If you've been an honor student in high school, it's only natural to consider that option for college. When planning your campus visit, be sure to ask questions about the school's honors program or make an appointment to meet with a representative. Better yet, ask to speak with current honors program students. Corey Bobco weighs the pros and cons of honors in higher-ed below:
Are you registered for an honors class or teetering on the edge of “I’m too freakin’ lazy to challenge myself”? Before you “yay” or “nay” the big league, you need the inside info to decide if the honors track or an honors course is worth the extra work -- and whether you can take the heat.
Back in the Day
In high school, what generally distinguished honors (or advanced placement) courses from their standard-level counterparts was that honors classes issued more homework, required more studying and demanded more self-initiative. (But, hey, they looked damn good on your college apps!)
Some high schools require a recommendation or certain GPA to get into a higher-level course. Some offer rewards for taking honors, such as a weighed GPA (on a scale of 0 to 5.0, rather than 0 to 4.0), which explains why those studious, overachievers put themselves through the pain of it all. Other high schools offer no tangible benefits besides a challenge and the risk of ruining a near-perfect GPA.
In the Big League
Your college will have its own unique requirements and policies regarding eligibility and grading scales, so you should definitely check that out sooner than later. One consistency: Like in high school, honors classes in college can be a hell of a lot harder than basic-level courses. So why bother? Not to sound like Mom, but you’re in college to challenge yourself. And you have little to lose, since your college grades often carry less weight than your high school grades. (That is, unless your GPA is securing financial aid, maintaining your parents’ financial support or going on your med, law or grad school applications. In such a case, take extra caution in assessing your capabilities, since risking damage to your GPA can mess up your chances of staying in school and moving on up to bigger and better.)
Clearly, honors courses differ at every school. Here are general details, pros, cons and tips:
Class Size
Pro: Typically, honors classes are smaller seminars with only 10 to 25 students. A small class size means you can develop a relationship with your instructor -- and that he or she may actually know your name! This could prove handy when you need extra help, guidance on a big paper or project, a deadline extension, a letter of recommendation or even a lead on a summer internship.
Con: Smaller, niche classes mean extra attention is paid to attendance so your instructor will notice if you’re a frequent no-show. Plus, it will become painfully obvious if you come to class unprepared.
Curriculum
Pro: Honors classes often focus on a highly specific niche topic, like Caribbean literature and film since 1920. If you are super interested in that -- or whatever topic is being offered -- then don’t think twice about signing up for a semester’s worth of it, since classes that excite you make extra work worth the effort.
Con: Papers, texts and readings will probably be more challenging than a vanilla English Lit 101.
Quality
Pro: Class time in an honors course has great potential to be interesting, since the format of smaller classes tends to be open discussion rather than basic lecture. Plus, part of your grade may be determined by your level of participation, an objective measure you can use to up a not-so-hot score. Don’t be shy!
Con: You may have to participate … and think critically. In order to do either, you will have to complete the course requirements -- that is, every page of every reading assignment.
Insider Tips
- Don’t be scared of the big “H” Some honors program courses are actually easier in comparison to the gut-wrenching AP biology and calculus you might have taken in high school.
- Ensure your enrollment One tried-and-true trick is to sign up for a few extra credits than you need to take in one semester -- especially when you’re thinking about trying out an honors-level course. In the first week of the semester, swing by the class, assess the syllabus and size up the instructor. If it no longer interests you or seems like the workload would take time away from your other classes’ work (aka your social life), then you can drop it without worrying about having enough credits to graduate on time or finding another class to replace it.
- Avoid large lecture honors classes These cover topics at an introductory level with a broader focus, but they might have as many as 80 students and lack the perks of an intimate class setting. And lecture series -- honors or otherwise -- can seriously bore you to death.
- Seek smart company Honors courses do more than fine-tune your interests and work your brain into a sweat. As a reward for taking on the challenge, they'll place you among the brightest of your peers and introduce you to faculty members who can offer new perspectives and solid career advice.
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By Corey Bobco for The Real College Guide. This article is made available to SmartCollegeVisit through a partnership with TheRealCollegeGuide. For more insights on applying to, or enrolling in, a college or university honors program, click here.
Christina McIntyre, associate director of University Honors at Virginia Tech and founder of BecomeAlum, says being in an honors program can include opportunities that are outside the norm for individual students. She says it’s a way to get “an ivy-league education at a public university.”
Because honors programs vary widely in structure and mission, McIntyre recommends scheduling face-to-face meetings with honors program staff when you visit schools: “An actual visit can reveal how people involved in the honors program interact with students as individuals.”
Preparing for the Visit: What Should I Ask?
As you research a school’s honors program web page or brochure, consider the primary questions below; then form follow-up questions to ask in person:
Primary Question #1
- What is the focus of the honors experience? Is it strictly a matter of taking harder/more in-depth courses to achieve an honors diploma, or is there more?
Example Follow-up Questions
- Are there opportunities/requirements for independent research, creative projects, collaborative projects, community projects, presentations, travel?
- Is there a series of required courses, or can I shape my own program? For example, can I take a regular course and work with the professor to make it an honors course for me?
Primary Question #2
- How would the honors program connect with my major?
Example Follow-up Questions
- How have past students in my major completed the honors diploma?
- Would my honors courses count toward my major or general education requirements?
- Would I have an honors adviser and a major adviser?
- If I enter school as an undeclared major, would I still be able to make progress toward an honors diploma?
Primary Question #3
- Is there a residential component to the honors program (a “living/learning community” in which honors students live in the same residence hall)?
Example Follow-up Questions
If there is not a residential component:
- Are there other opportunities for interaction among honors students?
If there is a residential component:
- Is the purpose mainly to give honors students a quiet place to live, or are opportunities built in for academic and social interaction?
- Are honors program staff part of the community?
- Would I have a student mentor?
- Tell me more.
(McIntyre notes: “National research has shown that students who are part of living/learning communities perform better academically and are more engaged in the university.”)
Primary Question #4
- What benefits does the honors program offer that I might not have thought about?
Example Follow-up Question
- I noticed on your web page that honors students get priority registration. What does this mean? Why do honors students get priority registration?
(McIntyre notes: “Comparing the way a variety of schools answer questions like this one can tell you volumes about the working philosophy of an honors program.”
Primary Question #5
- How would I enter the honors program? (Can I apply on my own, or do I have to be invited? What is the deadline for application?)
Example Follow-up Questions
- If there is an application process, what does it include?
- Is the honors program open only to entering freshmen, or can students apply later (for example, during the sophomore or junior year)?
- If I’m not eligible now but can apply later, what would I need to do to become eligible?
- Are honors courses available to students who are not in the honors program?
Be Ready to Answer Questions, Too
“A visit to an honors program can end up being an informal interview, an opportunity to stand apart from others who visit – to be identified as someone to keep an eye on,” says McIntyre. “You, the student, should be engaged in this visit whether it’s one-on-one or in a group.”
A Question Likely to be Asked of You
- Why are you interested in participating in the honors program at this university?
Preparing to Answer
- Read all the information available and ask yourself: “How does my idea of what I want from a college education align with this school’s honors program mission, philosophy and structure?”
Before you visit a school, see about arranging a visit with the honors program while you’re there.
If the web page doesn’t list a daily information session for the honors program, call and ask to schedule one. The more lead time the better – staff might not be available if you wait and call the day before or day of your visit.
“The interpersonal connection made that day can make a big difference in a student's impression of a school and its honors program,” says McIntyre. “I have seen students completely change their ‘top school’ choices based on these visits.”
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Kathie Dickenson is an award-winning higher-education writer and editor and a regular contributor to SmartCollegeVisit.
