Frequently Asked Questions
Find quick answers to the most commonly asked questions for each academy.
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General
If the Governor’s School requires a county superintendent recommendation, the homeschool and nonpublic school student must submit Part II of the application electronically to the county contact for consideration. These schools include GHA, GSI Green Bank, GSI WVU, and GSLACH.
If the Governor’s School does not require a county superintendent recommendation, the homeschool and nonpublic school student submits Part II of the application directly to the state file submission folder as specified in the application. These schools include GSA, GSE, and GCSI.
Students will travel in groups on field trips with a faculty and staff chaperone pair.
No. Parents/guardians are responsible for drop off and pick up at the college/university. Once students arrive, the university secures transportation for any off-campus travel.
No. Students must commit to the fully immersive Governor’s School experience from the beginning date to the end. Emergencies and other situations that require students to leave early will be addressed by the dean(s) of each Governor’s School.
The Governor’s School experience is completely paid for by the West Virginia Department of Education and the hosting university or organization. This includes meals, lodging, travel to and from the university/organization for off-campus trips, and admissions into recreational events. Students may purchase souvenirs or memorabilia that would not be covered by the Governor’s School. This would be the only need for cash by the student.
Yes. The hosting colleges/universities and GBO have washers and dryers available in the residence halls and they are free. We even provide the detergent!
Students are provided three meals and at some events, we do have snacks. Some students choose to bring snacks, and this is okay, too.
WV Governor’s Schools are completely free to students. The only cost would be transportation by parents to and from the hosting university/college or organization.
Students who attended GSI at WVU during their 7th grade summer may not apply for GSI at Green Bank during their 8th grade year. Students interested in attending at Green Bank should not attend GSI at Green Bank.
Students are welcome to apply to any Governor’s School while in middle school or high school. Attending one Governor’s School does not disqualify students from attending others (apart from GSI).
Yes. Part of WV Governor’s Schools is the fully immersive nature of the experience. Students will be lodging in college dorms for the duration of the school under the supervision of residential staff.
No. Students who attend GSI in 7th grade are not permitted to apply or attend GSI in 8th grade.
No. Students are welcome to apply to multiple Governor’s Schools that apply to their current grade level, but may only attend one per summer.
Yes. Students who attend Governor’s Schools in middle school are welcome to apply and attend in high school.
Honor’s Academy
The Governor’s Honors Academy enrolls only academically gifted and motivated students and provides a curriculum different from that found in the traditional public or private school. It offers unique opportunities for students to enhance their academic skills, assimilate the accumulated knowledge of the culture, relate to contemporary issues, deepen understanding of themselves and their unique abilities, and engage others in critical-thinking and problem-solving activities.
GHA is open to current 11th grade students who are residents of West Virginia and attend high school at a public, private, or homeschool. Students who plan to graduate after their junior year are not eligible. See Student Qualifications for more information.
If your application is successfully transmitted, a message thanking you for applying will pop up. If the screen does not change, some required data may have not been entered correctly. Review the form and resubmit. You will not receive an email saying your application has been received.
Through a special arrangement with the West Virginia Department of Education, CTE students will be given special consideration to attend GHA.
Attending the Governor’s Honors Academy is a scholarship in itself. Some colleges and universities do offer college scholarships to GHA alumni. This year’s host, Fairmont State University, will award a $1500.00 per year for GHA Scholars who attend FSU and continue to maintain a 3.0 GPA. Ask the financial aid officer at the schools you are considering whether a GHA scholarship is available.
There is no cost to students or their families for tuition, activities, books, or instructional materials. Only health and accident insurance, travel to and from the academy site, and personal expenses are the responsibility of the students and their families.
- Students must work through the person appointed by the principal to apply to GHA, usually the counselor. The counselor will check test scores and GPA to see if you qualify. It’s the student’s responsibility to check with the counselor and to complete the application and get the required references.
- The application is in two parts. Part I takes about five minutes to complete and is to be submitted online. Part II is the paper application that must be submitted to the school. Students submit the completed application to the designated person at the school before the school deadline.
- The school turns it in to the county office, and the county superintendent sends in the names of the two Superintendent’s Choices–one male and one female– as well as the applications of students to be included in the state-wide pool. See the application for more information.
The SAT is only one of several scores used to consider students for GHA. Others include a score of at least the 90th percentile on a nationally normed test such as the PSAT or a score of three (3) or higher on an Advanced Placement examination. These scores are not required; however, they may be used for comparison in very tight competition.
Students chosen to attend GHA will receive a letter from Governor Justice approximately one month from the final state deadline. The names of selected students will be published on the website approximately one week after the letters from the Governor have been mailed.
To be eligible for nomination and selection, a student must reside and attend school in West Virginia, be in the 11th grade at the time of selection, have a GPA of 3.5 or be in the top 10% of his/her class. Student must then complete an application which consists of an Academic Profile, Student Profile, Teacher Recommendations, and Writing Entry. Each school must select its nominees and then send them to the district level. Each school district sends its allotted nominees to the state level. A statewide selection committee reads the applications and makes final decisions about who will attend the program.
No. Each school system is allotted a male and a female “superintendent’s choice” and a certain number of nominees based on its junior class enrollment. The number, however, is generous.
No. All sections of the application must be typed. Please ask teachers early for letters of recommendation.
The applications of such students must be submitted to the County Coordinator in the county where the student attends school.
Counties must submit their choices by the published date. The school deadline will be considerably earlier. Check with your counselor.
No. A student must be a West Virginia resident to apply for the GHA.
Students should adhere to the directions on the application. If, for example, the application asks for three activities, the student needs to limit his/her description to three strong activities. There may be a need, however, to elaborate that could necessitate additional pages. Clear and concise writing is important.
Neither grades nor credit are given; however, all students successfully completing the program receive a certificate of completion. College applications often provide students with an opportunity to explain their participation in special programs such as the Governor’s Honors Academy and many offer scholarships for such participation.
In the traditional GHA setting, there are classes and activities during the weekend. This is also a time for travel/field trips.
You may not. The GHA commitment is for the full three weeks of the academy.