Honors College at Pitt

<p>In post #59 by Pat2323, click on the UHC site and then go to the "News and Events" link and on that page there is a link to the calendar for UHC where you can go by month (only for 2007 I'm afraid, the fall semester is no longer up) and see the kinds of things the kids do. The spelling bee is on there, as are numerous movie nights, a football party (superbowl, maybe?), the midnight ice skating, etc. The stuff marked Heinz lectures must be what D tells me her friends go to in the music hall(?) next to the Carnegie Museum; like they are going to the David Sedaris lecture beginning of April (he writes hilarious books she started reading in hs, memoirs of his crazy family, his sister is on Sat nite live and he writes for the New Yorker).</p>

<p>If you prowl around on the UHC website you can also find out about research opps, the B. Phil. degree, summer programs, and lots of other stuff.</p>

<p>As a current frosh in the honors college I'd love to clarify a few things. To live in the honors community you must be in the honors college. To be in the honors college you must have received a letter saying that you are in, usually its 1350+ SAT score (old version) and certain gpa. ANYONE, I repeat ANYONE, can take honors courses. However, you need permission from the honors college. So if you are in the honors college (doesn't matter where you live) you'll get permission. But say you aren't in the honors college because you didn't do as good in high school and got a 1000 SAT with a 2.0 gpa. But in college say you have a 4.0 and your a neuroscience and japanese double-major with a math minor, you'll most likely be able to take the course because it is clear that you work hard and you actually want to learn and are willing to accept the challenge. Secondly, I don't know what people are talking about spelling bees and calc parties. We are not that big of nerds. The typical honors event can include dances on the Gateway clipper (a boat), a ski trip to Seven Springs Resort for $20 (includes rental!), midnight rugby once a week (no matter the amount of mud), drag dance for Valentines day, and the list goes on. They do have some academic events, but trust me the most popular events are the ones that are completely unrelated to college classes.</p>

<p>tennisguy, the spelling bee was on the calendar and gracello went to it so it obviously happened. I forgot about the Gateway Clipper dance, and I guess midnight rugby is what I called midnight football.</p>

<p>I saw the drag dance on the calendar but didn't point that out as some parents find it offensive. However, I just saw my S's hs production of Midsummer Night's Dream, and due to casting limitations (not enuf boys and girls to fill parts by gender) there were more than several parts with cross-over casting (girl Puck, girl Bottom, boy playing a girl, etc). It was hilarious; they hammed it up, and heck, it was Shakespeare. He did it all the time 'cause he had to. I can see the humor in the drag dance theme.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, D called last night and they couldn't get tickets for the David Sedaris lecture. Somehow she couldn't figure out where to go to get the tickets and UHC only got 4 (!), so they were no help either.</p>

<p>Does anyone in the Honors College relax by playing Guitar Hero? If so, I won't be able to stop my daughter from registering tomorrow! :D</p>