Psychology Studies at Macaulay Honors College
Macaulay Honors College appears on our list of 10 Tuition-Free Colleges Where You Can Earn Your Psychology Degree.
The William E. Macaulay Honors College is part of the City University of New York. New York resident students who attend the college all receive full-ride scholarships for their studies, along with a MacBook Pro laptop and a cultural pass for all of the City’s attractions and landmarks.
Psychology students in the CUNY system who meet the college’s stringent admissions requirements are allowed to study jointly at Macaulay Honors College and at their home campus in pursuit of a psychology degree. As with many other institutions, these degrees comprise a 120-credit gamut of challenging core, psychology, and honors courses.
Additionally, students take extra seminars while at Macaulay Honors College. The school also customizes courses for students with like interests so that they can develop their knowledge, skills, and research practices while at Macaulay Honors College. The four high-level seminars that students attend can be spread throughout their time at Macaulay Honors College.
Students who wish to study abroad or perform their own research projects that require funding also receive $7,500 to pursue those interests. Lastly, students who achieve admission to Macaulay Honors College have not only their Macaulay tuition covered but also their CUNY tuition.
As an example, students seeking a bachelor’s degree in psychology have the option of pursuing a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Science, or a Bachelor and Master of Arts combined degree. Macaulay Honors College does not give graduate-level classes, but students who are striving for the combined degree may attend Macaulay Honors College for part of their undergraduate work.
About Macaulay Honors College
The William E. Macaulay Honors College is a veritable newborn in a world of colleges with hundreds of years of tradition. Founded in 2001 after preliminary studies two years prior, it sought to create a highly selective, cutting-edge, and innovative learning center for the students of the City University of New York system.
CUNY itself is ranked No. 55 in the North Region by U.S. News and World Report. Its rank among public schools is No. 14. CUNY accepts 86 percent of applicants. Macaulay Honors College, however, has admission criteria that rival those of Princeton University and Harvard University, selecting between 6 and 8 percent of applicants annually. In 2019, the college selected fewer than 500 from more than 6,500 applicants.
Although the college does not offer graduate school classes, it does go to extraordinary lengths to help its graduates get into graduate schools all over the world. Staff members provide mock interviews, coaching sessions, essay writing classes, and test prep for the various required tests, such as the Graduate Record Examinations, Miller Analogies Test, or Graduate Management Admission Test.
Macaulay Honors College Accreditation Details
Both Macaulay Honors College and the City University of New York have received regional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The eight primary campuses of the CUNY system as a whole have also received many academic accreditations from many awarding organizations. These organizations include:
- American Psychological Association
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- American Library Association
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- American Physical Therapy Association
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Inc.
- Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
- American Dental Association
- Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
- New York State Board of Regents
- Council on Education for Public Health
Macaulay Honors College Application Requirements
Except for very rare cases, Macaulay Honors College does not accept transfer students. There is a similar restriction on students who have ever attended a post-secondary school whether they have earned credits or not. These restrictions are part of the college’s charter. All high-school students who are planning to attend CUNY are eligible to apply.
SAT or ACT scores are required as are all official high-school transcripts, essays, statements of purpose, and letters of recommendation. Some students must also complete on-site interviews. The college’s website lists the different interview requirements, so prospective students should read them at their leisure.
In addition to test scores and outstanding high school achievement, Macaulay Honors College considers community involvement, leadership exhibited in group activities, and other aspects of students’ lives. Students with high-school equivalency certificates, correspondence or homeschooling for one or more years, or possibly even trade school students should also read the website thoroughly to glean any additional requirements they must meet. For example, home-schooled students whose curriculum did not align with New York State Curricula might be required to take a GED exam before they can be considered.
Tuition and Financial Aid
As stated, all New York students who attend Macaulay Honors College may do so tuition-free. Students from outside of New York have the in-state portion of their tuition waived, but they must still pay the difference between the in-state and out-of-state portion of their tuition. Also, room and board are not included in the tuition waivers. As the room and board costs range from $13,000 to $25,000, many students live at home and commute. Students who earn combined degrees must also pay for their graduate study.
Students who must pay over and above the scholarship to which all students are entitled can also apply for financial aid. As with any other college, the first step is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. A financial aid advisor will guide students through the process, but students wishing to know more before applying should contact the Office of Financial Aid. International students, particularly those who wish to participate in work-study programs, must make sure all paperwork regarding visas be in order prior to applying.
Macaulay Honors College is CUNY’s flagship institution, and it continues its mission to lead CUNY as one of the top public universities in the world.
