if being in the honors college at UK doesn’t yield much, then I guess it’s not important.
At some other schools, it’s a bigger deal. Not only are the HC classes smaller, but the honors students get Priority Registration, which is a huge deal. Getting “first dibs” at classes means that you’re less likely going to get some undesirable class-time and more likely going to get the prof you wanted. HC students can be in the Honors Dorms, which is also a nice option. My kids liked the very interesting HC course selections…class sizes of 15 students made for more interesting discussions. Instead of desks, they often sat around a big oval-like conference table.