Participating in an Honors Program

Were you accepted into an honors program? Trying to decide whether or not to participate?

Here are a few benefits to consider.

• Honors programs are often found at midsize or large universities. This is an opportunity for you to get the “small school experience” at the large university.
• Are you serious about your academics? Honors programs are a great way to surround yourself with like-minded high-achieving students in the classroom.
• Worried about those large intro courses your first year? Many honors class are small in size and also fulfill distribution or general core requirements.
• Some honors programs offer an honors living community for a chance to live with others honors students. In many cases these are some of the nicest residence halls on campus!
• Interact with top professors. In many cases, honors courses attract some of the colleges top professors to teach. Sometimes, these courses are in a professor’s specialty area and a course they wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to teach.
• Depending on the college or university some honors programs have scholarship opportunities attached to them.
• Some honors programs allow you the opportunity to strive to graduate with Latin honors (Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, or Cum Laude).
• Many honors program will give you the chance to write an honors thesis. This is an amazing experience to get engaged with research.
• Some honors programs offer special access to guest speakers on campus, workshops, performances, and lectures.
• You may find that some honors programs offer priority course selection, so you get to sign up ahead of your peers!

An honors program may not be right for every student but if accepted it is worth considering the benefits. If possible, try and talk to the honors program office at the school you are considering and possibly some current students in the program to learn about their experience.

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