<p>My son was accepted to Chico State's Honors program. It sounds great and, among it's benefits are priority registration. Does anyone have any first hand knowledge about it?</p>
<p>I’m not sure how to answer this but Honors Program is great! You get the benefit of priority registration, get involved with intellectual and social life of the university, opportunity to work with professors and have small classes and many more. </p>
<p>I think the other side of it is that your son have to work really hard and get high GPA. Ir means more studying and more focusing on the classes. </p>
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<li>Admitted freshman to Chico as well but not accepted to Honors Program :)</li>
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<p>Hi!
I don’t know what decision your son made, but my daughter opted for the Chico Honors Program. She is an incoming Freshman and just confirmed her choice for the Konkow Honors dorm as well. She is super excited and I’m thrilled about the benefits of the program! (especially priority registration!)</p>
<p>Great feedback, and congrats to you and your daughter.</p>
<p>I was really impressed with the whole school at Choose Chico day. The Honors program and the Business school really stood out to us as great opportnities. (Though the single 9 unit class they talked about sounded a bit too intense.) The team taught courses with small class size and interesting topics will make GE much more engaging. I think he was a little intimidated but, that will pass quickly. I doubt he’s comfortable with the Honors label yet.</p>
<p>We put down a refundable deposit for the dorm Tuesday evening, (Shasta then Lassen). I’m not sure he’s up to managing a kitchen just yet so, Konkow was out. </p>
<p>We are headed to Sonoma for Seawolf Decision Day this weekend after which he’s got to make the final call. Unless Sonoma really WOWs us, his mom and I will advocate for Chico Honors. (I’ll also nudge him to switch majors from Econ to Business but, one hurdle at a time)</p>
<p>I am looking forward to getting this decision behind us so he can get a t-shirt get excited about the next phase of his life.</p>
<p>NCalRent: sounds like our kids are making the same decisions. We will be at Seawolf day on Saturday. Didn’t go to Chico last Saturday as we had visited in the fall</p>
<p>Is your S at all concerned about Chico’s party reputation?</p>
<p>"… The Honors program and the Business school really stood out to us as great opportnities. (Though the single 9 unit class they talked about sounded a bit too intense.) The team taught courses with small class size and interesting topics will make GE much more engaging."</p>
<p>We were not able to go to Chose Chico day… I would like to have more details on the 9 unit course you mentioned as my daughter is very interested in taking it. I’m a little concerned about her attempting it her first semester as she is adjusting to college life and being away from home… were you given any written information and/or contacts for that particular class while at Chose Chico day?</p>
<p>We had a similar concern about Konkow in that we didn’t want our daughter to HAVE to cook. It is nice that she will have the option if she wants, however. We have decided to buy her additional meal cards so she will only have to be responsible for her own breakfast and can eat at the dining commons for lunch/dinner. We really liked how small the units are at Konkow. Although, I do hear good things about Shasta and Lassen from grads that dormed there!</p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>
<p>P.S. I’m not sure where you live, but we are pretty close to Sonoma State. Let me know if you would like to know about the area…</p>
<p>Crizello
My son was a little concerned until Choose Chico day when he really internalized how academically solid the school is. The president addressed it directly in his presentation. He spun the party aspects of the school as building a great community and fostering a supportive, team environment. He highlighted a bunch of rankings, awards and such and made the case that Chico provides a great balance of fun and achievement. Coupled with the Honors program and biz school’s pitch on how qualified and sought after their students were, his concerns seem to have vanished. </p>
<p>Here’s where we (his parents) are on the Chico party scene:</p>
<p>I went to parties at the Zoo in Chico as a Sac State student when Pioneer Days was in its full glory. Playboy and MTV were promoting the party scene and it was really crazy (and fun). Keg parties everywhere just spilling out into the streets. The police really didn’t do much until the big ‘riot’ that ended Pioneer days. It ain’t like that anymore. Society’s attitude toward alcohol (and drunk driving) has changed. The campus and community have taken many measures to tamp it down - and rightly so. It really got out of control.</p>
<p>Every school has a party scene. Even community colleges and private religious schools have concentrations of newly ‘free’ young adults. That pretty much equals a party. As a student, you can participate - or not. I know there are parties hosted by local high school students that include alcohol, pot and worse. So far, he has chosen not to participate - leading me to believe he has good judgment. I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t participate to some degree in college. As an adult, it is part of life that everyone has to figure out. The dorms, especially the ones in the central campus, have a no-smoking and no alcohol policy. You get caught twice, you need to find a new place to live. I think this threat will help him find the right balance. The Honors program’s GPA requirement will also keep him occupied. It should also provide him with some non-party activities and (if he chooses) identity.</p>
<p>It is my impression (perhaps misplaced) that a Sonoma party is about 70% pot and 30% alcohol while Chico is the reverse. I am not a fan of pot and would like him to steer clear of the stuff. If he’s going to ‘party’ I’d prefer it be alcohol. </p>
<p>The cohort programs (teaching and nursing) at Sonoma probably keep the participation rate down - as does the guy/girl ratio. Sonoma is a smaller school too so, sheer numbers make for a smaller scene.</p>
<p>We know kids at SDSU and Santa Barbara - talk about party schools! I can’t tell you how many alcohol poisoning/ambulance stories I’ve heard about the on-campus and campus affiliated housing at those schools. Frankly, I’d be more concerned if he was going there. </p>
<p>Beegsmachine</p>
<p>Thanks for the offer, I grew up in Petaluma and was just down there for a reunion so, I am pretty familiar with area. In fact, it is a classmate who now lives close to SSU who helped clue me in on their student experience (and party scene).</p>
<p>We did get some papers describing the honors program but, I can’t find them. As they described the 9 unit class, it is a survey of world history - 50M years ago through today. It meets MWF 9-12 and has less than 30 students. It is team taught by 3 professors with varied backgrounds (science, psych and humanities I think) and really sounded fascinating and intense. There are other 3 unit classes you can take instead. While we haven’t discussed it in too much depth, I think my son won’t take the 9 unit class his first semester. Taking 5 3 unit courses will allow him to meet more people and take a few courses in his chosen major (and survey a business class). He may take the 9 unit class in a subsequent semester. </p>
<p>It looks like they have updated the curriculum on their web site, including a syllabus and student reviews for HSC (the 9 unit course).
[Honors</a> in General Education - Honors Program - CSU, Chico](<a href=“http://www.csuchico.edu/honors/programs/ge.shtml]Honors”>http://www.csuchico.edu/honors/programs/ge.shtml)</p>
<p>My contact in the Honors program has been Cindy Kelly, she’s been responsive and very helpful. She can be reached at the program’s main number. </p>
<p>Good luck to both of you. This is a very exciting time for us all.</p>
<p>NCal… That is great that you are familiar with the surroundings of SSU. The biggest difference (besides size) is the feel around the campus. There just isn’t that much around SSU unless you have a car…</p>
<p>I appreciate the feedback on the Honors Program. I did a little more digging and I found the sample syllabus for the HSC course. Looks very interesting, gets some great feedback, but, BOY!, does it look intense! I talked to our daughter about it and I feel she will be well-informed enough prior to our Orientation on June 13 to make the call as to which Honors class(es) she wants to tackle her first semester. </p>
<p>She has already indicated that she wants to try and be an R.A. during her sophomore year! LOL!! I told her to take one semester at a time! :)</p>
<p>Good luck to all of you and I hope your college bound kiddos are thrilled with their final choices!</p>
<p>D visited Sonoma State today. Still prefers the smaller campus and says she will feel more comfortable in a smaller environment.</p>
<p>Sonoma made a compelling case - He is still weighing pros and cons.</p>
<p>NCal,
Out of curiosity, what were the biggest pros at SSU?? For some reason, it just has never been on our radar. I think because it is TOO close to home for our daughter… 
Thanks!!
Beegs</p>
<p>Proximity to the ocean, pretty green hills and an intimate, almost private feel to the campus. I think he’ll conclude it is too small - but, i gave him 'til Wednesday to make up his mind. His mom and I think Chico is a better fit and have let him know but, he’s got to live with the decision so, the choice is his.</p>
<p>NCalRent: personally, we also think that Chico is best for our D, as it has the major she would need,but she is convinced about Sonoma. She has always liked the Sonoma campus and the size,and is still concerned about Chico’s rep. (Although we have tried to tell her that any school is a party school.) She likes that the class sizes are small and the school’s focus on Education.</p>
<p>If Chico would have been a bit smaller, it might have been a more difficult decision for her.</p>
<p>Frankly, after Saturday’s visit to Sonoma, I can see why people like it. It reminds me of what I was always telling my kids about UC Merced: you can get a LAC education at a UC price. I think that is what the Sonoma president was trying to convey during the opening meeting.</p>
<p>Sonoma is a good school, especially for teaching and nursing. I am sure your daughter will thrive there.</p>
<p>After some discussion last night, my son chose Chico. He felt the campus @ Sonoma was nicer but the way they segregate the nursing, teaching etc with the FLCs, the school would get small very quickly. The Honors program at Chico was also a big lure.</p>
<p>Thanks all for the discussion and insight. </p>
<p>I ordered him a tee shirt this morning.</p>
<p>Congrats to both of you and your children for making the best choices for themselves! With confidence high (but, fingers still crossed) we will send our D off to her next adventure in August.
Hey, NCal, have your S keep an eye out for our D in the Honors Program at Chico! :)</p>
<p>Congrats as well on making the decision! It is wonderful that there is a school out there for everyone!</p>