<p>What about the honors program makes it different than not being in the program? What are the perks? I'm a transfer student going in as a junior if that makes the situation any different. </p>
<p>The FSU site lists the benefits. The class sizes are limited to 18, and you matriculate with seniors, so you have enhanced course selection. The dorm is in the middle of the campus, and there are enhanced counselling opportunities. </p>
<p>As a junior transfer, you’ll need a 3.5 GPA or be in the Honors program wherever you’re transferring from to even be considered for Honors. </p>
<p>With Honors you get:</p>
<p>1) Early registration for classes. Which means that once your non-Honors friends find out, they’ll probably beg you to hold a spot in a class for them. You’ll get first crack at registering for classes, which means you have a better chance of getting the time you want for a class with several sections offered. </p>
<p>In some larger majors with specific “you must take this class” rules, this benefit can be big. As a junior, the benefit of this will likely be small. </p>
<p>2) You also can register for certain Honors-only classes that are offered each semester. These are honestly just schedule-filler classes for the most part (examples include History of Animation, and Stress and Relaxation- no joke). There are also Honors sections of larger gen ed classes that will have 15-20 seats for honors students.</p>
<p>Don’t get too excited over Honors-only sections of larger classes. For the larger classes like Chemistry I, that just means that you will be in the class with everyone else that’s registered, which can be 10+ sections of 20-25 people each, and the only difference is what time you meet outside the large lecture sections.
For most of these Honors sections, you will also have an additional assignment. From what I’ve seen it’s basically busywork that meets the requirements set forth by the university that the Honors section be “different” than non-Honors. </p>
<p>3) You can live in Landis or Gilchrist halls. Note that the down side to this is that, if you don’t want to live in a dorm with a required meal plan, these dorms require one. This kinda takes the wind out of them for a lot of people. The buildings are honestly not that special compared to the other suite-style dorms aside from being labeled Honors. </p>
<p>As a junior transfer you probably won’t care about living in a freshman dorm, so that probably is not a big deal to you.</p>
<p>I’ll be honest, especially compared to some other Honors programs, FSU’s is pretty… meh. Okay, so you get to take some special classes, except most of them are just schedule fillers that you would take to fulfill the “with Honors” requirements of taking a certain number of credits of Honors classes before you graduate. I think Honors at FSU is overrated for what it is. </p>
<p>Note that there are plenty of people that enjoy Honors and all of the perks that come with being part of the program. I just personally don’t think it’s nearly as good of a program. As a transfer, you’d probably be better off with the Honors in the Major program, where you conduct research and everything, than just the Honors program. </p>
<p>Thank you! What I really got out of that is that there’s more cons than pros? I was planning on getting an apartment with my cousins that live up there. So basically there’s just busy work, with the perk of registering classes early? Hmmm that sounds like a waste of time. I appreciate the input!</p>
<p>It’s not that cut and dry, unfortunately. I’m sure lots of people will find it beneficial, and I know plenty of people that have thoroughly enjoyed what the Honors program has to offer.</p>
<p>If you get invited as a transfer, there’s no reason not to join, if you’re willing to go through the colloquium that they require and to meet the other requirements to graduate “with honors”. But my opinion of the program is that it’s really focused on freshmen, and not really transfers. A lot of the classes that you can take honors sections in that are beneficial to you for your major will probably be classes that you’ve already taken as pre-reqs in your major. </p>
<p>For larger majors (Psychology, Business, Biology), the early registration can’t be understated. For smaller majors, it doesn’t have anywhere near the same value. </p>
<p>Some of the Honors-only classes are pretty interesting. Some aren’t a joke- I remember friends taking the History of Animation class 3-4 years ago when it was offered and it being serious work. Others are just schedule fillers that you register for to accumulate Honors credits.</p>
<p>It’s something you’ll have to think about. I wouldn’t say to turn it down if you get offered a spot in the program. It has some advantages, and of course, you don’t have to go all the way through the Honors program if you find that it isn’t worth it to you.</p>
<p>Thank you so much. This was great!</p>