<p>I was just wondering how people felt about these programs. Was it helpful? Really hard? Recommended? Would you recommend taking both or is it way too much work?</p>
<p>I've heard/read a lot of mixed opinions about them. I hear the curves are easier but some contradict that because of the higher caliber of students? Some people recommend them some people don't.</p>
<p>Just hoping people can clarify :) I don't know if I should do them or not and if I should do one or both.</p>
<p>There have been several other threads on this topic :)</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/902608-thematic-option-freshman-science-honors-overkill.html?highlight=FSH[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/902608-thematic-option-freshman-science-honors-overkill.html?highlight=FSH</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/866882-thematic-option-freshman-science-honors-program.html?highlight=FSH[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/866882-thematic-option-freshman-science-honors-program.html?highlight=FSH</a></p>
<p>Search function <3</p>
<p>012etc: Do you want to sit in small classes among highly intelligent students with the top professors at USC and experience your mind continually being opened, your point of view altered, your thinking challenged? Have you ever wanted to attend a most demanding LAC for the discussions among peers and depth of thought required? Are you invigorated by working hard? If yes, TO is an amazing program. To be frank, the only incentive to take TO is if you honestly would like that sort of personal, demanding, interactive type education. The reward is the depth of knowledge you’ll achieve and the level of work you’ll do. Lots of fun kids take TO, but they don’t take it to goof around and do the least amount necessary.</p>
<p>In general, there isn’t an easy A in either regular GEs or TO Core, so select the option that fits your student style. You are asking good questions. Almost all the kids who sign up for TO are a little hesitant before they know what they got into. Almost all of them stay in TO.</p>
<p>^ To add to what madbean said, one of the speakers at the TO presentation at Explore told us that usually they only have about 1-2 kids every year who opt out of TO AFTER starting the school year. So out of 200, that isn’t significant at all. However that’s still not to say it’s easy, which I’m sure you know by now. It’s just that they expect you to know how writing and reading intensive it’s going to be and that you’ll know what you’re getting yourself into.</p>
<p>I’m just worried about how demanding the class is going to be. I was thinking of pre-med so gpa is kinda important to me. Would TO possibly be a gpa killer? And compared to having around 5 AP classes in high school is TO and FSH infinitely harder?</p>
<p>It’s clear that you are capable of doing excellent work in school–as you have been accepted into these selective programs. So, if you welcome the academic aspects of college (TO is challenging but also very invigorating) and are willing to work hard, you will have an excellent GPA result, especially in TO where these top professors like to reward commitment and talent. You will also be among the top echelon of high achieving students, which makes class time, study groups, and chances to make friends more at the level you may appreciate.</p>
<p>I can’t tell what the rigor is of your AP curriculum as programs differ from HS to HS–but if you are getting 4 or 5’s on your AP exams, your school has a rigorous program and/or you are just a very gifted student. I suggest you will find TO at USC a little easier than taking 5 APs, as you only need take one or two TO classes/semester. Of course, adding Science Honors to that may just put it back up to the same level as your 5 APs. 
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<p>P.S. Sometimes pre-meds find new interests in college. It happens. Studying with the top professors in TO gives you access to very small classes with amazing professors. Perhaps in such an inspiring class, a students discovers a passion for neuroscience or some other field. I really think it’s worthwhile to think of your entire education. Life is not just one long conveyor belt into the MedSchool factory. ;)</p>
<p>Best of luck.</p>