Freshman Honors classes

<p>I was on the tulane website's list of classes and there seems to be only one honors freshman class, honors colloloquia, Does anyone know what this is or if theres any other honors courses? Maybe Im just looking in the wrong spot?</p>

<p>When I spoke to my advisor at Destination Tulane, she said that honors classes could be taken by anyone at any level. She recommended that I not take an honors classes above a level 400, though. —This is the case for regular classes too; a friend of mine who is a freshman at Tulane took 300 and 400 level classes this year and handled them well.</p>

<p>According to my advisor, the freshmen honors colloquia counts as 2 (or 3?) honors classes, but you have to commit to it for a whole year. With me being on track for the creative premedical scholars program, I couldn’t devote that chunk of my schedule to the colloquia.
Instead, I opted for the honors class on the russian revolution - I love that subject matter and it will count as a credit “outside the european perspective”, I believe. I’m actually the 2nd person on the waiting list for it (though my advisor assured me if I e-mail the professor expressing my interest it’s likely I’ll be accepted); she looked at the roster of people signed up for the class, and quite a few were freshmen.</p>

<p>So, I’m positive freshmen honors students are not restricted to the colloquia. Take a look at the requirements for your major and see if there are any honors classes available that spark your interest and would be of value (curriculum-wise) to you.</p>

<p>If you go to the schedule of classes and highlight “honors” under “courses that fulfill requirements” and then click “submit advanced search” you’ll get four pages of honors classes with quite a few that are appropriate for Freshmen (English, Language, Sciences, etc.)</p>

<p>altmom - THANKS!!! I had been trying to find that. Buy yourself a drink on me.</p>

<p>Thanks for the replies everybody, but does anyone know exactly what the colloquia is? I was a little confused because my advisor said that a majority of frshman in honors take it but I also heard that honors classes were under 20 or so students so it doesnt seem to make sense</p>

<p>Here are the colloquia courses that are being offered this spring, with their descriptions. These seem to be all upper level, but should give you the flavor of it anyway.</p>

<p>[Tulane</a> University Honors Program / Courses](<a href=“http://honors.tulane.edu/web/default.asp?id=Courses]Tulane”>http://honors.tulane.edu/web/default.asp?id=Courses)</p>

<p>Also, here is a description of the colloquia program in general:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.tulane.edu/~admincat/2006/pdfs/6Opportunities%20for%20Special%20Students.pdf[/url]”>http://www.tulane.edu/~admincat/2006/pdfs/6Opportunities%20for%20Special%20Students.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>See if that helps.</p>

<p>Have most freshmen accepted to the Honors Program already scheduled their classes for fall? I think my S is going to wait until May 1 to commit and was wondering if he’ll have a hard time getting the classes he wants.</p>

<p>I looked today. A few are closed, but the vast majority are still available. I wouldn’t worry about it.</p>

<p>I’m confused…have you all scheduled your classes already? I checked and there are already quite a few classes closed even though I thought the web site said that freshman don’t register until the orientation in June or online by July 1st.</p>

<p>I have another quick question about honors classes. I’m not in the honors program, but I want to take the honors section of Global Environment Change. I’m an environmental studies major so I’d like the more in the depth section of this class. Will they allow this or should I just stick to the regular section?</p>

<p>I think that you can only take an honors course if you are in the Honors Program, on the deans list, or are a candidate for departmental honors, but from what I’ve seen, they seem to be pretty chill about that sort of thing. Just ask.</p>

<p>I believe most students who attended Honors Weekend scheduled their classes then. When I e-mailed my admissions rep and asked her if I was at a disadvantage registering for classes since I couldn’t attend honors weekend, she helped me make an appointment with an advisor on the Destination Tulane day I was planning to attend. I met with my advisor for over an hour and planned my schedule - she registered me for classes right then and there and later e-mailed me my official schedule.</p>

<p>Several of you have mentioned that you are looking for upper level classes. Exisitng students also fill the seats in those and they have already registered. With a S finishing second year, I wouldn’t say that scheduling around closed classes has been much of a challenge. But like most things in life, more choices are available to those who get there early. So call and find your advisor and see how they can help. They aren’t as busy now as during the orientation sessions when 200 students want guidance at the same time. My understanding is that Honors classes are limited to Honors students with very few exceptions.</p>

<p>My daughter is an entering freshman and in the honors program. She has not been able to attend an Honors Weekend either. My sense of the matter is that this is not uncommon and not something to get <em>too</em> worried about. </p>

<p>We did attend a “Destination Tulane” one-day event. We went back on the next day and sought out professors in her major and in the honors program so she could meet some of them and get some initial guidance about course selection. Here’s some of what we learned:</p>

<p>“Closed” doesn’t always mean “closed.”</p>

<p>If a class you want is closed get on the wait list. There’s lots of shuffling (adding, dropping) that happens right up to the first day of classes and even a week or so after. You might get in.</p>

<p>In some cases the class size limit is not set in stone. If you really want to take a class talk directly with the professor. Professors can sometimes override the limit, but within reason. For example, if the class size is set at fifteen, they might be able to allow an extra kid or three into the class, up to some number that the professor thinks won’t be detrimental to the class. Give him or her a <em>good</em> reason and they might let you in. “Your class fills my open time slot” is not a <em>good</em> reason. </p>

<p>Everyone we talked with was quite fair, reasonable, and easy to talk with. If they can help you <em>at all</em> to get into the classes you want then they will. They <em>want</em> to help. If I were to guess, based on the few we talked with, i’d venture that they wished <em>more</em> kids talk with them. This seems even more so for Honors.</p>

<p>In truth, this is one of the things we found to be attractive about Tulane. It’s big enough for you to have tons of options, but small enough that you can get personal attention from advisers and professors. Don’t be afraid to call them and talk with them. The hardest part of all is taking the first step of picking up the phone or sending an email and asking that first question.</p>

<p>Totally supporting what winchester is saying. In fact I got an e-mail from Dr. Luongo that explained how some kids that have been accepted but are only <em>considering</em> Tulane go ahead and register for classes in case they decide on Tulane. So if May 1 comes and there is no deposit from them, they are dropped from the class list, opening a slot. So that is in addition to the other reasons winchester gives that it is best to get on the waitlist.</p>

<p>How about the financial aid packages? When Tulane offers Tulane scholarship, I believe that is a Tulane grant. Are those grants that colleges offer to students renewable assuming students’ financial situation stay the same?</p>

<p>grantedin - not sure what that has to do with the thread topic, but if I understand your question correctly, if you were given a merit scholarship of some amount, I believe they are all renewed as long as you maintain a certain minimum GPA and stay in good standing (take at least 12 credit hours and don’t get arrested or break any serious rules). That is for Tulane, I cannot comment on other colleges.</p>

<p>Fallenchemist- thank you for your reply! It has nothing to do withe the thread topic. I have been looking for answers to college grants. My son was offered a presidential scholarship and Tulane scholarship from Tulane. It does state Presidential scholarships will be renewed as long as students maintain good academic standing but I did not see that about Tulane scholarship. Do you know if those college grants are renewable? They call those as college grants not the scholarship in some colleges.</p>

<p>gramtedin - I am afraid I am not familiar with the Tulane scholarship. I found this page on the Tulane site:</p>

<p>[Need-Based</a> Scholarship](<a href=“http://financialaid.tulane.edu/idxneed_based_scholarship.htm]Need-Based”>http://financialaid.tulane.edu/idxneed_based_scholarship.htm)</p>

<p>Based on the following quote from the page:</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>The second paragraph implies that it is renewed, and the third paragraph reinforces that since it implies that as long as you don’t fall below a 2.3 you keep it. However, it is also true that most need-based scholarships are reexamined every year for adjustment based on the currrent family finances. Since this is a combination of need and merit, I suppose it is possible it could be readjusted some. The only way to be sure is to call the financial aid office and ask. Good luck!</p>