Hello, Honors Cougs!

The Basics

Before classes start in August, there are a few things you will need to do.

Sign up for WSU’s New Coug Orientation We reserve additional availability for Honors College students during Sessions 2 and 3, but you may attend any session throughout the summer. We recommend attending earlier New Coug Orientation sessions to have the most course options since you will register for classes during your orientation. You can find the session dates and register for a session here:

Take your language placement assessment before New Coug Orientation If you are planning to satisfy our foreign language requirement by taking classes in Chinese, French, German, or Spanish, and have already taken some of that language, take the placement test before you come to New Coug Orientation. The assessment costs $10 and will take 20-25 minutes. Read the information and follow the instructions here: https://forlang.wsu.edu/language-placement-testing/. Note: You will not need to send your score to the Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures; just bring it with you to your New Coug Orientation. If you plan to satisfy the Foreign Language requirement through a different language, contact us and we will help you. If you plan to take the language proficiency exam (STAMP), please stay tuned as we will send you more information on that later. If you have already satisfied the language requirement (e.g. satisfied the 204 level through transfer work or AP), you do not need to take this assessment.

Take the Aleks, WSU’s math placement assessment before New Coug Orientation You should take the Aleks exam before you come to New Coug Orientation unless: you are bringing credit for at least Calculus I; or you have already satisfied the Honors College mathematics requirement and your intended area(s) of study does not require more. Read the information and follow instructions here to take the Aleks: http://www.math.wsu.edu/placement/taketest.php. The Honors College mathematics requirement is satisfied with credit for one of the following WSU courses: Math 105, 140, 171, 202, 205, 206, 212, both 251 and 252; Psychology 311; or Philosophy 201.

Keep track of your scores and any other credits you plan to transfer to WSU, and request for your scores and/or transcripts to be sent to WSU.

• WSU shows which courses are satisfied by various scores on each AP test here: https://admission.wsu.edu/apply/as/freshmen/ap-ib-and-running-start/ap-credit-chart/.
• Check which WSU course is satisfied by your transfer courses here: https://zzusis-utilities.wsu.edu/psportal/pages/transfercoursesearch.html.

Note: As an Honors College student, you do not need to take the Writing placement exam. You will receive information about this exam in the email confirming your registration for New Coug Orientation, but Honors College students do not need to take it. All Honors College students take or satisfy English 298.

Foreign Language

If I am planning to take the 101 level of a foreign language. Do I need to take the language placement assessment?

• Since the 101 level of a foreign language is the starting class, there isn’t a pre-requisite and you don’t need to prove (through the assessment) any knowledge of language.

I satisfied the 204-level of a foreign language through my AP test score. Do I need to take the placement assessment?

• Since you have satisfied the Honors College foreign language requirement by satisfying the 204-level, you do not need to take the placement assessment (which would place you into 101, 102, 203, or 204) or the STAMP test (which would evaluate your proficiency) to satisfy the Honors College foreign language requirement.
• You may want to think about pursuing a second major or a minor in that language, since a minor would only require you to take 3 additional courses.

I took foreign language classes in high school. Do those count as prerequisites or do I still need to take the assessment?

• Since every high school teaches foreign language courses differently and at different paces, WSU cannot determine college-level equivalency for every high school foreign language course. The foreign language assessment serves as the way to determine which course should be next for the student taking the assessment.
• If you have credit through a college for your foreign language or if you have taken the AP test for it, then those can act as a prerequisite depending on how the credit transfers to WSU. Determine WSU equivalents of AP scores here: https://admission.wsu.edu/apply/as/freshmen/ap-ib-and-running-start/ap-credit-chart/ and here for transfer credit: https://zzusis-utilities.wsu.edu/psportal/pages/transfercoursesearch.html and click on “Transfer Course Search”. Also, if you have taken the STAMP proficiency test and received a score of 4 or higher on 3 of the 4 sections, you have satisfied the Honors College foreign language requirement.

Advising and Registration

Since we will register for classes at New Coug Orientation, will I still be receiving priority registration even if I attend a later session?

• Current Honors College students receive priority registration. We would love to give even our incoming students priority registration (which is why we reserve 100 spots for sessions 2 and 3 each), but we know not all of our students can come early in the summer. Students register based on which session they attend, since advising takes place during New Coug Orientation. No matter which New Coug Orientation session you attend, you’ll learn how to get ready for registration and provide helpful information pertaining to the Honors College and WSU in general during your Honors College workshop. You’ll also meet with an Honors College advisor before registering for your courses. The Honors College will work with you to make the best schedule for you, no matter when you attend.

AP

I have previously taken AP exams and according to WSU’s AP chart, I have satisfied certain classes. When should I have my scores sent?

• When you take your AP tests, you can indicate that you want your scores to be sent to WSU (from College Board). We understand that the scores from the most recent exams may not be available depending on when you attend New Coug Orientation. In terms of AP tests you have already taken, please request that your scores be sent to WSU as soon as possible to make sure they get here and in case there are any issues, you/we have time to figure them out before New Coug Orientation.

Is it possible for my AP exam scores to satisfy any of the Honors College requirements?

• You may have taken other courses that may satisfy the mathematics and/or science requirement and English 298. You can determine which WSU courses have been satisfied by your AP scores: https://admission.wsu.edu/apply/as/freshmen/ap-ib-and-running-start/ap-credit-chart/
  • Mathematics requirement: satisfy Math 105, 140, 171, 202, 205, 206, 212, 251, 252; Psychology 311; or Philosophy 201
  • Science requirement: satisfy a college-level, 4-credit lab science course
  • English 298: satisfied by WSU equivalent English 201. If you satisfy other English courses at the 200-level or above, we will consider them on a case-by-case basis. (Talk to an Honors College advisor if you’d like them to evaluate your course.)

I satisfied the 204-level of a foreign language through my AP test score. Do I need to take the placement assessment?

• No. Since you have satisfied the Honors College foreign language requirement by satisfying the 204-level, you do not need to take the placement assessment (which would place you into 101, 102, 203, or 204) or the STAMP test (which would evaluate your proficiency) to satisfy the Honors College foreign language requirement.
• You may want to think about pursuing a second major or a minor in that language, since a minor would only require you to take 3 additional courses.

What if I haven’t received my AP scores for foreign language and math? Do I still need to take the placement assessments?

• Estimate your score and compare it to the AP chart (https://admission.wsu.edu/apply/as/freshmen/ap-ib-and-running-start/ap-credit-chart/). We will ask you to estimate your score at ALIVE! and use it to place you into the appropriate level course. To clarify, if you think you scored high enough to satisfy a course, we will take that into consideration while we advise you during ALIVE! orientation. If you think you scored a 1, you may want to take the placement assessments as a score of 1 usually does not place you into a course.

If I took an AP test, but won’t have my scores until after ALIVE!, what will I register for?

• Generally, your Honors College advisor will ask how well you think you did and advise you based on that. Once we have the official scores, we will make adjustments as necessary.
• For example, if you took the AP Spanish Language and Culture test and think you scored a 4 (which satisfied Spanish 101, 102 and 203), you may be placed in the next level, Spanish 204. Then, if your official score ended up being a 3 or 5, we would change your class. If it was a 4, no changes necessary.

Transfer

I will be bringing lots of transfer credits. Is there an easy way to find out which WSU courses are satisfied by my transfer work without going through every single course?

• If you submit your transcript from your previous institution(s) to WSU, the WSU Transfer Clearinghouse will determine which WSU course is equivalent to each of your transfer courses. Then, these courses will show up on your MyWSU in the Transfer Credit section.
• If you want to look up each transfer course: https://zzusis-utilities.wsu.edu/psportal/pages/transfercoursesearch.html

Which placement test should I be taking?

• Math/ALEKS: if you have satisfied at least Calculus I through AP or transfer credit, you do not need to take the ALEKS. If you do not have credit for at least Calculus I, take the ALEKS.
• Foreign Language: unless you have already satisfied the Honors College foreign language requirement or have transfer/AP that will place you, take the Foreign Language Assessment. To clarify:
  • If you have satisfied the Honors College foreign language requirement through AP or transfer (satisfied 204-level), then you do not need to take it.
  • If you have satisfied a foreign language course through AP or transfer work, you would just take the next level, so you do not need to take it. For example, if you have satisfied WSU’s Spanish 102, you would place into Spanish 203 without taking the assessment.
• Writing: Do not take the writing placement test.

Will all of my credits transfer?

• If you submit your transcript from your previous institution(s) to WSU, the WSU Clearing House will determine which WSU course is equivalent to each of your transfer courses. Then, these courses will show up on your MyWSU in the Transfer Credit section. So, if you do this, all of your credits/courses will transfer to WSU.
• That said, some of your courses will satisfy certain requirements and others may not. For example, a Calculus course may satisfy requirements for your major, but a PE may not satisfy a requirement if you aren’t required to take a PE course. Another example: you may have satisfied English 101, but since Honors College students aren’t required to take English 101, it doesn’t satisfy a requirement. However, that doesn’t mean the course doesn’t transfer; the credits will still show up on your transcript and count towards the total number of credits required to graduate. At this point, you do not need to figure out which courses satisfy a requirement. You will learn more about this at New Coug Orientation and throughout your undergraduate career.

I have an Associate’s degree. Does that satisfy any Honors College courses?

• Yes, students with an Associate’s degree (AA or AST) have satisfied Honors 270, 280 and 290. You may have taken other courses that may satisfy the mathematics and/or science requirement and English 298. You can determine which WSU courses have been satisfied by your transfer work.
  • Mathematics requirement: satisfy Math 105, 140, 171, 202, 205, 206, 212, 251, 252; Psychology 311; or Philosophy 201
  • Science requirement: satisfy a college-level, 4-credit lab science course
  • English 298: satisfied English 201. If you satisfy other English courses at the 200-level or above, we will consider them on a case-by-case basis. (Talk to an Honors College advisor if you’d like them to evaluate your course.)

I have heard that for my credits to transfer, I will need to bring three written works with teacher signatures, edits, and grades. Is this true?

• This refers to the Junior Writing Portfolio. If you will be transferring 60 college credits or more, you will need to complete one part of your Junior Writing portfolio your first semester. This could be either the timed writing assessment; or submission of three written works with instructor signatures, edits, grades and comments. Only one of these needs to be done your first semester. The other part will be submitted in your second semester. For more information, you can visit the Junior Writing Portfolio webpage: https://writingprogram.wsu.edu/junior-writing-portfolio/.

I have heard that for my credits to transfer, I need to complete an Integrative Capstone. Is this true?

• You will receive advising at ALIVE! and then you will have advising throughout your undergraduate career, and the Capstone will be addressed at a later date.

If I am taking college classes, but won’t have my official grades and transcript until after ALIVE!, what will I register for?

• Generally, your Honors College advisor will ask how well you think you did and which classes you are taking, then advise you based on that. Once we have the official transcript, we will make adjustments if necessary.
• For example, if you are taking a course that would satisfy Calculus I and think you passed, you may be placed in Calculus II (if you need it). If later your official transcript indicates you didn’t pass or finish, you will be unenrolled from that course and may need to enroll into Calculus I or a different course.