Honors programs at big universities

Hoggirl
Sat, 07 Jun 2014 14:58:54 +0000

My ds was accepted into three different Honors Colleges at Big State U’s. Two (one being our in-state flagship) were strictly based on grades/test scores, and the third was based on those criteria plus an additional application which required essays, a resume’, etc. That one only accepts 320 students per year and that school also offered an additional program/cohort for his desired major. Because of additional competitive scholarships, two of the three would have been full-rides covering the entire COA. The only one that made his short list of three was the one that was application-based and also offered the cohort (OOS and full COA). His other two short-list schools were a top-20 with pretty significant merit and a top 5 with no money (because we do not qualify for need-based aid). He chose the full-pay, top 5. I really don’t blame him, though I had some slight remorse that he didn’t choose the top-20 with merit. We used the Honors Programs as safeties for him. None of those three universities are highly ranked. I agree with the point that not all Honors Programs are created equally, and I do tend to look to the ranking/perception of the university as a whole when forming my opinion. That may or may not be a fair way to do it. But as another said, the diploma is going ot have the same name of the university. Do I think he could have had a good experience at the Honors College at any of those three institutions? Probably. But I think he is going to have a once-in-a-lifetime experiece where he is going. The diversity, location, and, yes, branding will be signicantly better. Everyone has to make his/her own decision based on his/her circumstances. There is not one “right” answer, and there is not one “right” path. However, I do think the general tendency is to try to justify the choice, whatever it is. Antecdotal evidence will always cut both ways.