Requesting Information from Colleges Offering Honors Programs

Deciding to pursue an honors program provides a valuable opportunity to highly motivated students to work closely with professors and fellow students having an advanced level of critical thinking, analytical, and research skills. Enrolling for an honors program offers the opportunity to get top-quality education, pursue an academically challenging curriculum, and get generous scholarships. Honors programs are typically aimed at students who are ready to stretch themselves academically. Honors programs are offered by a number of colleges and it can be a daunting task to select a college that best meets a student’s requirements and expectations. It is therefore recommended to request information from colleges offering honors programs by speaking to their admission representatives.

Important Information to Request from Colleges Offering Honors Programs

Information can be requested from colleges by asking questions from the admission representatives, based on the following areas of interest:

• Students must inquire about the eligibility criteria for the honors programs. Some colleges admit students with high GPA, high SAT/ACT scores, and strong recommendation letters. The eligibility criteria vary depending on the college and therefore it is advisable to get clarity on the exact requirements.
• Students can request information from colleges by asking the admission representatives about the cost of the honors programs. They should inquire about additional charges, financial aid options, and scholarships available.
• Students should ask for details related to the curriculum such as the majors in which the honors degrees are available. They must also inquire about the GPA requirements for remaining in the honors program. They must ask if there are certain academic standards, failing which, they would be removed from the honors program. Students need to know the procedure for re-applying for the honors program if they are removed from the program due to low scores.
• Information can be requested from colleges by asking about the benefits of enrolling for the honors program. The benefits of pursuing an honors program vary from one college to the other. Some colleges might offer the benefits of smaller classes, challenging coursework, help with academic planning, special activities, scholarship opportunities, priority registration, and honors degree.
• Prospective students can inquire the admission representative to explain the difference between honors programs and other non-honors programs. They must inquire about the student-teacher interaction, teaching methodology adopted, and the support provided by teachers to the students outside their classes. They need to find out if the teachers pay personal attention to all the honors students. They should also ask about the in-class atmosphere and whether there is a lot of competition or do the students tend to work together and help each other. Students need to find out about the outside opportunities provided in terms internships offered, opportunities for studying abroad, and career guidance.
• Students should also inquire about how much of their coursework would be honors. They can inquire about the minimum number of honors courses that are required to be taken per semester.
• Students can also request information from colleges by inquiring about the housing facilities and whether all the honors students stay together. They should also inquire about the facilities available in the hostel, such as internet access, dining facilities, cafeteria, and extracurricular activities.
• Students should request information from colleges regarding the amount of free time that they would have apart from their studies. They must know about the other activities that they can get involved in during their idle time. Some colleges have various active groups such as music groups, athletes, peer tutors, and theatrical societies.

To select a college that meets their expectations and provides excellent academic opportunities, students are advised to request information from colleges by inquiring about the above listed areas of interest. Only after all their doubts have been cleared and their queries resolved should they go ahead and seek admission in the college. Students can also request information from colleges by visiting the StateUniversity (http://www.stateuniversity.com/) website.