Did you know that many flagship public universities have honors programs? Oftentimes these programs can be comparable to or even exceed the academic rigor at elite, highly selective schools.
How can honors programs at state universities benefit you?
1. Cost. Attending an in-state public school can save over 75% on tuition. (Example: full-time tuition for two semesters at Columbia University is $61,000, whereas full-time in-state tuition at Ohio State is $12,000 for two semesters.) Additionally, merit aid is widely available to top students at public universities, but very hard to come by – or sometimes simply not offered – at highly selective universities. Using the same comparisons, Columbia offers no merit scholarships, and Ohio State offers five different types of merit aid, ranging from a couple thousand dollars to full tuition annually.
2. Priority course registration. Students enrolled in honors colleges or honors programs at universities are often given the opportunity to register for classes ahead of the rest of the students. Not only can you get into the classes you need for your program, this often helps you graduate on-time, since you’re not having to cobble together a schedule of second choice classes each semester.
3. Strong peer cohort. Your peers in the honors program are there for similar reasons as you; they want to learn and are willing to work hard. The atmosphere may not be as competitive as the elite schools. If you are at the top of your class at your high school, you may feel right at home in a university honors program and enjoy meeting like-minded students. At the same time, there are lots of other students on campus not participating in honors courses that you can connect with.
4. Small class sizes. Oftentimes, students and families are concerned about the large class sizes at state schools. This can be particularly true in first-year seminar classes, where students can number in the hundreds. However, honors classes are usually smaller than non-honors classes. As an honors student, you may have a mix of larger classes and smaller classes, depending on your program. Typically, the student-faculty ratio is smaller in an honors program than for the overall student population. At Arizona State University, for example, Barrett honors classes have an average student-faculty ratio of 15:1, whereas their regular classes have a ratio of 20:1.
5. Dedicated faculty. Most honors programs and honors colleges have faculty dedicated to the program. You’ll have access to professors that are experienced in working with students like you, who are committed to their coursework and looking to be challenged. You may have more opportunities to engage in faculty-mentored research as an undergraduate.
6. A place for intellectual growth. Honors courses in college are similar to high school honors courses in that they encourage students to learn deeply about a subject. Be ready to dig into your program of study with your peers. These courses will be rigorous and expectations will be high. You can expect a robust curriculum with homework, research, projects, and assessments that challenge you.
7. Unique opportunities. As an honors student, you are at the university to get the most out of your academic experiences. And they are yours for the taking: mentorships, seminars, research placement, study abroad, senior thesis or capstone project, internships, and separate living communities/dorms. At Ohio State, for example, there are over 350 sections of honors classes, with class sizes of less than 25 students. Honors students write a thesis under the guidance of a selected faculty member. Honors students get university-level priority scheduling. There are three designated honors learning communities.
8. Diploma designation. You will graduate with an honors seal on your diploma, and you may get to wear a special medal or cord at your graduation ceremony. Your transcript will show your honors courses. Having an honors distinction will be incredibly useful when you are applying for a job or going onto graduate or professional school, and something to talk about in interviews.
There are plenty of resources to investigate when considering honors programs at universities. Click here for a free consultation to see how Matrix College Consulting can help guide you in your search!
