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January 16th, 2020

Should Your Student Apply to an Honors College?

I asked a college sophomore in the Honors College at Duquesne University, and her response was: “Absolutely! You get priority scheduling, better class selection, and usually nicer dorms.”

So if your teen is a high achiever and is looking at schools with an Honors College, he or she should definitely consider applying. Academic benefits can include smaller class sizes with more meaningful discussions and interaction with their professors. Access to professors is limited in a larger lecture setting and office hours may be inconvenient. Other benefits can be priority class registration and nicer dorms or a dedicated space where honors students can study and hang out. Sometimes, honors students take a series of classes together, so faces become familiar more quickly in the smaller-group setting. Honors programs can have professional benefits as well. If your teen plans to pursue a higher degree, masters programs will look favorably on an honors program’s rigorous course of study. Similarly, potential employers recruit graduates with have critical thinking skills.

Now let’s consider the possible challenges of an Honors College program…

First and foremost, there’s no getting around that fact that an honors program is extra work. The classes are smaller and require more participation, which makes it more difficult to “coast.” If your teen hates public speaking, he or she might prefer to be in a large lecture hall where there’s less chance of being singled out. Often, there’s a required GPA to maintain Honors College standing or housing, and some schools may ask students to attend a certain number of Honors College events.

Honors College isn’t for everyone, but for motivated students who are accustomed to a challenging workload and high achievement, the benefits are undeniable. At Test Preps, we excel at helping students achieve their goals. Contact us today if you’d like to learn how your teen can improve their ACT/SAT score for any program!

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