What are the best Honors colleges at large schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of my kids started out in the Honors College at a large state university, but after the first year decided to drop it. It was really just a lot of extra busy work (required classes) that had nothing to do with her major but was mandatory for the HC. In addition, the diploma doesn't make any mention of HC, so she ultimately decided it wasn't worth her time and we agreed. She had a fantastic four years and took advantage of so many opportunities - but HC simply wasn't the advantage a lot of people paint it to be.

I had a similar experience - granted it was years ago. Biggest perks were getting early registration for classes my freshman and sophomore years. Should have dropped it after that.

+1
And many Honors colleges require a senior project that also has nothing to do with one's major. Just a big waste of time.

I get that one would want to have something on their diploma to show their accomplishment, but you can absolutely put it on your resume. The extra reading and honors project are also part of a rigorous education. It's education for the sake of education.

There was a recent thread where people discussed how weak and unchallenging many universities' general education curricula are. Not that you can't get a great education without honors, but some students might want more from the core curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Honors programs are useful for perks. Also useful to understand higher level academia. Also useful for future real world application where you work your ass off on a project and it gets tossed on the ash heap....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our counselor told us Georgia and South Carolina has some of the best honors programs.

Neither felt like a good culture fit, so DC only applied to EA to Wisconsin and Maryland (both OOS).

Yep-daughter is in the UofSC honor college. It’s been amazing and kids accepted there instead of other very prestigious private schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our counselor told us Georgia and South Carolina has some of the best honors programs.

Neither felt like a good culture fit, so DC only applied to EA to Wisconsin and Maryland (both OOS).

Yep-daughter is in the UofSC honor college. It’s been amazing and kids accepted there instead of other very prestigious private schools.

+1 it’s for top kids, that love learning for the sake of learning. Not strivers only focused on their majors. Strivers stay in general pop.

[Anonymous]

I’m from SC, several of my good friends went to the USC Honors College. Def more than housing perks, although they had those too. IIRC their classes were just for HC students, much smaller, lots of extra opportunities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of my kids started out in the Honors College at a large state university, but after the first year decided to drop it. It was really just a lot of extra busy work (required classes) that had nothing to do with her major but was mandatory for the HC. In addition, the diploma doesn't make any mention of HC, so she ultimately decided it wasn't worth her time and we agreed. She had a fantastic four years and took advantage of so many opportunities - but HC simply wasn't the advantage a lot of people paint it to be.

I had a similar experience - granted it was years ago. Biggest perks were getting early registration for classes my freshman and sophomore years. Should have dropped it after that.

+2

It would help the rest of us if you named the schools. This is exactly what we’re trying to figure out - which honors programs are real/worth it and which are not.

I mean, the concept is the same everywhere. Yes, you get early registration for classes, but even that isn't a big deal IMO. The extra busy work is the dealbreaker that I wish I had known about earlier.

Not true at all. The TOP colleges like U South Carolina are fantastic and not what you’re describing. Don’t get an honors college confused with an honors program. There’s a difference.

There's no difference at all, but thanks.

[Anonymous]

At some universities the designation means almost nothing, at some it’s a totally different school within a school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UvA doesn’t have honors but has the Jefferson Scholarship program ( must be nominated by your high school - you need to be a top student) and Echols, which is decided by admissions but has no monetary perks

Echols Scholars are only within Arts & Sciences. The engineering equivalent are the Rodman Scholars. Both are used to attract top students who might pick an ivy or similar. Echols waives a lot of course requirements; Rodman does not. Both get preferential course selections. Both are housed together in a particular first year dormitory.

Curiously, Jefferson Scholars are selected by a separate foundation -- and are NOT selected by UVa. Public taxpayer funds are NOT used for the Jefferson Scholars program.

None of these is an "Honors College".

[Anonymous]

What is an Honors College? How is it different from the regular university? And how is it different from UVa's Echols/Rodman, which never uses the word "honors". I am honestly confused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of my kids started out in the Honors College at a large state university, but after the first year decided to drop it. It was really just a lot of extra busy work (required classes) that had nothing to do with her major but was mandatory for the HC. In addition, the diploma doesn't make any mention of HC, so she ultimately decided it wasn't worth her time and we agreed. She had a fantastic four years and took advantage of so many opportunities - but HC simply wasn't the advantage a lot of people paint it to be.

I had a similar experience - granted it was years ago. Biggest perks were getting early registration for classes my freshman and sophomore years. Should have dropped it after that.

+2

It would help the rest of us if you named the schools. This is exactly what we’re trying to figure out - which honors programs are real/worth it and which are not.

I mean, the concept is the same everywhere. Yes, you get early registration for classes, but even that isn't a big deal IMO. The extra busy work is the dealbreaker that I wish I had known about earlier.

Not true at all. The TOP colleges like U South Carolina are fantastic and not what you’re describing. Don’t get an honors college confused with an honors program. There’s a difference.

There's no difference at all, but thanks.

Wrong. STFU, thanks.

[Anonymous]

DS is honors at UMd. Once you are in Honors, you can choose among about 8 specific honors colleges - most are 2 yr programs (there’s at least 1 4 yr very intense research program that my son says kids avoid at all costs bc so much extra work). The 2 yr programs have targeted interests like international biz or design and creativity. These programs are smallish 65-100 kids, and the kids live together, often in amazing dorms, and take a class together each semester for 2 yrs. During the week of orientation, the kids do a ton with their honors college and really get to know one another. Also, these kids care about doing well, so are not just partying nonstop.

DC has friends who are in general honors college, which is ~400 kids with no additional classes. These friends in general are having a harder time finding their footing, possibly bc the larger group didn’t facilitate making friends
so quickly.

Note DC and classmates are not coming from school that sends many kids to UMd so they arrived knowing almost no one.

UMd was not on my kid’s radar at all but it has been a terrific experience so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Notre Dame has the Glynn Family Honors Program which was a great experience. They have small classes and it gives you guaranteed funding for research. But it's not residential.

My son was in that program. It was fine...he did get preferential access to certain in demand classes, which was nice. They also have free coffee and bagels, etc. in the Glynn lounge, which is a nice perk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is an Honors College? How is it different from the regular university? And how is it different from UVa's Echols/Rodman, which never uses the word "honors". I am honestly confused.

There’s no standardized definitions so you really need to read the details for each school being considered. But in general, and honors college acts more like a small school within a big school. Likely to offer honors-only dorms and class sections, sometimes like a living-learning community, so that honors students are largely surrounded by other honors students at least in the first year or two.

An honors program is likely less formal and “separated,” for lack of a better term. It might offer perks like earlier registration, but not a separate dorm or designated class sections.

Some schools may have programs (whatever they choose to call them) that fall somewhere in the middle. Nothing is standardized.

UVA’s programs are functionally honors without calling them that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of my kids started out in the Honors College at a large state university, but after the first year decided to drop it. It was really just a lot of extra busy work (required classes) that had nothing to do with her major but was mandatory for the HC. In addition, the diploma doesn't make any mention of HC, so she ultimately decided it wasn't worth her time and we agreed. She had a fantastic four years and took advantage of so many opportunities - but HC simply wasn't the advantage a lot of people paint it to be.

This is the common scenario, I think. My kid never considered it for this reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our counselor told us Georgia and South Carolina has some of the best honors programs.

Neither felt like a good culture fit, so DC only applied to EA to Wisconsin and Maryland (both OOS).

Yep-daughter is in the UofSC honor college. It’s been amazing and kids accepted there instead of other very prestigious private schools.

+1 it’s for top kids, that love learning for the sake of learning. Not strivers only focused on their majors. Strivers stay in general pop.

That's a silly characterization. There are plenty of strivers if you are trying to slander kids who are focused on getting securing the top jobs out of UofSC. The three kids I know if the program would never be described as "love learning for the sake of learning".