<p>My son, the future engineer, had a discussion with a college admission rep. This rep discussed both the Honors College and the on-campus engineering living communities. </p>
<p>Interesting choice frankly. The honors college offers a smaller community with top level students, priority registration, and nicer dorms. The drawback is that it is not really aimed at engineers and some of the required courses don't really fit. The living communities offer access to on-site tutoring and help, computer labs set up just for the engineers, and living with other prospective engineers.</p>
<p>Tough call, it was an interesting discussion. Anybody have any experience with this one? Engineering seems like an odd fit at many of the honors colleges we looked at.</p>
<p>I know my kid would go for the engineering living community. And, I agree that the engineering/honors thing is an odd fit. Maybe the engineering curriculum is already so packed...</p>
<p>What school are you talking about specifically?</p>
<p>Our middle child, D2, is an engineering freshman and at her school there are no mandatory honors courses you have to take either to be in the Honors College or to live in honors housing. Her school also has an engineering living community (for freshmen). She decided to go with honors housing so she could meet people who weren't engineers. The engineering curriculum is so tight that she figured she'd be with engineering majors all day in class, so it might be fun to come home to different people. She has found it to be the right choice for her, esplly as she can go next door to the bldg with the engrg housing whenever she wants (and sometimes has to) for projects and study groups or whatever. Just something to think about.</p>
<p>My kid's U also has honors dorms & a dorm near engineering (tho not specifically engineering living community). S elected to live in a dorm recommended by a friend who recently graduated from that U instead of either of the other choices. He's very happy with his selection & is glad to meet non-engineers, since he sees the engineers enough in class already. His friend chose to live in the honors dorm, where the friend is also happy. There are pros & cons for each living arrangement & partly, it seems to be "luck of the draw."
At his U, the engineering curriculum is pretty detailed & doesn't leave much room for extra classes. Not many in the engineering school have chosen to enter the honors program, even among those who live in the honors dorm (if you're a merit scholar, you're eligible to live there whether or not you choose to be in the honors program).</p>
<p>Well my freshman engineer seems to be thriving by living on the engineering floor at his school. He is surrounded by kids with similar interests and this proximity to other students taking the same classes has allowed him to fall into study groups with little effort on his part (he has Aspergers so this is a major accomplishment), and as a result, he has begun to develop lasting friendships among a core group of individuals. For many students, this kind of environment can greatly facilitate the transition to the first year at college--which is all it is meant to do--by surrounding them with people they would be more comfortable with and more likely to form friendships with. And thus increase their chances at a successful college life both academically and socially. However, by the end of this past semester he has managed to meet LOTS of other people outside his major including some very smart girls! And I don't think walking up that extra flight of stairs to get to their rooms has been a big deal...</p>
<p>I am in the honors college at my school and by far the largest college that is represented in honors housing in Engineering. It is really nice thought to associate with people from other colleges though.</p>
<p>To put this in the bluntest and most tasteless of terms (you have been warned): </p>
<p>It all depends on whether or not your son wants to get laid. His odds of accomplishing this would be WAY higher in the Honors College, where 1) there are more women, and 2) some of said women, despite their brilliance in other areas, do not have the slightest idea how to hook up their own computers.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if your son prefers to be with people who share his interests, already has a personal life, and cannot be bothered hooking up the computers of attractive female English majors, he would probably be happier with the engineers.</p>
<p>My son started college in a "Science, Technology, and Society" living community. He made lots of friends who shared his interests. He did not get a lot of dates.</p>
<p>Wow, Marian! I never thought in quite those terms, but thanks for the chuckle! My S lives in "The Great Outdoors Floor" of his U. There happens to be a "Great Outdoors Floor" of women too, which is nice because the two floors have social events together. This is great for my reserved S. :) Not sure my S will get many dates either, but he has LOTS of friends & when we calls us we hear lots of giggling girls in the background.</p>
<p>Thanks for the chuckles and responses. I do admit one of the reasons he is not going to an engineering specialty school is the lack of women. Case barely made the cut but that was due to a nursing school and at least a 60 - 40 male to female ratio.</p>
<p>If it were me I think I would stay in the honors dorm and hook up computers ;)</p>
<p>I think it really depends on a lot of things but perhaps on the specific school more than anything else; for instance, at my S's school the engineering floor is in an all-freshman dorm along with several other living communities; his building is right next to the school's other all-freshman dorm. Both are co-ed. Hundreds of non-engineering type girls within a short distance. The honors freshmen dorm rooms although much nicer (suites) are in a building across campus and with upperclassmen. My S is much happier surrounded by other freshmen; he feels the Honors dorms are more isolated from the rest of the freshmen. Oh and I'd say the engineering students he hangs out with are far from introverted...</p>
<p>My kid manages to find plenty of girls (or, rather, they manage to find him) and he goes to an all-boys' high school. So I figure a few floors or whatever won't matter too much. What he'd probably really like to find is a lan party someplace (is that what they're called now?) - you know, where lots of kids are playing some game together on line.</p>
<p>I've worked with numerous structural, mechanical, electrical, civil and geo-technical engineers all my life. Most of them, worldwide, are serious introverts. They spend most of their working hours with other introverted male engineers. </p>
<p>Adding more female perspective and hilarity during the formative years would be a good thing.</p>
<p>Well, being an introvert myself (moreso than my social butterfly yet geeky engineering S - with Aspergers - how the heck did THAT happen?), I can only say that it is difficult for us to spend too much time surrounded by too many extroverts. That is not what recharges us (computer games definitely do). You can lead us to water but can't make us drink... Although I'd agree that exposure to the female perspective for the guys is good (although I'm not sure any freshmen perspective should be a significant factor in anyone's formation!! Maybe next year when they all grow up a little...).</p>
<p>Last year, my son had the choice of living in honors housing or specialty engineering housing, and he chose the honors dorm. He did meet different kinds of people, which was good for him. He still spent a good bit of time with the engineering kids though (problem sets and projects). In fact, his roommate was premed and tended to spend a lot of time with other premeds. I guess misery loves company! </p>
<p>This year, he chose to live with three other engineering students who all lived in honors last year. They are great people, but I'm glad he had a wider experience during his freshman year. It's good to be exposed to students in other majors and it will definitely be easier in the honors housing than in the specialty housing.</p>