In 1998, the college was honored to have Dr. Henry A. Kissinger serve as the inaugural chair. The Barrett Honors College and all its facilities and services are fully available to every student, regardless of where he or she lives. Classrooms, recreational and study lounges, and a computing lab compose the principal facilities of the college. Honors College students receive priority at preregistration and have extended checking out privileges in the campus libraries. Honors courses in disciplinary departments are typically limited to 22 students.
Students can receive transcript recognition for lower-division honors studies.
Students who meet all upper-division requirements of both their disciplinary college and the Honors College receive transcript recognition of that accomplishment, as well as special acknowledgment in the graduation ceremonies and collegiate honors convocations. Participants in the Honors College have diverse interests and strong records of success. Many go on to the nation's finest graduate and professional programs, including Chicago, Cornell, Harvard, Michigan, MIT, Northwestern, Stanford, UC-Berkeley, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Yale. Many students have published portions of their honors theses and have presented their work at the national and regional meetings of scientific and honors societies. All candidates for admission must file a separate application to the college.