Rising sophomore in AH. The main points that I (PERSONALLY) have experienced:
It is very, very easy to get into this program. Because AH is for-profit, there is a huge focus on gaining $$$ through recruiting the most amount of students, especially international students who will pay the most. Do you have the money? Great, you’re in! Doubling on this is the fact that things like NJ STARS (for example) will not cover the AH funds.
Other students/administrators/professors at your CC will laugh at you if you admit to being an AH student. It is viewed in a similar way to “paying for friends” with a frat/sorority at a 4-year (not a perfect analogy, but you get the idea).
The corporate mandates in terms of the two mandatory classes for AH students are poorly designed, and there is no follow through at the classroom level. The “Quad” site is mostly unused and seems to be wasteful.
“Honors” classes are OK — mostly engaging, sometimes dreadful. There is not a whole lot of difference between the “honors” classes and the “normal” classes.
What I would break it down to: Are you focused? Can you keep your GPA up with minimal cheerleading? Do you think you can go through the transfer process easily? AH may or may not be for you.
Also, your graduation/transfer goals factor heavily into this. AH is focused on Liberal Arts students. STEM students will struggle finding “honors” classes to graduate with AH honors. Most of the transfer schools are uber expensive Liberal Arts universities. At least here in NJ, AH talks about their deals with NJ state schools — but these are actually deals that the state schools have with the community college itself! Research research research, and good luck.