Discovering Excellence: An Overview of ASU's Barrett, The Honors College

Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University, stands as a beacon for high-achieving students seeking a challenging and enriching undergraduate experience. Founded in 1988 and named in 2001 for Craig and Barbara Barrett, champions of science, education, and student opportunity, Barrett has evolved into one of the top honors colleges in the nation. With a strong emphasis on community, leadership, and intellectual curiosity, Barrett offers a unique blend of the resources of a large research university and the personalized attention of a small, private college. Today, Barrett serves approximately 7,500 honors students across four campuses and online. In 2021, it became one of the first honors colleges to welcome fully online learners.

A Community of Scholars Across Campuses

Barrett Honors College is a community of scholars across all four of ASU’s metropolitan Phoenix area campuses. These campuses include Downtown Phoenix, Polytechnic, Tempe, and West Valley. This comprehensive presence ensures that honors students can find a supportive and engaging environment regardless of their chosen field of study or campus location. Barrett students live in honors housing on all four ASU campuses, creating a strong sense of connection and community from day one. Barrett’s signature residential community on the Tempe campus features suite-style honors residence halls for first year students, classrooms, study spaces, and an award-winning dining hall. The residential and academic community of Barrett allows students to feel at home at ASU. Through the comprehensive residential communities at each Barrett campus honors students enjoy gathering spaces, special events, and Barrett student organizations right where they live. Over half of the first through fourth year honors students live in the Barrett community.

Enhancing the ASU Experience

The honors college is designed to complement the overall ASU experience by providing additional opportunities within the major and the university at large. Not only are you part of a premier Research I university with considerable resources, but you are also part of the nation’s top honors college with benefits more typical of a small, private college. Barrett, The Honors College is an umbrella college within ASU, meaning undergraduate students in any of ASU’s 400+ degree programs across the four Phoenix metropolitan campuses and ASU Online can potentially join the honors college. Barrett is designed to complement and enhance, not replace, the overall ASU experience. Barrett students get the best of both worlds - access to the massive resources and opportunities of ASU, while enjoying the close, personal attention of the dedicated Barrett faculty and staff. Barrett strives for its students to be challenged in ways that enrich the ASU experience, as opposed to simply adding more work and calling it rigor. It is impossible to list every benefit students with different goals for college who are in various majors will find with Barrett.

Barrett Honors College students earn the same 120 college credits as any other ASU student to graduate with a bachelor’s degree but will earn a portion of them as honors credits. Honors credits still count as ASU credits toward the undergraduate degree(s) a student is pursuing. There are a variety of ways to earn honors credits, from major-specific classes to internships or studying abroad. Students can earn honors credits by opting for honors versions of classes, working closely with professors on special projects, participating in research, holding internships, studying abroad, and more. Honors classes encourage faculty mentorship and a deeper investigation into the topics of the course. There are many different types of honors classes with varying structures. Some honors classes are smaller than their regular counterparts, others are discussion-based rather than lecture-style, and some will incorporate elevated topics into the curriculum. All majors work with the honors curriculum, which is customizable to suit your needs.

A Curriculum Designed for Excellence

Barrett, The Honors College creates a foundational educational experience that encourages learners of high potential to respond to the challenges of principled leadership through independent and collaborative scholarly and creative activities, community and civic engagement, transformative study and research, and travel and service opportunities. At Barrett, curious, motivated students learn from one another in an inclusive, supportive environment that rewards exploration and encourages responsibility and care for self and others. Barrett values courage and curiosity, belonging and community, agency and leadership, and provides meaningful academic and co-curricular opportunities to support these principals for students. While pursuing the same 120 college credit degree plan required for ASU students, Barrett students earn a portion of their undergraduate credits as honors credits. There are a variety of ways to earn honors credit, including major-specific classes and honors special topics courses, honors internship credit, the Barrett College Fellows Research Program, and honors travel and study abroad. All students in Barrett complete an undergraduate thesis project. The honors thesis is the culmination of Barrett students' honors experience and their entire undergraduate education.

Admission to Barrett: A Comprehensive Overview

Students who have demonstrated high levels of academic achievement in high school or college may apply for admission to Barrett. Each candidate must file an application to the college separate from the ASU application, in accordance with the appropriate Barrett deadlines. Applicants are evaluated on the basis of their academic records and their ranking within the graduating class. For fall 2024, ACT and SAT scores are not required. The Barrett application is quite comprehensive, allowing many different facets of each individual to be considered. The Barrett admissions committee always considers GPAs in the context of the program of study in which they were earned. Applicants should take great care to articulate their educational background on the application.

Here's a breakdown of the admissions process:

Apply to ASU: Students interested in Barrett must first apply to Arizona State University and then may begin the separate and free Barrett application. Prospective students should apply to ASU at least 4 weeks before their preferred Barrett deadline. When completing the ASU application, self-reporting grades will result in a significantly faster university decision. The Common Application is another option to apply to ASU. When a student applies for ASU admission, an ASURITE ID is issued. Students must then activate their ASURITE ID, which includes identifying a password. The ASURITE ID and password are required to begin the free Barrett application. ASU admission is not necessary to start the Barrett application, but a student’s Barrett application will not be considered complete until ASU admission is conferred. For this reason, we strongly encourage prospective students to apply to ASU 4 - 6 weeks before their preferred Barrett deadline.
Submit Your Barrett Application: All incoming first-year ASU students apply for Barrett Lower Division consideration, regardless of AP/IB/dual enrollment credits. Prospective students should be mindful of deadlines and work to ensure that a complete Barrett application is on file by the appropriate date. A Barrett application is complete when:
- It has been submitted, not just saved.
- Both required letters of recommendation have been received by Barrett.
- The student has been admitted to an Arizona State University undergraduate degree program at the ASU Downtown Phoenix, Polytechnic, Tempe or West Valley campus.
Though a Barrett application may be started and even submitted before ASU admission is conferred, it cannot go to evaluation until university acceptance is formally awarded. Apply to ASU accordingly. Students who submit an application in time for a particular deadline will receive a short grace period for missing letters of recommendation to be received and for ASU admission to be processed. The Barrett application does not need to be completed in one sitting. A student may start, save their work, exit, and then return at a later date to finish and submit the application ahead of the appropriate deadline. After starting the application, a student may re-access it via the "Apply now" button or through the Barrett Application Status area of their My ASU webpage. For the best application experience, use the most current version of your internet browser. The Barrett Online application does NOT include letters of recommendation.

Read also: UMD Honors Programs
Track Your Barrett Application: After submission, candidates may monitor the status of their application through the Barrett Application Status area of their My ASU webpage. The Barrett decision letter also posts to this section.
Confirm Your Spot: To secure their spot as a member of the fall 2026 Arizona State University incoming class, an admitted student must submit the ASU enrollment deposit via their My ASU web portal. This action will also confirm their place in Barrett, The Honors College. There is no separate Barrett deposit.

Barrett Application Essay

The Barrett application essay allows you to address our admissions committee in your own voice. We have a deep interest in knowing why you are considering Barrett, The Honors College, and your essay will let us better see you as a future scholar in our community. Your essay may take creative and intellectual risks, but be sure to address and integrate all elements of the prompt. Your essay should give the admissions committee insight into how you reason and what you value. The essay will also contribute to our assessment of your ability to communicate effectively and think critically, key skills for success in the honors curriculum. Essays that are general or impersonal are less successful. There is never a correct answer nor a preferred response to a prompt. Applicants choose from one of three essay prompts to compose a 300 - 500 word essay.

Barrett's core values are Community and Belonging, Leadership and Agency, and Courage and Curiosity. All three pairs are important to who we are, but which of these couplings most resonate with you and why? In answering the why, be specific by reflecting on both your lived experiences and the ways Barrett will be foundational to your time at ASU and beyond. Briefly tell us about something you enjoy and why. This can be an organized activity or something you informally pursue in your free time. The bulk of your essay should then be spent speaking to how this interest makes you a good fit for Barrett (not college in general, but specifically the honors experience at ASU). Identify a local, national, or global challenge - big or small - that you intend to play an active role in resolving. Be specific in explaining why this challenge is important to you, how it informed your selection of a field of study at ASU, and in what ways joining Barrett will prepare you to address this issue.

Entry Points to Barrett

For students who plan to attend Barrett in person at one of ASU’s four Phoenix metropolitan campuses (Downtown Phoenix, Polytechnic, Tempe or West Valley):

Entry Point 1: High school seniors apply for Barrett Lower Division consideration. Lower Division is a four-year honors college experience. Students who took time off after high school, did not attend another college or university, and are entering ASU for the first time are eligible for this entry point.
Entry Point 2: Students in their first semester at ASU (or at another college or university) may join Barrett for their second semester via Lower Division application. Students must have at least three and a half academic years remaining in their ASU undergraduate degree program to be eligible for Barrett Lower Division consideration.
Entry Point 3: Students who have completed approximately half of their undergraduate degree at ASU (or at another college or university) apply for Barrett Upper Division consideration.

Note: Barrett Upper Division and Barrett Online applicants write one and two additional 250-word essays, respectively. These are posted to the application itself. To apply for Barrett Online admission, students in an ASU Online undergraduate degree program must meet all three of the following criteria.

24 Credit Minimum - Earned a minimum of 24 credits post high school graduation and before Barrett enrollment. These can include in-progress credits at the time of Barrett application submission. The 24 credits can be a combination of ASU and transfer units.
Composition Requirement - Completed the ASU first-year composition requirement before Barrett enrollment. Students may be currently enrolled in first-year composition classes at the time of their Barrett application. The requirement simply must be satisfied before Barrett enrollment.
60 Credits Remaining - Have a minimum of 60 credits remaining until intended ASU graduation at the time of Barrett enrollment. It is also required that applicants have a minimum of four semesters remaining until their intended ASU graduation.

Global Engagement

Barrett students are connecting their education to the world and earning honors credits in the process. Barrett, The Honors College, encourages honors students to expand their education through global learning and travel. With ASU offerings of more than 300 programs in over 65 countries, ranging from one week to a full academic year, Barrett students can participate in honors-specific travel experiences, as well as academic department programs focused on language, service, research, culture and more. Studying abroad helps students build global awareness, cross-cultural skills, and a deeper understanding of their fields while pursuing their undergraduate education.

Distinctions and Recognition

Graduating from Barrett, The Honors College at ASU, sets students apart in today's competitive job market and in applications to top graduate, medical and law schools. Barrett graduates are recognized for their academic excellence, intellectual curiosity, and hands-on experience through research, leadership and community engagement. Employers and graduate programs seek Barrett students and alumni for their proven ability to think critically, innovate and make an impact beyond the classroom. Being a Barrett Honors College student sets you apart from other applicants for jobs, graduate programs, medical school, law school or any other next step after your undergraduate degree. It shows that you went beyond the minimum requirements to get your bachelor's degree, and that you are not afraid of a challenge.

Financial Considerations

ASU tuition is the same for Barrett students. Like most colleges at the university, Barrett charges a fee which goes directly toward developing and supporting the unique honors experience of each student. Currently, the Barrett fee is $1,100/semester for campus immersion students and $122/credit hour with a maximum charge of $1,098/semester for Barrett Online students. Your housing cost may differ as a Barrett student, based on your campus and choice of residence halls. The Barrett fee is covered by military benefits for veterans and their dependents. Active members of the military are responsible for paying the Barrett fee, it is not covered by military benefits. The Barrett fee is currently covered by SCAP and Uber.

Barrett offers a variety of scholarships, most of which have deadlines on February 1 for the following academic year (e.g. February 1, 2025 for 2025 - 2026). There are essentially three types of scholarships:

Automatic consideration merit awards following ASU admission.
Awards through academic units at ASU and third parties which require applications through Scholarship Universe.
Awards through Barrett which require applications.

Barrett scholarships for the 2026-2027 academic year will open on November 1, 2025, and close on February 1, 2026. In addition to submitting the appropriate scholarship applications by the deadline, students must be admitted to Barrett by March 6, 2026 (not by February 1). ASU automatically awards many incoming students merit scholarships through the New American University (NAMU) scholarship program. The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, a tool that assesses a student’s financial need. ASU will offer students a combination of grants, work-study funding, and loans each year based on demonstrated need from the FAFSA. ASU’s priority filing date is Jan. 15 each year. However, students are encouraged to submit their FAFSA as soon as possible to increase the likelihood of prompt processing. Barrett recommends all students to submit a FAFSA for each academic year. Some ASU scholarships require that a FAFSA is on file with the university for scholarship consideration.

Residential Experience

Unless they receive a housing exception to live at home for a unique circumstance (financial, health, etc.), ASU first-year students live on campus regardless of whether they are in the honors college or not. Barrett offers a distinctive four-year residential experience. ASU guarantees housing for all incoming first-year students and for all second-year Barrett students, so long as the housing application is submitted by the posted priority deadline. There is a unique Barrett residential community at all four of ASU’s Phoenix metropolitan campuses. There are several housing options for Barrett students at each campus.

Concurrent and Accelerated Degrees

Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree. Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor. Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.

Key Milestones in Barrett's History

1988: The Arizona Board of Regents authorizes the creation of the University Honors College at ASU. With this designation, the first four-year, undergraduate, residential honors college in the United States becomes a reality with Dr.
1994: Honors classes and program begin at ASU West campus.
2009: Barrett opens the nation’s only four-year residential campus for honors students on eight acres at the southeast corner of ASU’s Tempe campus. Secretary of the Air Force.
2011: Barrett Honors College Suite opens in the University Center Building at ASU West campus.
Jan. 2019: The Center for Personal Development is established at Barrett Honors College. The center, which is supported by funding from a foundation, provides innovative courses, workshops and an engaging speaker series designed to help students achieve their personal best, both during and after their college experience.
Aug. 2019: After several years in the University Center Building at ASU Downtown Phoenix campus, Barrett Honors College moves into the Mercado Building.
Nov. 2020: Barrett Honors College Suite and honors residential community open in Lantana Hall at ASU Polytechnic campus.
Aug. 2021: Barrett Online program begins with its first student cohort.
Aug. 2021: First-year student applications grew to more than 5,000 for fall 2021. This explosion in interest allowed the honors college to successfully grow its incoming class to nearly 2,000 in the fall 2021 semester. Barrett Honors College now has more than 7,000 students.
June 2022: Tara Williams is appointed dean of Barrett, The Honors College. She is the third dean, and the first woman to hold the position, in the honors college’s history.
March 2024: Barrett Online wins the 2024 Gold Excellence Award from NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, for its innovative approach to serving online honors students.

Engaging with the Barrett Community

Barrett does not prevent students from participating in other opportunities on or off campus. It is common for honors college students to be involved in student organizations, work part-time jobs, hold leadership positions and pursue multiple academic programs. Off-campus Barrett students are encouraged to enjoy the unique honors college communities across all four ASU campuses. Deans, staff and faculty offices are conveniently located to promote student success through advising, mentoring, engagement and support services. With the exception of the residential space where students live, off-campus students have access to all of the available Barrett amenities during business hours. The Barrett Online experience features exciting virtual events, special opportunities for travel and global engagement, service, and student organizations such as The Forge and the Barrett Honors College Council. There are all sorts of ways to engage with the Barrett community. There is not just one type of student in Barrett, so the college mindfully offers a wide array of honors-only resources and opportunities. For example, Barrett supports over 30 student organizations. The Barrett community is also rich with events centered on wellness, arts, culture, academic success, building connections, and community action.

Support and Advising

First-year ASU students first meet with their major advisor during New Student Orientation Experience and will then meet with their honors advisor during their first semester of enrollment. Throughout their time at ASU, Barrett students will be contacted by both their major and honors advisors to schedule appointments appropriate to their progress towards degree completion. The program guides new university students through their enrollment steps, essential tasks, and includes academic advising. Transfer students also attend a special Barrett orientation and welcome, with information about the program provided in their honors college admission materials. ASU Online students receive a Success Coach - part personal advisor and part motivator. Your Success Coach provides a one-to-one coaching experience to guide you through balancing life, work and school.

With a focus on excellence beyond their college experience, Barrett students have the opportunity to take advantage of the Lorraine Frank Office of National Scholarship and Advisement, which serves all of ASU, and is located in the Barrett Complex on the ASU Tempe campus. There, Barrett faculty and staff mentor students as they apply for national and international fellowships. Each year, ASU students are selected for prestigious recognitions and awards, including the Rhodes Scholarship, Gates Cambridge Scholarship, Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship, Goldwater Scholarship, Boren Awards for International Study and Killam Fellowship Program. In addition, ASU students are recipients of the Benjamin A.

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