<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>I’m trying to decide between these two school, so could you give me some opinions on both of the schools? I’ve heard that the honors program at bc is really good and everyone enrolled in this program will be significantly challenged. But I really would love to know more about this program. How hard are the classes? I heard that if you don’t do well you’ll be dropped out from this program, is that true?</p>
<p>Dear Meg0627 : The Boston College Honors Program (College of Arts and Sciences) will have the workload vary by professor, but remember that during the freshman year, Honors is a “double class” - meaning that a student in the Honors Program will take it plus three other courses. When graded, Honors Programs students will receive a double grade for the course. It is not unusual to see grades like “A-/B+” or “A/A-” or “A-/A-”.</p>
<p>From the 125 students who set out on the Honors Program track on entering the university, about 100 will actually go the distance. Students are rarely told to leave the program. The Honors Program is aggressive and demanding in style with classes averaging 14-15 students (another unique freshman year feature). In order words, you HAVE to have the work ready for each class (reading/papers) since there is no way to hide in the small, interactive classes.</p>
<p>Dear scottj, thank you very much I found your post very helpful! I just went through your old posts about the program and I know you have two sons who went to CAS honors. Could you share some of their experience as being honors students, academic and social wise? And how the program has helped them grow through out four years experience. Are there some people voluntarily drop out from the program if they can’t handle the courseload? Thank you very much.</p>
<p>Not scottj, but a three examples of students that quit/declined honors. One premed quit because it “killed” his gpa – the double B Frosh year, was not the grade result that he was seeking, and since med schools care more about gpa than college ‘honors’… Another student had a lot of AP credits, and therefore declined to participate so she could take other coursework (and use AP credits to fulfill the Core requirements). Another declined honors to be able to participate in PULSE, the Soph Service program, which also fufills for the Theolgy & Philosophy core.</p>
<p>Hey Meg,</p>
<p>Just as a random note, here at BC the honors program is very much a social group, and while all of my friends in the program do socialize and hang out on weekends with all of us non-honors students, they do very much have their own social scene that is available if they want in. We have a few honors students in my friend circle, and the running joke that we have is that the only fraternity at BC is the “honors program frat”. The students are close, and they bond over the academics on the weekdays, and drink together on weekends.</p>
<p>It’s a great program, and from what I understand it is difficult, but all of the students who got in are more that equipped to handle it already!</p>
<p>Dear Meg0627 : First, a slight gender adjustment - my older student (now graduate) is my son; the younger student is my daughter - so “bookends” on the gender options! The older student, a Chemistry/Economics major, really benefitted in the Freshman year from being in the Honors Program since his Chemistry Lab was a four hour event per week which made it feel like a “six course load” with Honors being a double grade. His writing style has “slimmed” down with less stilted language being used to establish his points. On the flip side, my younger’s writing style has been upgraded to meet the deeper challenge afforded by the Honors Program. Again, my daughter is highly analytical and is more comfortable drawing up a tight Mathematics proof than establishing a theoretical point regarding Voltaire. Therefore, both grew into the program from two totally different directions.</p>
<p>Our associate here on College Confidential, bluebayou, has offered some valid points about GPA and science majors seeking medical school acceptance. Both of my children were high school valedictorians so when both “blew” their 4.0 GPA in their freshman honors classes (A/A- and A-/B+), we as parents were somewhat relieved to get away from the on-going grades chase and getting focused on the full college experience.</p>
<p>On the social front, I would be remiss to not mention that both went through their first year at Medieros (housing) on upper campus. We still have fond memories of my son’s group in particular in Medieros “A” - about sixteen guys and a dozen girls, all exceptional students, well rounded, athletes - many of whom where Ivy League waitlisters. We still get updates on all of these kids whose homes ranged from New England through Florida and beyond. The group would stage a summer get-together in New Jersey where a dozen or more would arrive for the weekend. My daughter’s Medieros “C” group was less sticky in sophomore year, but seems to be gravitating back together in various settings as the chapters are still being written at Boston College for them.</p>
<p>Scottj,</p>
<p>Could you go into more detail about what exactly the honors program is? I was accepted for next year’s program but still do not have a clear idea of what it is. Do honors kids have classes just for them? Are there separate graduation requirements? Will it interfere with my major? And do students get special privileges?</p>
<p>I would like to double major in physics and CS but do not know if this will be too much work combined with the honors program. Thanks! </p>
<p>Sent from my ADR6400L using CC</p>
<p>Thank you for your response. I was just wondering who does the academic rigor of BC honors compare to other ivies? I’ve been wait listed for a couple of ivies and other top schools, but my college counselor also says that BC honors is such a great program that it offers you a lot more that ivies can’t. He said that he knows someone who gives up ivies to go to this program, and i’ve seen on someone on cc doing the same too. So I’m just wondering what you guys think about this.</p>
<p>Dear kimisizer : The Honors Program is well documented on the BC web site - simply search for the program and you will uncover all of the academic details. </p>
<p>The program is not “in addition” to the core requirements, but actually restructures some of the core requirements to be more interdisciplinary. In other words, you will not be required to take a pure Theology course if you participate in the Honors Program.</p>
<p>Further, the Honors Program will not interfere with your major aside from the work load; however, that would happen with any course outside your major/minor disciplines.</p>
<p>As for special privileges, let me see : Honors Program students are guaranteed four years of housing on campus and do have access to the Honors Program housing (Medieros, 66 Commonwealth, and more). You will also be in smaller sections (maximum of 15 students) which is ideal as a freshman making the transition into college while seeking exceptional academics.</p>
<p>There is no problem covering a double major including science requirements along with Honors. If you have some AP/IB placements, that will make the process more flexible particularly with the History and Foreign Language requirements. Remember that the science lab work, particularly in the first two years, will be the stress point in terms of scheduling although is certainly manageable.</p>
<p>Dear Meg0627 : Your question seeking a comparison of the Boston College CAS Honors Program with other Ivy League schools is difficult to answer since the BC Honors Program is a very unique academic offering covering the liberal arts core. If it helps, my older chose the Boston College Honors Program as a course offering over Cornell, Georgetown, and Williams. The academic rigor is substantial.</p>
<p>There is much evidence on campus of the Jesuit teaching traditions, but it has always seemed that these traditions are very alive and thriving within the Honors Program. Hopefully, this provides you with some insight.</p>