S26 is applying for comp sc. Is it worth writing 4 essays to get admitted to honors college? Will it better for job opportunities?
Son hates humanities. Will the honors college emphasize on humanities?
Any other inputs?
Read what they say on the webpages as to what courses are required.
Honors colleges generally provide smaller classes (in unique gen ed classes and/or in major, or the honors section may have the professor instead of a TA), personal advising (especially important for freshmen/sophomores), special opportunities, and may also offer support for internships, research or a project, scholarships, experiential opportunities, better housing, priority registration (that alone is worth it’s weigh in gold).
Employers will not care directly whether the degree has an extra honors college element but they DO care about the special opportunities students have taken advantage of, that come from the Honors College.
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My S23 is the same (astrophysics major). His primary decision criteria was the college with the fewest GEs, so he could just focus on math, physics and astronomy courses. He point blank refused to apply to honors colleges, as they tend to add more required humanities courses. He prefers to add a math double major rather than more humanities.
My D18 was in an honors college. I don’t think it really made any difference after graduation. Her GPA and ECs are probably more important.
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There’s nowhere on a job app for Honors.
Each Honors is different. It sounds like your student isn’t interested.
Maybe it looks better on a resume. Maybe it’s a conversation during an interview.
Will it help secure an interview or job, given most jobs require an online form fill out with no place to note it ? Highly doubtful.
Good luck.
He is interested if Honors program has the right content.
What was D18’s major?
She did a BFA in ballet and a BS in environmental studies. Her honors thesis was the latter. Her (full ride) scholarship (not at OSU) required students to do the honors degree. But honors was more prescriptive about required classes than a non-honors degree.l (eg you couldn’t use APs to fulfill GEs).
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Thanks. I was looking for OSU-specific answers regarding the honors program.
Where did S23 go to college?
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I’m sure you can see things on line (I see Honors Housing) and a curriculum.
You should have your student ask to speak to an Honors Student ambassador or two - I figured from your first message on hating humanities, it wouldn’t be for you - but he can certainly find out. My son didn’t apply to one Honors program because of this…that school was heavy on humanities in Honors.
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He applied to various public universities in the west that had WUE or merit (Utah, Arizona, ASU, considered OSU but didn’t think he’d get merit), but ended up getting off the waitlist at UCSC and stayed in CA.
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I agree with the advice to ask to speak to a current honors student at the school.
At my D’s school there were companies that only recruited students from honors, especially first year. There were also internship opportunities within the honors college.
Priority registration, special housing, honors specific study abroad, guaranteed research, specialty advising, and leadership opportunities can also be features of an honors program. At my D’s school the required honors seminars covered a wide range of topics so there was something for everyone. After first year you could also make nearly any class count for honors credit by doing an extra project or giving a presentation.
IMO it’s worth doing a deeper dive.
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