Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 17:12     Subject: DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
Honors programs are overrated at most schools.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 17:09     Subject: DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
Anonymous wrote:DD is a strong student. She has been accepted to two top 10 schools as well a handful of other schools.

However, she is chasing merit aid and hasn’t received enough aid anywhere to bring tuition costs down anywhere near our state flagship. Because of this she will likely be attending our state flagship.

The problem is that she was not accepted to the honors college at our state flagship. It is the only honors college that rejected her. I’m not sure why she was rejected.

I am having a difficult time dealing with this. DD is very “academic” and really enjoys being around other serious students. I am so sad for her but I’m trying not to let it show.

She says she doesn’t care, but I don’t think she fully understands what this means.


Honors colleges tend to be way more trouble than they are worth.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 13:55     Subject: DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
Anonymous wrote:It's common for kids to get into some schools and not other schools even when they are comparable. Our state flagship is very popular and it is a notorious hard admit from our area. Some high stats kids get into higher ranked schools but don't get into our flagship. So be glad your kid got in at all. Sounds like she has some great options. Focus on those.


Kids getting rejected especially OOS from Top Publics but accepted to Top Privates is a common thing. A lot of factors play into it.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 13:52     Subject: DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
It's common for kids to get into some schools and not other schools even when they are comparable. Our state flagship is very popular and it is a notorious hard admit from our area. Some high stats kids get into higher ranked schools but don't get into our flagship. So be glad your kid got in at all. Sounds like she has some great options. Focus on those.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 13:51     Subject: DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
Anonymous wrote:Can you tell me what you think it means? I’m being serious because we are starting the process with my second kid and from what I’ve researched, the honors colleges sound like a huge negative with the exception of early registration. My oldest had no interest in these.

It seems like you need to take an extra class and then live with a smaller group of people instead of mixing with everyone. Am I missing something? This sounds like more work AND restrictive.


You are absolutely correct. My kids had no interest in it either.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 13:49     Subject: Re:DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP- You said in your post that she’s been admitted to two “top 10” schools. Which ones? I’m finding it hard to believe that she has decisions from more than one of these schools, and that she wouldn’t also have admittance to an honors college.

Which of these has she been admitted to:
Princeton, Yale, MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Duke, Penn, JHU, UChicago or Northwestern?


Most likely top 10 publics.


Then OP should clarify. Big difference between U of Wherever vs Stanford et al!


+1

“Top 10” is not the same as top 10 public. WTF?


A little of me thinks OP was a bored troll on a Saturday night. The detail about being accepted into two top 10s and the comment about struggling to hide their sadness about no honors college both come off as fake.


Agree.
DP
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 12:23     Subject: Re:DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
OP your kid should research whether the honors college matters. My kid is at UC Davis. For him, it didn’t matter. He already had a ton of DE and AP credits which gave him early registration. There was no dorm preference and he met up/chose his roommates. Kids are friendly and he’s met similar smart kids outside the program. Between wanting to double major, being on a time intensive team, starting an organization’s chapter on campus, having lots of friends/social stuff and being at the gym everyday it wasn’t worth the extra seminar time.

At some schools it does make a difference for smart kids and at some schools there is a dorm advantage.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 12:14     Subject: DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
Anonymous wrote:Fake. Couldn’t get into two Top 10 schools at this juncture. Decisions not out yet and if ED would be attending.


In theory this is possible because both MIT and Chicago have non-binding and non-restrictive EA. But it would be crazy unlikely to get into both of these schools in EA and then not get into an honors college.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 12:02     Subject: Re:DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP- You said in your post that she’s been admitted to two “top 10” schools. Which ones? I’m finding it hard to believe that she has decisions from more than one of these schools, and that she wouldn’t also have admittance to an honors college.

Which of these has she been admitted to:
Princeton, Yale, MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Duke, Penn, JHU, UChicago or Northwestern?


Most likely top 10 publics.


Then OP should clarify. Big difference between U of Wherever vs Stanford et al!


+1

“Top 10” is not the same as top 10 public. WTF?


My kid chose a "Top 10" public over a "Top 10" private. His choice and he is thriving and loving life. This crushes your "Top 10" fantasy... doesn't it? lol

What does top 10 public even mean?

There’s a gap with the rest.


There is no Top 10 anything. But the Top 10 Publics in most rankings (such as USNWR, Forbes Top Publics etc.) always include Cal, UCLA, UMich,
UNC, UVA, Georgia Tech, UT Austin, UF with a few mixed in depending on the publications.

Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 11:53     Subject: DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
There are lots of opportunities at these big flagships. Not getting into the honors college is not the end of the world. There are lots of programs they can apply to once they are there. My child is currently in interview rounds for a small (academic) program at a big state school.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 11:52     Subject: DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
Anonymous wrote:Can you tell me what you think it means? I’m being serious because we are starting the process with my second kid and from what I’ve researched, the honors colleges sound like a huge negative with the exception of early registration. My oldest had no interest in these.

It seems like you need to take an extra class and then live with a smaller group of people instead of mixing with everyone. Am I missing something? This sounds like more work AND restrictive.


My son got into UMD Honors: what we were looking for was a smaller cohort that would take some classes together and dorm together (at Dorchester, one of the most centrally located dorm on campus, not in the high rises further away), for purely social reasons: my son is a shy introvert, and I thought it would make finding friends easier.

It turns out that he went elsewhere, and did not apply to an Honors program at that other university because none of the themes interested him. And indeed, he does have trouble making friends and socializing... but he preferred that other university, because the major he wants is much more developed there.


Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 11:29     Subject: Re:DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP- You said in your post that she’s been admitted to two “top 10” schools. Which ones? I’m finding it hard to believe that she has decisions from more than one of these schools, and that she wouldn’t also have admittance to an honors college.

Which of these has she been admitted to:
Princeton, Yale, MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Duke, Penn, JHU, UChicago or Northwestern?


Most likely top 10 publics.


Then OP should clarify. Big difference between U of Wherever vs Stanford et al!


+1

“Top 10” is not the same as top 10 public. WTF?


My kid chose a "Top 10" public over a "Top 10" private. His choice and he is thriving and loving life. This crushes your "Top 10" fantasy... doesn't it? lol


Speaking of insecurities...

No one is slamming top 10 public schools - just pointing out that OP was not truthful.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 11:23     Subject: Re:DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP- You said in your post that she’s been admitted to two “top 10” schools. Which ones? I’m finding it hard to believe that she has decisions from more than one of these schools, and that she wouldn’t also have admittance to an honors college.

Which of these has she been admitted to:
Princeton, Yale, MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Duke, Penn, JHU, UChicago or Northwestern?


Most likely top 10 publics.


Then OP should clarify. Big difference between U of Wherever vs Stanford et al!


+1

“Top 10” is not the same as top 10 public. WTF?


What did this post just add to the conversation or OP? lol insecure posters coming out in this thread.


OP isn't being truthful. Troll posts are a waste of everyone's time.


Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 10:37     Subject: DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don’t think she fully understands what this means.


I don’t think YOU fully understands what this means, OP. Plenty of “academic” students aren’t in HCs at state flagships and are still successful. It’s not that deep.

+1 My kid did honors college for one year, then dropped it. I know other high achieving students who've done the same because it really wasn't worth it to them.

I think if your kid doesn't care, you shouldn't really either. Is this really about academics or just your pride?


This. You are going to find when you're kid goes off to college they are going to try all kinds of things, some will work out, some will not. They are going to be told No, maybe a lot, and maybe this is a new experience for your kid. Please do yourself and your kid a favor and do not overreact based on your emotions when things don't work out. If your kid doesn't care, match that emotion, and forget about it. This is just the beginning OP. Buckle up.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2026 10:33     Subject: Re:DD didn’t get accepted to the honors college at our state flagship.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP- You said in your post that she’s been admitted to two “top 10” schools. Which ones? I’m finding it hard to believe that she has decisions from more than one of these schools, and that she wouldn’t also have admittance to an honors college.

Which of these has she been admitted to:
Princeton, Yale, MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Duke, Penn, JHU, UChicago or Northwestern?


Most likely top 10 publics.


Then OP should clarify. Big difference between U of Wherever vs Stanford et al!


+1

“Top 10” is not the same as top 10 public. WTF?


My kid chose a "Top 10" public over a "Top 10" private. His choice and he is thriving and loving life. This crushes your "Top 10" fantasy... doesn't it? lol

What does top 10 public even mean?
Cal, UCLA, UMich,
UNC, UVA, UT Austin, UF
There’s a gap with the rest.