The Honors program at DCs school comes with a $28k/year scholarship that made the school affordable for us. It also allows DC to take smaller, specialized seminars and receive more personal advising. There is no special housing or registration advantage.

As far as requirements, there is a minimum GPA to stay in the program, a sequence of required courses (1 each semester except for second semester freshman year when there are two) and an Honors thesis written during senior year. So a bit more work, but a number of the requirements are just honors versions of courses DC would have had to take anyway, but DC found most of them worthwhile.

They're all different. You can't generalize. Do your research so you understand the specific program.

Anonymous wrote:All of the offerings of a big state school (research opportunities, lots of clubs and activities, athletics, diversity, etc.) with a small college feel (small classes and seminars, getting to know the professors, nicer/smaller dorms).

- Graduate of honors program at my big state university and hoping for same for my kids

Agree with the above, although honors colleges are not all the same and you can build a strong community through other means. Also, honors kids typically don't have all small, honors-only classes - they may very well have a few really big general intro classes, for example. And at the end of the day they're still on a huge campus with thoursands and thousands of other students when they're walking to classes, eating at the dining halls, using the gym, etc. so be wary of those who say that an honors program makes a big school "feel small."

I would say: know that you want the university as it is. Be sure of that. Then, make a separate, lesser decision re: whether you prefer the Honors requirements/environment.

If you're in the Honors Dorm and don't remain (academically) in Honors, you have to move. Quite an upheaval.

Anonymous wrote:My daughter didn't want the extra hassle/work and didn't apply honors anywhere. Several state schools admitted her anyway. She still chose non-honors.
First pick at classes is nice, but she also didn't want to live with all honors kids

It seems like the living portion is optional. You can still choose most honor programs without living in the dorm.

OP here. What extra work does it involve?

All of the offerings of a big state school (research opportunities, lots of clubs and activities, athletics, diversity, etc.) with a small college feel (small classes and seminars, getting to know the professors, nicer/smaller dorms).

- Graduate of honors program at my big state university and hoping for same for my kids

My daughter didn't want the extra hassle/work and didn't apply honors anywhere. Several state schools admitted her anyway. She still chose non-honors.
First pick at classes is nice, but she also didn't want to live with all honors kids

Suspect a lot of it is “good version of affordable college”.

The highly ranked honors programs are worth it.

DS was in Honors at UMD. Definitely great research opportunities and smaller classes for things like Calc - they can move much faster that way. Old dorm though (Ellicott) but he loved it nonetheless.

Many are just extra work (not worth it IMO) Some are more enriching.

My kid wanted to go to UMD- we are a terp family. They were in a nicer dorm and had smaller classes. They also received merit aid.

Has anyone chosen a school because they got into the honor college? What were some benefits of these programs? Would it have been better to just go to a higher tier college instead?