<p>I’ve started filling out the honors college application. I’m curious about what it is that they are looking for. Will they base it solely on grades? How long should the essay be? (I’m not sure how many words fit within 3500 characters). Should I express something in the “additional comments” box? Any insight would be helpful! Thank you!</p>
<p>ACT score will also be a factor in honors college admission. Your essay just needs to show that you can effectively communicate your ideas through your writing. Additional comments should probably be reserved for some particular circumstance you feel the Honors College should know about.</p>
<p>Since nearly everyone applying to the honors college will have good grades/test scores, this is your opportunity to show how you are different. Weave in your extracurricular activities that you think have been either knowledge-building or character-building. My D wrote hers on how these experiences shaped her choice of major (classes, mentors and extracurriculars).</p>
<p>How many people actually get accepted to it? Is it almost everyone who recieved an invitation to apply?</p>
<p>I am assuming that if a student gets an invitation to apply to the honors college, then they obviously have the grades and the ACT score to get in. I think the only things that could keep a qualified student out would be:
- They write some horribly obnoxious essay that offends the school.
- They apply very late in the process and the honors college has already reached its quota for the upcoming year. (They do have a limit on the number of students they can accomodate.) Or, they reply too late to the invitation.
- The quality of students (grades/scores) is so high that the honors college has no other choice but to ultimately reject some applicants who have lower grades and scores than others. (This possibility is LOW on the probability list.)</p>
<p>If you are awarded a presidential scholarship, or Nat’l Scholars scholarship, you are automatically accepted into the honors college (if you choose to accept this invite). The honors college takes approx. 900 students (give or take) each year. A couple years ago, they took more than 900 — as a result, they had to offer additional honors classes to accomodate the surplus of students.</p>
<p>My daughter really loves the classes she takes that are part of the honors coll. curriculum. She’s taking probably more than they would like, but the classes still had openings, and fit into her schedule, so she jumped in as many as she could.</p>
<p>I accidentally lost my honors college letter, how do I apply?</p>
<p>Call the Honors College, explain the situation and see if they can email (or mail) your materials again. They are very accommodating, and anything you received before can probably be sent via pdf.</p>
<p>Though my D absolutely loves AU, one negative has been honors course selection. There are usually only one or two honors classes per subject and it has been difficult to get the honors classes she wants (being anything above 2 or 3 on the wait list means its unlikely you will get the class). She has asked for a waiver for second semester as she is 3, 22 and 58 on the wait list for three honors classes. Several of her friends received waivers last year. Having said that, her microecon honors class is a LOT more difficult than regular microecon and there are no Study Partners for honors classes. The course has really tested her abilities. So it is nice to know that the Honors College really is an honors program.</p>
<p>It seems that strategic planning for course offerings should take into account the demand for the courses and provide offerings accordingly, though.</p>
<p>I think the business honors classes fill very quickly. They need to offer more sections in these courses. COSAM sections don’t fill up quite as fast — D is taking basically all honors sections next semester. We’ll see if her luck holds out for her Soph year.</p>
<p>DS just got received a very thin acceptance letter. Does the HC send out invitations separately? I know there is a deadline in January.</p>
<p>HC sends a letter separately – no worries. It may show up a week later.</p>
<p>Thanks audellmom. DS got letter about 2 weeks later.</p>
<p>Sorry removing this because I posted on the wrong Auburn thread!</p>
<p>Am I the only one who has no idea what to write for the essay?</p>
<p>Is the 3.75 GPA weighted or unweighted to get into the Honors College?</p>
<p>I believe the GPA is unweighted for Honors College – someone will correct me if this is faulty info.
For IAmAwesome74 – it’s best to just take a deep breath on the essay, don’t worry. They want to get an idea of your general writing skills and your basic ability to communicate your ideas via the written word. They aren’t necessarily looking for a masterpiece – just solid essay skills. Abtsmom also gives good advice in post #3 – refer to this post as well.</p>
<p>Thanks, audellmom. However, I think I am not going to apply for it. I honestly have no clue how being in the Honors College is going to help me think critically. Also, I am not sure what the advantages of being in it are, besides class registration.</p>
<p>I can understand the confusion regarding how the Honors College could improve your class experience. The whole college admission process can be overwhelming as it is; adding in yet another (internal) admissions procedure may seem rather ancillary at the moment. Often, reasons for enrolling are very individual, and will vary according to your choice of major. I guess some factors to consider before ruling out the Honors College would include:
-Smaller class size in honors classes, this includes freshman courses.
-More interaction with your class instructor; this is a natural biproduct of having a class with fewer students.
-More individual class engagement amongst your fellow classmates. Those in class with you are (generally) more invested in the class. The result: an overall more satisfying learning experience.
-The ability to live in honors housing with students who probably share similar study patterns, or similar academic goals as yourself.
-As you mentioned earlier, priority in class enrollment (after the first semester).
-The distinction of having your diploma state that you graduated with honors.</p>
<p>Now, I am sure that you will be in many classes that you’ll thoroughly enjoy, and these courses will be intellectually challenging. Certainly, a class doesn’t necessarily need an “honors” moniker tacked onto the description for it to be a fulfilling experience. However, joining the Honors College would certainly enhance your overall educational endeavor. Even if you have decided to forego the Honors College for now, that’s okay, you may change your mind after a semester or two. You could always join the Honors College later as an undergrad. Conversely, those who enroll in the Honors College and decide that it’s not for them can always end their affiliation.</p>
<p>To anyone who has applied for honors college admission this year: check your app link then re-login. Is anyone else getting an ‘acknowledgement of acceptance’ page? I thought results were not released until mid-February. Thanks!</p>