<p>I am a high school senior who plans on attending UNR. I have already been accepted, and have recently received a letter inviting me to apply for their honors college program. I am going into mechanical engineering, and my question is, should I apply to the honors college? I know the requirements involved (3.25 GPA, 30 Honors Credits, extra senior project, etc...) and the perks (advanced registration, smaller classes, etc...), but does it matter in the long run? Also, since engineering is already a relatively tough major, would adding a honors program on top of that make it "too" difficult?</p>
<p>I’d ask if the engineers have trouble getting their classes. At my daughter’s school, everyone gets the classes they need for their major, but one might get an 8 am math class rather than a 2 pm one if the registration number is low.</p>
<p>But she doesn’t have 30 ‘extra’ hours to take honors courses. Her classes and schedule is set for all 4 years and I don’t think she has an elective until junior year. You might check to see if it is even possible or if you’d need to go an extra year to get those 30 honors hours in. I went to school a million years ago with a civil engineer. She planned from the beginning to go 5 years because she wanted to take electives that interested her.</p>
<p>Don’t do it!!! Not for your sake, but for the sake of the other kids who enter the program. It’s clear from your post that you’re worried about being asked to do any extra work above what the other kids need to do. Your emphasis, obviously, isn’t on what you learn or how you learn it but instead on what it takes to get your ticket stamped. The good folks at the honors program have already tried to set those fears to rest
But that’s not reassuring enough. Nor, probably, should it be. What you have here is a mediocre college looking for a few students willing to do more than just the minimum to get by, willing tacke tough questions and debate their answers with other engaged students. It’s not actually harder than just getting thru the regular classes, but it does require a different attitude - engagement - and nowhere in your query did I see anything implying that is a concern of yours. Instead its the raw calculus; are the perks worth pretending to be that kind of student? Do the other kids in the program a big favor and skip enrolling since there is no evidence you have any interest in the goals of the program, just the perks.</p>
<p>19meyer96 - Your concerns are reasonable . . . there’s no point in taking on more than you think you can handle. </p>
<p>But, as noted above, the advantages to being an honors college student might actually make it easier for you to complete your engineering degree, and not harder.</p>
<p>I’d encourage you to do all the research suggested above. And also find out of you can accept the invitation, join the honors college, and drop out later if you decide it’s just too much for you. I’d think you could, and that might be the perfect solution. Try it and see how it goes . . . and then decide for yourself it it’s worth continuing.</p>
<p>One of the advantages to being an honors student is probably having your own faculty advisor, and that person could probably help you to decide if you should continue in the program.</p>