By Road2College
As a high school senior, it can be tough choosing between a small college and a large university, and knowing which school can be the right fit. For those who have never been away from home, a small school with more interaction between the student body and the teaching staff might provide a more nurturing environment.
Even some students looking for all the “BIG” things that come with a large school: sports teams, Greek life, lots of activity, and other students may also want a nurturing atmosphere within the larger campus.
For those who do want both, honors colleges and honors programs can be the best of both worlds.
A huge advantage to attending these programs is financial: At many of these schools you get the low tuition of a public university, but the perks of going to a smaller liberal arts college or a selective private institution.
Ultimately, an honors program can be the perfect solution for a high-achieving student who wants to keep pushing themselves in college, but may not have the resources to attend a private institution.
And while these programs might be something of a “bargain,” you can rest assured that they’re valuable opportunities and the quality of the education they offer is top-notch.
What’s an Honors Program vs Honors College?
Honors Colleges (which are essentially a college within a larger university) boast of smaller class sizes, access to more seminar-style classes, closer student-professor relations, and the opportunity to opt into extensive academic rigor, such as submitting a thesis during your graduation year.
Some schools even offer honors students priority registration, the opportunity to be part of a special honors community, and additional scholarship money.
Honors Programs usually have the same perks as an honors college, except that honors programs aren’t part of a particular college: These are programs that you fulfill as you get your degree at another of the university’s colleges.
Further, while it’s tricky to put forward an average completion rate for honors programs and colleges, it seems to hover between 83% and 91%. (Keep in mind that this number is different from the university’s graduation rate.) Overall, an honors program sounds like a pretty sweet deal, right?
Here’s what some members of our Paying for College 101 Facebook group had to say about the Honors Colleges their students attended:
“Usually a guaranteed acceptance to the graduate school, registration for classes first, better dorms, specializes advanced classes to enrich the students, mentoring.” –Claire
“Nicer dorms. Enhanced student services (more data tracking therefore a closer eye on the population) even though they often need it less.” –Jill
“At my son’s college he has smaller classes, more contact with professors (has been to dinner at their homes a few times), preferential registration, and more opportunities for internships and research.” –Janet
“If you’re in the honors college at my daughter’s school they give you a $4k scholarship per year. But she has an extra class every semester and she has to take certain seminars. She said the class is a lot of writing and it’s fairly difficult. She did it because she likes to write and is pretty good at it. If you don’t like writing, she thinks it would take up a lot of the students time.” –Melissa
Not so fast. As with all things in life, there are both pros and cons for every situation.
“My daughter was invited to several honors programs but declined because we researched and it really makes no difference. Pretty much just so you can say “my kid is in honors” in my opinion.” –Kimberly
Is an Honors College Harder?
Some of the cons of joining an honors college or program include having to maintain a higher college GPA than other students, dealing with the stress and expectations of a more demanding program, still having to take large lecture courses, and maybe facing resentment from the student body at large for having access to more resources, more scholarships, and better facilities.
The benefits can certainly outweigh the negatives, but do keep in mind that the benefits come at a price: Academic rigor is tantamount to these special programs
While it’s ultimately up to you to weigh the pros against the cons and decide whether an honors college or program is worth it, being part of an honors college can be something that ultimately enhances your college years. In addition, graduating from an honors college or program can enhance your post-college experience.
You might want to graduate with honors to give your application a boost when applying to grad school, to get a leg up on research while you’re still an undergrad, or to show employers that you’re not the type to shy away from a challenge.
You might not know exactly how this experience might relate to your future (you still have time to decide), but being an honors graduate might open even more doors of opportunity as you figure things out.
Is Being in an Honors College Worth It?
As you can see from these examples, honors colleges ask much from you as a student, but you’re setting yourself up to get a lot in return.
Going to college is all about growing as a person, whether that’s academically or otherwise, and honors colleges offer a huge opportunity to grow intellectually, socially, and generally as a person.
It’s true that there’s no one-size-fits-all college, and there isn’t one honors program that’s perfect for everyone. Think about what you want out of your overall college experience.
Take a look at the honors programs and colleges at the schools that you’re considering while you’re applying to college, as some only allow admission from incoming college students. Be aware of deadlines as well, because some honors colleges close admissions sooner than the overall university.
If you’re not sure whether these programs are for you at this time, keep in mind that many programs offer continuing and transfer students a chance to apply or be invited. So, consider that those students who are no longer first-year students can still get in on the game.
Just as you should stay on top of things now as you plan your potential honors college experience, you should also look to the future. How do you see yourself leveraging this experience for future opportunities?
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