<p>So I just read through threads about honors program and the general consensus seems to be:</p>
<p>1) Lots of Workload in Honors Classes
2) Priority Registration is THE biggest benefit
3) Gets marked in the transcript
4) Latin Honors (Cum Laude's) has nothing to do with College Honors Program - you will automatically get it if your GPA meets the minimum qualification upon graduation.</p>
<p>I'm in honors program and I have to complete at least 8 units of Honors Collegium courses to stay in the program. The problem is, I have not taken any HC courses (I'm a transfer) yet and it seems like taking two HC courses while taking management & econ classes (prospective BizEcon major) in one quarter will wear me out. Plus there aren't many HC courses offered during the Spring and everything but one conflict with my other class schedule and the only way to take both are to give up some of the major requirement courses, which will result in delaying of graduation.</p>
<p>So I started to wonder, "Is the College Honors Program really worth the sacrifice?" So I immediately came to the almighty College Confidential in pursuit of any wise solutions to resolve my dilemma, yet it has left me disappointed since I failed to find a satisfactory answer.</p>
<p>Ok enough with ranting, let me get straight to the point.</p>
<p>Will College Honors Program give me any kind of benefit/advantage when it comes to getting an interview for internship/job? Also, how does it impact me on getting into graduate school (MBA, specifically)? I've always had in my notion that Honors is always better than no honors, but now I begin to question the credibility of the program.</p>
<p>So will any wise soul help this young grasshopper make such life-changing decision?</p>
<p>The primary attractions of honors programs/colleges are small introductory classes often taught by the dept. chair, priority registration for classes & special housing. These benefits are most important during one's freshman & sophomore years in college. Departmental honors tends to be more important during the final two years of college, and departmental honors often results in stellar recommendations from profs in your major to employers and graduate schools. Honors programs often get freshmen & sophomores involved in research with university professors and can help re: summer employment opportunities. Many honors programs/colleges are designed to attract bright,hardworking students to the large state supported university by offering benefits akin to those experienced by students at the nation's most elite private colleges & universities. Large state universities typically have a much higher attrition rate during the first two years of college than do the top private schools. Honors programs/colleges allow the best students to take classes together during the first two years while the unmotivated & less able students are weeded out. Sorry, but I don't know enough about your circumstances & UCLA's Honors Program to answer your questions. Also please note that some honors programs are "back-end loaded" granting the most significant benefits during one's final two years of college. These programs often clash with departmental honors and may be designed for those wishing to pursue careers in academia and/or research.</p>
<p>I'm in College Honors right now(actually soon to be an Honors Fellow as well) so I guess I can field this question. I'm lucky and managed to get two HC courses that fit my GE requirements, and I love them. The class sizes were about twenty people, so you get full attention, and the professors have been wonderfully helpful, and one of the best professors I've had so far is teaching my current HC class.The only problem is making sure you're able to keep up the expected requirements each quarter, which can get harder and harder.</p>
<p>Workload varies from HC to HC. The two I've taken involve lots of writing, which is a boon to a north campus major like myself. But the professors are much more accommodating and flexible than profs in huge lectures, and you talk to them on a one on one basis.</p>
<p>As for employment, it only can distinguish you from the rest of the field of job applicants. It'll show that you are a motivated individual. But if you think your workload can't handle it, then don't pursue it.</p>
<p>i would say CHP is worth it... but not at the cost of delaying graduation.</p>
<p>the two HC classes i've taken have been the most valuable classes i've taken at UCLA so far. true, the one i'm in now is a boatload of work, BUT that is the exception, not the rule. just avoid HC70A if you don't need a life science lab GE (the fact that this HC is 5 units, not the typical 4, is because it's harder than others).</p>
<p>i believe HC56 is being offered this spring, and that's the one i took last year. wonderful class, and the workload was in reality fairly light and not strenuous.</p>
<p>bottom line, if you can fit two HC classes in, i'd highly recommend you do so, if only because they are rewarding experiences in and of themselves. but if this interferes with your major, then graduating on time and finishing your major should be your top priority (i'm planning on finishing CHP, but won't if it means sticking around an extra quarter).</p>
<p>abraxas, well hopefully you HF's along with the admin can revamp the program a bit more. I hear that it used to a whole lot better years ago... any insider information would be great.</p>
<p>It seems that the flexibility is great for doing Honors without too much extra work. On the other hand, it leaves the program severely fragmented and ordinary.</p>
<p>Moreover, it doesn't add much to a unique experience. Honor classes are open to all. Most "everyone" else has priority one way or another. All the accomplishments attributed to the HF's are quite ordinary and frankly not very important (especially if it's since 2004).</p>
<p>Maybe I'm just negative or expect more than what any university provides.</p>
<p>At this point, either communication of the program is lacking or there simply isn't much to it other than an addendum "on paper."</p>
<p>honors won't help too much for post-grad stuff. personally it's not worth it to go through the arduous honors program for an "oh so slight boost" post-grad. GPA is a million times more important.</p>
<p>Even with grad school it wasn't that big of a deal for me. There were programs that I applied to where I far surpassed the median GPA and got rejected. It seemed to me to be a bit of a crapshoot, really. I think after a certain cutoff, the GPA is really just another green flag in a sea of green or red flags.</p>
<p>But... what are your motives? Depends, doesn't it? I'd pursue it but I need to expedite my graduation. Would I do it to increase my job prospects? No, because I wouldn't want to suffer through excess units, Murphy Hall getting on me, and well, I'd rather do other things to supplement what I already do in my spare time... much like CHP.</p>