Hi all.
I just received a letter telling me that I was accepted into the Hilltop Scholars Program and I would like to get the perspective of some current students or alumni. Is the program worth it? And is it more prestigious/more rewarding than the University Honors Program?
Also, I consider myself to be more of an extrovert and while I wouldn’t consider myself a “partier,” I am looking forward to having some fun in college while still achieving my academic goals. Will joining HSP somewhat isolate me from the rest of the SMU community?
Hey there! I am a current Hilltop Scholar and I definitely recommend it!
Basically, what you get out of the program is what you put in. The program gives you access to a lot of different opportunities at the school, whether it’s classes with other Hilltop Scholars or leadership and service opportunities. You also have access to some amazing mentors and advisers on campus as well as access to the University Honors Classes- that’s right! It’s definitely possible to do both HSP and the UH program while you are here since HSP is only for your first year. In fact, I a lot of my HSP friends completed HSP and then transferred into the UH program their second year.
Joining HSP will definitely not isolate you from the community. In fact, I would say it would immerse you in the community. Off the top of my head, I know of a Hilltop Scholar on the Executive Board on every large student organization on campus. The biggest time commitment that HSP requires is 12 hours of community service or engagement each semester. These hours can be composed of your time involved in an organization on campus or a service opportunity. Once you get involved on campus, it’s not hard to fulfill this requirement and in fact most everyone I know in the program easily exceeds it.
Personally, I think there is nothing to lose by joining HSP and in fact so much to gain: a group of friends who are natural servant leaders, mentors, great classes, service opportunities, leadership opportunities and so much more.
@choosingjoy Thanks for your detailed recommendation. Do Hilltop Scholars live in a particular dorm? If so, which dorm and how are roommates determined?
1 Like