F R E Q U E N T L Y    A S K E D    Q U E S T I O N S

Who is eligible to apply for the Honors Program?
The Honors Program is open to students of all disciplines who will be enrolled as undergraduates in the academic year after the Summer Conference. This includes college-bound high-school seniors. Applicants must be U.S. or Canadian citizens.

Do I have to be a member of ISI to apply for the ISI Honors Program?
Yes. Membership of ISI is, however, complimentary to current students and faculty. To join ISI, please click here.

What is a personal philosophical statement?
Quite simply, the personal philosophical statement is an opportunity for the applicant to express his or her relationship to ISI’s mission. It can draw on any number of themes or issues, be they history, politics, philosophy, culture, one's personal experiences, or religious beliefs.

ISI accepts Honors Fellows from a wide variety of disciplines and backgrounds, and as such, one successful personal philosophical statement will be very different to another. Applicants should emphasize, therefore, the 'personal' aspect of the assignment, a quality that shines through in successful attempts. The personal philosophical statement should be written in formal continuous prose and may make use of footnotes and other referencing tools.

I am a college senior, due to graduate this spring. Am I eligible to apply?
No. Applications can only be considered from students enrolled as undergraduates in the semester after the Summer Conference. Graduating college seniors may also be interested in another ISI fellowship, the William B. Simon Fellowship for Nobel Purpose.

I am a high school senior. Can I apply for the ISI Honors Program?
High school seniors are very welcome to apply for the Honors Program on condition that they are due to enter college that year. Please state on your application form the institution you will be attending, or, if you have not made a final decision, the colleges that you have been accepted by.

I am a science major. Is there a place for me within the ISI Honors Program?
Yes. ISI is very much aware of the impact that the rising generation of scientists will have on our society and is very keen to offer science and engineering students an opportunity to sample the liberal arts curriculum. For that reason, ISI actively encourages participation in the Honors Programs by such students under the aegis of the Richard and Karna Bodman Scholars in Science initiative.

Can my academic writing sample be a piece of coursework from college?
Yes. We ask, however, that you present us a clean, un-graded, copy of any college coursework.

At present, I have no coursework five pages long. May I include two smaller pieces as my academic writing sample?
No. To be admitted as an Honors Fellow, you must demonstrate the ability to develop and express complex ideas in an extended piece of work. It is, however, permissible for the applicant to rewrite an existing piece of coursework that is presently under five pages so that it meets this criterion.

Who may write an academic letter of recommendation?
A letter of recommendation may be written by any individual that the applicant believes can best detail his academic and intellectual abilities. Typically this will be a college professor that the applicant has worked with, but it is perfectly acceptable to ask a high school teacher or religious with whom the applicant has worked.

When will I find out if I have been selected as an ISI Honors Fellow?
The ISI Honors Fellows will be announced in April of the year in which the fellowship begins. All applicants will be notified by mail.

May I choose which conference I attend?
Both summer conferences cover identical themes and readings. Successful applicants may select which conference they wish to attend, with places allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

If I am accepted to the ISI Honors Program, am I required to pay my airfare to the Summer Conference?
No. The Summer Conference is all-expenses-paid and ISI will arrange and pay for your air ticket unless otherwise instructed.

What happens after the Summer Conference?
Honors Fellows are paired with an Academic Mentor, who they meet at the Summer Conference, and with whom they undertake common reading projects over the course of the year. Additionally, Fellows are assigned readings once a month which are discussed on the Honors Program listserv. Fellows also attend weekend colloquia, and are invited to ISI’s spring National Leadership Conference.

What careers have Honors Program alumni pursued post-graduation?
Honors Program alumni are pursuing graduate study at elite universities in the United States and Europe. Others have clerked for Supreme Court justices, been employed at such organizations as the Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, the Family Research Council, Liberty Fund, National Review, and The Weekly Standard, or have been awarded fellowships by First Things, the Claremont Institute, and the John Jay Institute.

For more information on the Honors Program, please contact honors@isi.org or call (800) 526-7022.

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