Now, honors students who have their sights on graduate or professional study have a new resource to help them through this process: Catapult.

Catapult is designed to place ambitious, high-achieving students on a trajectory toward graduate and professional programs of study, as well as nationally competitive awards. The course will take some of the anxiety out of the often complicated process of preparing for life after graduation.

"The idea for this course comes from conversations I have been having with ambitious students over the past two years," said Jason Blankenship, director of retention and student advising for the Honors College and instructor for Catapult. "Applying to graduate and professional schools, and for nationally competitive awards, is not easy, and I am pleased to offer a structured environment to help students with this process."

Students will receive guidance on a variety of subjects, including drafting their academic resume, constructing a personal statement, and answering essay prompts that often accompany graduate and professional applications. Additional topics will include studying for advanced tests such as the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), developing a future plan based on various post-degree options and preparing for interviews.  

Dean of the Honors College Lynda Coon is excited about this new opportunity for honors students. "The University of Arkansas has an exceptional track record when it comes to winning nationally competitive awards," she said. "This class will help those students interested in pursuing these awards get a leg up in the process."

Catapult is an eight-week, one-credit-hour honors course with enrollment based on an application process. Selected students will be enrolled in either the first eight weeks or second eight weeks of the Spring 2018 semester. Twelve students will be selected per session. The course will meet Mondays and Wednesdays 12:55 - 1:45 pm during the spring 2018 semester.