Honors colleges

As a Berry Scholar at the University of Dayton, Adam Kocoloski spent the summer studying particle physics at an institute in Switzerland. And to think this philosophy and physics major from Zanesville, Ohio, almost didn’t apply to the honors program at UD!

Peer pressure is what made Autumn Brewington apply to her school’s honors college.

“My friend Bryan flipped out when I told him I wasn’t in the honors college,” says Brewington. “He raved about his classes so much that I went to the honors college and got permission to take one class.” After that one class was finished, Brewington was hooked. She enrolled in the honors college right away.

Honors programs can consist of special classes or entire departments dedicated to honors students. If you’re interested in pursuing an honors curriculum in college, ask an admissions representative what steps you should take to apply. Sometimes, proof of an impressive high school GPA and SAT/ACT score are enough to be eligible to take honors classes in college.

At the South Carolina Honors College, students complete a separate form that serves as the application for the honors college and also top university scholarships. At the University of Dayton, Kocoloski had to write a letter to the director of the honors and scholars program to request an interview.

Why would you even want to get into an honors college?

Smaller, more interesting courses
“My honors classes were more fun,” says Brewington, a 2001 graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia. Brewington, a journalism major, took honors classes in revelation and apocalyptic literature, terrorism and human sexuality.

Honors classes are typically smaller than regular classes—sometimes by the hundreds. Regular sections of Intro to Psych classes at the University of South Carolina top 300 students, whereas the honors section is capped at 40.

Smaller-than-normal class sizes make it easy for professors and students to interact on a personal basis, which encourages in-depth discussions.

It’s “the combination of a strong instructor combined with strong students in a small enrollment environment,” says Peter Sederberg, dean of the South Carolina Honors College, that makes honors classes appealing. And with small classes, you may feel like you’re studying at a small liberal arts college rather than a big university.

Dedicated students and professors
That intimacy created by small classes means students can’t hide from class discussions. So if you’re planning to enter an honors college, make sure you’re prepared to participate.

“The discussions were generally really great because the students wanted to be in there and actually did the reading,” Brewington says. “Plus, the professors were generally really familiar with and well informed about the subject matter.”

Nice Perks
If you’re looking forward to hiding in a lecture of hundreds or skipping your college classes, then an honors college isn’t for you.

Some students mention that it’s more difficult to earn an A in honors courses, that there’s more homework to complete and that more is expected out of honors students. But that’s the point. Honors students are expected to give more in class because they get more perks than other students.

At UD, Berry Scholars are required to take specific courses, complete a thesis and engage in an international experience, Kocoloski says. “We also get plenty of extra perks in return for those obligations, though: full scholarships, priority in scheduling courses, things like that,” he says.

Honors college perks can also include special social events and living arrangements. Honors students often have the opportunity to participate in research projects. They get first dibs on tickets to see visiting lecturers and may even get to meet with them one-on-one.

“But the biggest perk,” Brewington says, “is getting to interact with professors who really know their material and push students to learn.”

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