Housing: Honors vs Residential College

jen101
Tue, 04 Feb 2014 15:48:50 +0000

I’m undeclared as of right now but I’m almost definitely majoring in psychology with a minor in community action and social change (through the school of social work).

I definitely think the language requirement is the thing that sets the RC apart from the rest of LSA. The first year seminars aren’t too bad. In my seminar I actually did significantly less writing than my friends in normal English 125 classes did. (of course, the seminars change every year, and each professor is different.)

You definitely don’t have to be an amazing academic writer to be in the RC. The professors definitely want to help you! The seminars are really small (<15 people, I’d say) and you’re on a first name basis with them, so that’s nice.

As for creative writing: No, not everyone is into it! But I would say that most people in the RC are interested in some kind of art, whether visual or written.

Honors vs. RC classes: RC classes, outside of the language requirement, maybe, are no harder than LSA classes. Honors classes can be harder but I can’t comment on grades because I don’t know your strengths. But I will say I was in an honors section of a huge intro. biology class and the only difference was that we had a professor instead of a GSI, so no difference in the curriculum or anything. Otherwise I think if you’re accepted into the honors program in the first place you can definitely do fine in honors classes.

Now, for greek life, there are definitely some RC people who are part of it (including my roommate last year), however I personally only know girls in the RC and sororities, I can’t think of any RC guys I know who are in frats, but IDK they might exist. Either way, know that a) you’ll be in the minority and b) you won’t be able to live in the house until your junior year, probably, because the RC very rarely grants people permission to live outside of EQ their first two years and still remain in the RC.

In all, as you can probably tell I definitely would recommend joining the RC. I don’t have so many good feelings toward the Honors Program…I don’t think it’s entirely necessary, because you can still join the honors program as a junior and do the thesis and whatnot, but it doesn’t hurt to join, either.