Hey!
Is there an advantage in being in the Honors Program in terms of getting a job or going to grad school? I was recently admitted to the Honors Program but do know that it would be hard to get an A in a honors class. Therefore, would companys or grad schools look at a B in a honor class better than an A in a regular class at BC?
Thanks!
Dear cupcake9363 : Remember that the Honors Program does differ by school (CAS vs. CSOM for example), so my response will talk about the College of Arts and Sciences only because it covers the largest percentage of students from a single undergraduate class (about 1500 from 2250 total students).
Only 150 students start down the Honors Program path; admission is generally restricted to SAT scores in the 1450+ range and the top 5% of High School class GPAs. The last time I looked at the statistics, approximately 70% of those that begin the program complete the four years of coursework. Participation in the Honors Program guarantees completion of many of your core curriculum elements in a well-controlled environment.
Classes are generally 15 students with a “double grade” assigned for your classes in freshman year as you will typically take Honors plus three other courses. Since these classes are formed from top students, expect that top level efforts are required. That said, the grading tends to be very fair with top scores being A/A or A/A- (remember, you get a double grade) or A-/B+ for an average effort. There is no “weighting” to Honors Courses (like a 10% markup) that you might have seen in High School.
Curriculum details can be found here : https://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/honors/about_a_s_honorsprogram/curriculum.html
So much for the background. There is no advantage gained from the Honors Program from a job or graduate school perspective. The instructors for the Honors Curriculum can come from a variety of departments in CAS so the approach to material can differ although the core readings are generally consistent.
Personally, I have the highest of regards for Mark O’Connor (former chair) and believe that his leadership was critical in building the CAS Honors Program. You can see a variery of syllabi from different first year professors here : https://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/honors/syllabi.html
one other thing, cupcake, even if you decline to join the “Honors Program”, you can still graduate with “Honors” by completing the departmental requirements. One is called, College Honors, and the other, Departmental Honors.
My D chose to not pursue the College Honors Program, as she had AP credits for some of the courses, and so she could participate in PULSE during Soph year.
How did she like PULSE? I’m considering it, but have not yet heard from anyone who has done it.
Some CSOM students in the Honors Program also do PULSE. There are some differences in requirements even within the CAS core requirements between CSOM and CAS Honors Program students (see Perspectives versus Western Cultural Tradition). With respect to firms recruiting students, I can tell you that being in the Honors Program can help. Grades and extra-curriculars are more important but being a member of the Honors Program can be a bit of an advantage. Core classes are smaller and with other HP students. The students in the program do form a strong cohort. Maybe too strong in that they interact less with their peers outside the program.
Dear gobosox : Both of my BC attendees went through the Honors Program - the older used Honors Housing only two of the four years (winding up in Walsh and Edmonds in his non-Honors years to live with a broader mix). The younger used Honors Housing more actively (Medieros, 66 Commonwealth followed by Gabelli and Rubenstein). The lesson learned is that you make friends from your housing, major, clubs, activities, and more. The Honors Program is just one of many “self-selecting” vehicles for creating a social circle.
Scottj, I definitely agree that there are many ways for HP students to interact outside the program and many do. I’ve taught HP students in CSOM for a fair number of years and maybe because their group is small (at 35 to 40 typically), they really do form an especially strong bond. With group projects in CSOM upper level class, HP students usually know each other well.
I hope your older attendee stayed dry in Walsh 
Loved it; a truly transformational experience for her. Of course, there were a few students who were just going through the motions to complete their Core requirements, so they only put in the minimum effort. But that occurs even at the schools in Cambridge. 