Honors College

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of Michigan
1

<p>What is the Honors program at Michigan really like? Is it a separate entity like it is at Penn State or just additional classes that are taken in addition to regular classes like it is at Maryland? I really like the concept of Penn State's program where it is a separate college from the rest of the larger University... I talked to a man from admissions and he really did not give me a clear answer to my question so I thought it would be nice to ask here. Also, if you would like to assess my chances at getting into Michigan and then the Honors program for an out of state student, I really would appriciate it!</p>

<p>I have:</p>

<p>Grades:
GPA (Unweighted) 3.92
QPA (Weighted) 4.82
Class Rank - 10th/500
Taken hardest classes offered each year.
Attend a large, very competitive, suburban public school (usually gets a student or two into each of the following: MIT, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Brown, Stanford plus a couple students into the likes of Northwestern, Tufts, JHU, and Emory) </p>

<p>Senior Year Schedule:
AP BC Calculus
AP Chemistry
AP English Literature
AP US Government
AP Biology
2 Honors levels history electives taught by the two best teachers in the school
Concert Band during Lunch</p>

<p>SATs:
Math - 760
Critical Reading - 740
Writing - 700</p>

<p>SATIIs:
Math IIC - 780
US History - 760</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
-4 years of Percussion Ensemble. We played at the Music Educators National Convention my Sophomore year (one of 30 groups nationwide, one of only 15 highschool groups, and the only percussion ensembe) and the National Percussion Festival my Junior year (one of 12 groups nationwide) and will probably play at the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association my Senior year. Keyboard Ensemble Senior year (group made up of the 3 best players out of the 60 in the program)</p>

<p>-4 years marching band in the Percussion Front.
Senior year Percussion Front Captain</p>

<p>-4 Years concert band - Senior year Principal Percussionist</p>

<p>-District Band Junior Year (hopefull regional or all-state senior year)</p>

<p>-President of the Chemistry Club Senior year</p>

<p>-3rd place in a Western Pennsylvania Chemistry Competition Sophomore year</p>

<p>-Ultimate Frisbee team Junior and Senior year</p>

<p>-Volunteer once a week at a local hospital for about 4 or 5 hours</p>

<p>-Started a program in a local middle school that monitors the students' activity, gives them chances to play sports after school/be active, brings in a nutritionist to talk to them about eating correctly and teaches about how rewarding an active lifestyle can be. </p>

<p>-Every summer for the past 5 years have traveled for at least one week to another city to work at homeless shelters or on Habitat for Humanity-style trips.</p>

<p>-Attended Governor's School for Health Care summer between Junior and Senior years</p>

<p>Thanks for any input!</p>

2

<p>First off, you'll probably get into Honors College. </p>

<p>I am not an Honors Student, but one of my good friends is. I believe that each semester, you must take a minimun of 2 honors courses. These are take in place of the regular courses. For example, you can take honors math instead of regular. </p>

<p>You'll also live in honors housing in South Quad, which is one of the best dorms on campus. </p>

<p>However, it is not a separate entity. You will still take classes with non-honors students.</p>

3

<p>You will get in honors. I did honors my first year (I guess technically I am still in it...I'll get kicked out when I transfer out of LSA or at the end of sophomore year, whichever is first.)</p>

<p>Not a separate program, you take 'Honors' classes. Required to take 2 semesters of Great Books or another class like that, also take an additional Honors class. I took Applied Honors Calc II and III, not too difficult. But in the end I kind of realized that there was no point for me to be in the program, so I am done with it now.</p>

4

<p>Honors classes aren't necessarily as exclusive as they sound, either. Most 300+ level classes taken as a freshmen and 400+ level classes taken as a sophomore count as Honors classes. Also, some departments' honors classes aren't limited to people in the Honors college, though priority is given to them (at least for math). With the exception of Great Books, I would've been able to take the exact same classes I took if I weren't in the Honors college.</p>

5

<p>
[quote]
I believe that each semester, you must take a minimun of 2 honors courses.

[/quote]
i'm sure that it's actually an average of 2 honors courses per term. i took only 1 course during my first term (my advisor failed to mention it to me), and now the office says i just need to take 3 classes for another term.
[quote]
Also, some departments' honors classes aren't limited to people in the Honors college, though priority is given to them (at least for math).

[/quote]
some department in the social sciences have classes that are meant exclusively for honors students (two that came to mind are econ and anthro), though you're defintiely right for math classes.</p>

6

<p>I was under the impression that there were three types of honors classes</p>

<ol>
<li>Classes that are supposed to be all honors students </li>
<li>Classes that have an honors discussion section (which means that the prof. might teach the discussion?), but the lecture is not all honors kids</li>
<li>Regular classes that you can ask to be considered honors classes and you get extra assignments from the prof.</li>
</ol>

<p>I'm not positive about this, but at my orientation this is how it was explained.</p>

7

<p>Yeah, that's pretty much how they break down. An example of the third kind was my class on Faust last term. There were different sets of requirements depending on whether you were taking the class normally or for Literature and Ideas II (Honors did a large, in-depth 15 page paper instead of a small paper for each book).</p>

8

<p>About housing: You are not guaranteed housing in the South Quad. I am in Honors and was placed in Couzens.</p>

9

<p>apply early and you'll have a solid shot at money</p>