<p>Is honors housing a good choice for an incoming freshman? What are the advantages and disadvantages? I plan on going to the University of Minnesota and the honors dorm is significantly farther from where most of my classes will be.</p>
<p>honors housing will put you near/next to/with other honors students....this can be benificial when it comes time to study, do homework, or just need overall academic help/guidence...plus, it takes away the chance of you having a horrible roomate who nevers studies, doesnt go to class, doesnt do homework, and just parties 24/7 (trust me, being around students who arnt motivated sucks...my roomate has a bull**** major, goes to a nearby school to be with her boyfriend, has him stay over then wakes up at 6am so he can go back, and most of my freshmen hallmates are the same way...meanwhile, as an engineering student, im constantly working, and they give me constant crap about it)
however, its nice to meet other people, as you'll be having most of your hallmates/housing-mates in your classes...but its not ahrd to meet other people, you just have to make a little effort or take some non-honors classes</p>
<p>basically, if you want a studious enviorment, go for the honors housing, its the biggest difference i think</p>
<p>^Hehehehe. </p>
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plus, it takes away the chance of you having a horrible roomate who nevers studies, doesnt go to class, doesnt do homework, and just parties 24/7
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<p>So not true. Honors kids party just as much as non-honors kids. One guy literally ran a bar out of his dorm room. Then he moved out of honors housing and into his frat house because he couldn't get enough sleep. (We do tend to be loud.) Once he moved into his frat house, he stopped skipping his 8am engineering class and finally became a productive member of my engineering team.</p>
<p>But it's true that they're always be someone who can help you with your work. And since a lot of honors kids tend to be in certain majors (we have a lot of architecture, engineering, and business majors), it's easier to find people on your floor to take classes with (and cram with before tests, and complain together about work). It also just feels good to know that people around you are pretty smart.</p>
<p>At least at Maryland, Honors kids work hard, play hard.</p>
<p>I'll second that work hard, play hard for honors. Although there will be the extreme ones who do nothing but study either</p>
<p>Its all up to you....do you like being around other students who are as smart/smarter than you? Could you handle living with them. Or do you just want to take your chances in the typical dorms? (where there will be many smart and studious students as well)</p>
<p>Keep in mind the U of M will be a very cold campus in winter....how far do you really want to walk or ride the bus when its 20 below out?</p>
<p>My S had the option of applying for the honors dorm at USC but elected to choose a "regular dorm" & is happy with the dorm he has. His friend chose the honors dorm -- it's physically a very small building & the temperature there is pretty warm/hot. Both seem happy enough with their choices & it seems the luck of the draw as to your room mate in any case.</p>
<p>A friend whose S went to UPenn says that his friend who is in the honor's dorm seems to have fewer drunks in his dorm than the regular dorm that he lives in.</p>