<p>I haven’t found the answer to this particular question on the forum yet. The last week to do the honors application is this week and I’m wondering if it is worth it, not to sounds lazy. I know there are housing perks and scheduling perks, but that does not really appeal to me THAT much.</p>
<p>Is the intensity and rigor of the honors classes overwhelming? Is there much less time to just hang out with friends?
And finally, does graduating with honors have a significantly positive impact on job opportunities or grad school options?</p>
<p>I’m planning to major in earth science/geography or maybe engineering, if that matters</p>
<p>I would only apply at this point if you think you stand a good chance of getting in, as in you have an ACT above 30, something like a 3.9+, and can do a decent job writing the application essays.</p>
<p>The priority scheduling “perk” is more than a perk, and is a good enough reason to apply, if you want. You get to schedule a few weeks before everyone else at your grade level, which means you often will get into every class you want. </p>
<p>It is not unusual for non-honors freshmen and sophomores to have to take the classes at the earliest times, or with the worst professors, because the students with honors or higher rank filled the better classes. </p>
<p>Engineers do, in my experience, have a harder time than most students maintaining the required GPA to stay in honors, because their coursework is more difficult, and the averages in their classes are lower. Losing honors status just means you lose the perks though, so it isn’t a big deal. </p>
<p>Graduating with honors would be a plus, although I don’t know how much employers consider it. </p>
<p>Finally, the classes you have to take are either lower-level classes designated as honors, which only honors students take (I took honors intro to psych, honors intro to anthropology, honors micro and macro econ, etc.), or higher-level classes that you generally take with older students (I took a soviet union history class that was really interesting). Neither are actually harder, although the honors-designated classes usually have less “busy-work” homework, and may have more class discussion. The only honors classes that are actually more difficult are the math and science ones, which you generally don’t take as elective credits.</p>