Honors College programs: what's the point?

[Anonymous]

There's a lot to like about Honors programs.

In my view, it allows big state colleges to compete with the offering of private colleges (smaller classes, easier registration, specialized classes, advising, mentorship with professors) while still offering the advantages of a large research university (research opportunities).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a lot to like about Honors programs.

In my view, it allows big state colleges to compete with the offering of private colleges (smaller classes, easier registration, specialized classes, advising, mentorship with professors) while still offering the advantages of a large research university (research opportunities).

This is what schools want you to believe. In large research Unis, however, this is really hard to implement due to lack of funding (in most cases). Schools may offer honors seminars and such but most of the courses you need for your degree are outside of "honors" program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The honors program was one of my favorites parts of my experience at the University of Maryland

What did you enjoy about the program?

[Anonymous]

The big difference where I went to school is that the honors college students had their own dorm which had different rules than the other dorms. They had stricter quiet hours, that was the biggest difference. NO audible noise through the dorm door on Sundays at all. You could have music/loud TV/loud gaming going on M-F 11AM-4PM, then quiet hours were 4PM-7PM, more free hours until 9PM when the final quiet hours went into effect.

I had a bunch of friends in the honors college and I loved studying in their dorm for big tests!

They also had more study areas. Instead of each floor having a lounge + game room, each floor had little study cubbies and only the main floor had a game room. There were also larger study rooms you could reserve for group study sessions.

I think the other advantages were smaller class sizes and the one-one-one adviser mentoring that happened. At least that's what I saw. The honors college adviser knew all of the students in the college, lived in a small residence adjacent to the honors college dorm and had various students over for dinner to connect and make them feel less homesick. The adviser over my dorm (where I went to school, professors could choose to live in a small house/apartment either attached to the dorm or in the dorm to advise the RAs and students) didn't know any of our names and we barely saw her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a lot to like about Honors programs.

In my view, it allows big state colleges to compete with the offering of private colleges (smaller classes, easier registration, specialized classes, advising, mentorship with professors) while still offering the advantages of a large research university (research opportunities).

This is what schools want you to believe. In large research Unis, however, this is really hard to implement due to lack of funding (in most cases). Schools may offer honors seminars and such but most of the courses you need for your degree are outside of "honors" program.

I think most of what the PP said was accurate in my experience at Penn State's honors college 10+ years ago. Most of the Gen Ed requirements and foundation courses had an honors class offered so you could avoid the large lectures taught by TAs. The higher level courses where things get more specialized were only available in regular format, but those were smaller classes anyway. We also had priority registration and special dorms with guaranteed housing as many years as you wanted on campus. Some students developed relationships with professors and did research as undergrads, but that wasn't really relevant to my major. All around it was a good option for me as an in state student. Again, this was over 10 year ago, so various things may have changed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a lot to like about Honors programs.

In my view, it allows big state colleges to compete with the offering of private colleges (smaller classes, easier registration, specialized classes, advising, mentorship with professors) while still offering the advantages of a large research university (research opportunities).

This is what schools want you to believe. In large research Unis, however, this is really hard to implement due to lack of funding (in most cases). Schools may offer honors seminars and such but most of the courses you need for your degree are outside of "honors" program.

The smaller class/seminar style was only one class per semester for me. It was no biggie. Didn't really change the fact that I was in a large impersonal uni.

[Anonymous]

I was in an honors college at a state school. Perks:
-Full ride + stipend. Tuition, room&bord, books, all paid for. My extra (previously earned) scholarship money went into my pocket for any additional living expenses.
-Priority registration for classes and dorms. This meant I lived in the brand new dorm in one of only 8 rooms campus wide that had a private bathroom, and I got first pick of classes.
-Honors only classes. These were required and intended to create community with the other honors college students and to challenge us.
-Senior presentation required for graduation. We had full latitude when selecting/creating our subjects/projects. Have us a chance to be in the academic spotlight.

I’d do it again if given the chance - I’m still in touch with most of the people in my honors college, it was a fantastic program. Truely enriched my college experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was in an honors college at a state school. Perks:
-Full ride + stipend. Tuition, room&bord, books, all paid for. My extra (previously earned) scholarship money went into my pocket for any additional living expenses.
-Priority registration for classes and dorms. This meant I lived in the brand new dorm in one of only 8 rooms campus wide that had a private bathroom, and I got first pick of classes.
-Honors only classes. These were required and intended to create community with the other honors college students and to challenge us.
-Senior presentation required for graduation. We had full latitude when selecting/creating our subjects/projects. Have us a chance to be in the academic spotlight.

I’d do it again if given the chance - I’m still in touch with most of the people in my honors college, it was a fantastic program. Truely enriched my college experience.

All honors kids received that?

[Anonymous]

I was in something like Echols. A million years ago, so it did exist. The freedom was awesome. Registering first is awesome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was in an honors college at a state school. Perks:
-Full ride + stipend. Tuition, room&bord, books, all paid for. My extra (previously earned) scholarship money went into my pocket for any additional living expenses.
-Priority registration for classes and dorms. This meant I lived in the brand new dorm in one of only 8 rooms campus wide that had a private bathroom, and I got first pick of classes.
-Honors only classes. These were required and intended to create community with the other honors college students and to challenge us.
-Senior presentation required for graduation. We had full latitude when selecting/creating our subjects/projects. Have us a chance to be in the academic spotlight.

I’d do it again if given the chance - I’m still in touch with most of the people in my honors college, it was a fantastic program. Truely enriched my college experience.

All honors kids received that?

In my school, yes. They wanted to keep the high achieving kids in state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was in an honors college at a state school. Perks:
-Full ride + stipend. Tuition, room&bord, books, all paid for. My extra (previously earned) scholarship money went into my pocket for any additional living expenses.
-Priority registration for classes and dorms. This meant I lived in the brand new dorm in one of only 8 rooms campus wide that had a private bathroom, and I got first pick of classes.
-Honors only classes. These were required and intended to create community with the other honors college students and to challenge us.
-Senior presentation required for graduation. We had full latitude when selecting/creating our subjects/projects. Have us a chance to be in the academic spotlight.

I’d do it again if given the chance - I’m still in touch with most of the people in my honors college, it was a fantastic program. Truely enriched my college experience.

All honors kids received that?

In my school, yes. They wanted to keep the high achieving kids in state.

How many kids in the program? That's an unusual set-up that all honors kids received a full ride.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was in an honors college at a state school. Perks:
-Full ride + stipend. Tuition, room&bord, books, all paid for. My extra (previously earned) scholarship money went into my pocket for any additional living expenses.
-Priority registration for classes and dorms. This meant I lived in the brand new dorm in one of only 8 rooms campus wide that had a private bathroom, and I got first pick of classes.
-Honors only classes. These were required and intended to create community with the other honors college students and to challenge us.
-Senior presentation required for graduation. We had full latitude when selecting/creating our subjects/projects. Have us a chance to be in the academic spotlight.

I’d do it again if given the chance - I’m still in touch with most of the people in my honors college, it was a fantastic program. Truely enriched my college experience.

All honors kids received that?

In my school, yes. They wanted to keep the high achieving kids in state.

How many kids in the program? That's an unusual set-up that all honors kids received a full ride.

Around 20 kids per class? I’d have to look at our orientation photo to be sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do employers really look to see if students were in these programs? What about graduate schools?

Where I went to school, the benefits were: separate dorms, some dedicated classes, extra support/challenge in writing, and increased options for undergrad research (see your question re: graduate schools), required for an honors degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was in an honors college at a state school. Perks:
-Full ride + stipend. Tuition, room&bord, books, all paid for. My extra (previously earned) scholarship money went into my pocket for any additional living expenses.
-Priority registration for classes and dorms. This meant I lived in the brand new dorm in one of only 8 rooms campus wide that had a private bathroom, and I got first pick of classes.
-Honors only classes. These were required and intended to create community with the other honors college students and to challenge us.
-Senior presentation required for graduation. We had full latitude when selecting/creating our subjects/projects. Have us a chance to be in the academic spotlight.

I’d do it again if given the chance - I’m still in touch with most of the people in my honors college, it was a fantastic program. Truely enriched my college experience.

All honors kids received that?

In my school, yes. They wanted to keep the high achieving kids in state.

How many kids in the program? That's an unusual set-up that all honors kids received a full ride.

Around 20 kids per class? I’d have to look at our orientation photo to be sure.

Honors PP here - looked it up out of curiosity. They now get $2-6k per year, plus an award based on their ACT score (up to $10k). Much less generous. I guess a lot has changed in 15 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was in an honors college at a state school. Perks:
-Full ride + stipend. Tuition, room&bord, books, all paid for. My extra (previously earned) scholarship money went into my pocket for any additional living expenses.
-Priority registration for classes and dorms. This meant I lived in the brand new dorm in one of only 8 rooms campus wide that had a private bathroom, and I got first pick of classes.
-Honors only classes. These were required and intended to create community with the other honors college students and to challenge us.
-Senior presentation required for graduation. We had full latitude when selecting/creating our subjects/projects. Have us a chance to be in the academic spotlight.

I’d do it again if given the chance - I’m still in touch with most of the people in my honors college, it was a fantastic program. Truely enriched my college experience.

All honors kids received that?

In my school, yes. They wanted to keep the high achieving kids in state.

How many kids in the program? That's an unusual set-up that all honors kids received a full ride.

Around 20 kids per class? I’d have to look at our orientation photo to be sure.

Honors PP here - looked it up out of curiosity. They now get $2-6k per year, plus an award based on their ACT score (up to $10k). Much less generous. I guess a lot has changed in 15 years.

Yes, that's for sure.