<p>My D was invited into the Honors program at IU-Bloomington. Can anyone provide any insight into the honors program and how it differs from the rest of the university? Are there additional scholarship awards? Different/better dorms? Advanced classes?</p>
<p>I don't know a lot about it, although my son was also invited to join. I have talked to one parent who has a daughter in the program who really loves it. Apparently they all live in one dorm and have special activities and things they can do together, as well as seminars and such. It is kind of like a college within a college, I gather from what she said, and makes the big college much less impersonal.</p>
<p>I don't know if my son will be part of it or not, should he go to IU. He is still waiting to hear from the music school, and that will be a major determining factor. (The Honors College dorm is also close to the music school, I noticed.)</p>
<p>My daughter also was accepted (but didn't go). I know several students in the Honors College. There is not a whole dorm but rather the option to live on an honors floor in one of the dorms. Not many kids do that - I do know one that chose to live there and he really liked it but most of the kids choose not to - too nerdy a thing to do and they want to live in a different "neighborhood" (that's how IU divides up its' residential areas) from the one that houses that dorm with honors floors.</p>
<p>For freshmen, the real benefit comes from having a separate advisor. You get much more personal attention for choosing courses specifically geared toward your academic interests. I had one friend whose son had chosen his classes and when he got to campus and met with his HC advisor, he completely reworked it to get this kid in with better professors. His honors seminars were good but nothing outstanding. They have earlier access to seminars and special access to visiting speakers, etc. Kind of a first priority thing before it goes out to the general IU population (of 35,000!).</p>
<p>Hope that helps.</p>