While being in the Honors Program here at the University of North Georgia I have noticed that many Cadets do not participate in the Honors Program. Of the Cadets who do join the Honors Program, most drop the Program before they reach graduation. Additionally, through a partnership with the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships, I have come to know that Cadets are less likely to apply for scholarships. I am seeking to understand why Cadet involvement in these two offices is significantly lower than their civilian counterpart’s participation. This is a work in progress, but in my primary research, I have identified multiple lines of inquiry that have helped to enlighten some of the issues that are affecting the level of Cadet participation. I predict that the cause of this underrepresentation is a complex mix of Cadet perceptions of their role on campus, career goals, and time management. My intended research design calls for a literature review and a questionnaire to be given to the Corps of Cadets. The questionnaire is intended to collect data highlighting Cadet demographics, sentiment, and how Cadets view their place on campus. With this data, paired with the analysis of the literature review it is my hope that both the Honors Program and the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships will be able to increase Cadet Participation in their respective organizations.
Key Words: Cadets, Honors, National Scholarships.