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Kairos is a program designed to foster a learning environment for students who seek a community of like-minded learners. Kairos Scholars will take specially designed classes that focus more on discussion and critical thinking than most of the standard equivalent courses. Students who are a part of Kairos Scholars also form part of a community of about a hundred other academically-minded students supported by highly engaged faculty.

If you are eligible for the Merit Scholarships in 2021, then you are eligible for the program. If you have a 28 ACT score or 1310 SAT score (or above), you are eligible for the program. All you have to do then is apply (see the “Apply” page in the menu above). After your application materials are received, a Kairos representative will call to touch base and to discuss the nature of the program. Please note, there is a separate application for admittance to the program from that of the university. An Honors selection committee consisting of Honors faculty and students reviews the applications and selects a cohort class of 20 to 25 students for entry in the fall.

Yes! If you are not accepted right away, you may apply again as a student on campus for second-semester admission. If a slot has opened during that time, your chances of admission into the program are good. Also, exceptions to the admission requirements will be considered on a case-by-case basis. No guarantees are made, but all submissions will be carefully considered and weighed according to their merits. Transfer students may be considered for admission, and may be eligible to transfer honors credit from another honors program at another institution. However, a minimum of 18 hours must be completed at Lee University in order to earn the honors diploma. Please contact our office for special admission consideration.

Yes, Kairos offers scholarships, such as the J. Mathew Melton Scholarship for freshmen members. If students are eligible for the program, they should automatically be eligible for other scholarships such as the Presidential and/or Centennial Silver and Gold Scholarships. For more information, check out financial aid on the Lee University website.

Yes and no. Lee University does accept AP and Dual Enrollment credits, and you will receive college credit hours from that. However, some credit received in these situations does not necessarily substitute for an honors course. Therefore, some coursework central to the Kairos Scholars experience is required–particularly the LEEU-101 & 102 and ENGL-110 courses. AP and Dual Enrollment credits will not exempt you from these classes. Exceptions may be made on an appeal basis.

No. Honors courses are not designed to burden students with extra work like many high school honors classes do. The purpose of the program is to provide bright students with a challenging learning experience with some of the university’s most engaging faculty. While in aggregate the typical Kairos student might end up spending more time on some class assignments, they need not worry that they will be doing “busy” work or extra material just to earn honors credit. Honors courses are not harder; they seek to incorporate different means of pedagogy in the classroom than other courses taught under the same title at Lee.

The total number of Honors Credit hours required for the Honors Diploma is 24. Most of these hours are located in the general education core. For more information, refer to the “Courses” Page. Kairos students will want to avoid taking courses that might count for those mentioned above.

Honors credit for Music and Nursing majors will, in most cases, have to be individually planned in cooperation with the Dean of the School of Music or Nursing and the student’s advisor. Students considering these majors are still encouraged to apply, and succeed in the program, as past members of these majors have.

No. You do not have to have declared a major to be part of the program.

While the Kairos Scholars program does not operate/offer distinguished honors housing, honors students get priority for the townhomes (ie. Dirksen Row townhomes for female members) and students are encouraged to room together in other dorms offered by Lee.

Being a Kairos Scholar is not primarily about the “perks,” though we try to reward students for their involvement. Kairos Scholars is more for people who love learning and who value academic challenge in the company of others who also place a premium on enhanced development of intellect, character and servant leadership. That being said, being a Kairos Scholar does offer a few perks such as priority class selection, quality extra-curricular activities and honors designation on transcripts and diplomas. The single best perk for Kairos Scholars is the learning community of students who challenge each other to excel as well as the chance to have access to instructors at Lee University who are willing to work with them one-on-one.