<p>I got accepted to the honors program a few weeks ago... I thought I'd give it a shot but I don't know if it's really going to be worth it in the long run. Is there any long term advantages of being in the University Scholars program at SMU? I was thinking of joining the Business Honors Program later, but I don't exactly know what to do about this general honors program that they put me in..</p>
<p>Anyone have any suggestions?</p>
<p>well you get the option of living in the honors dorms around all the smart people. all i know about the business honors program is that you and a few people manage a multi-million-dollar investment account.</p>
<p>I live in the Dallas area so I probably won't be living at SMU.. Do you think it'll help me get into business honors if i take the university honors?</p>
<p>Well when you apply to grad school, they'll be like "wow this person went a step further and did honors!! oooo, ahhhh!" Don't worry, I'm actually debating this myself. I mean I want to have a high GPA, but if honors is going to bring it down, I may drop it. Since you're being offered a position in the honors you can try it out and then drop it if you don't like it. It's harder to get into the program than it is dropping out. Hope that helps!</p>
<p>I was thinking honors classes were weighted so you could actually get a higher GPA. I'm probably wrong though!! </p>
<p>I think i'm not going to do it because I was thinking about taking summer classes at a community college and transferring them over when I go to SMU.. and if I'm in the honors program, I can't transfer them over because I have to take honors credits. I just don't want to regret not being in it later..</p>
<p>Thanks for your help though!</p>
<p>hey smallfry,</p>
<p>in reply to your msg here and on my thread</p>
<p>Is there an advantage? i guess there might be a litttttle advantage when it comes time for applying to grad school that you can say you were in the 'honors' program</p>
<p>that and the honors dorms, lectures and certain 'honors' courses</p>
<p>smu's website actually has a LOT of information on it and the head of it is very helpful</p>
<p>i'm planning on being premed and i honestly don't like SMU... well i don't like the people.... i live in dallas and when i visited it seems just like the same typical highland park douches that i've had to see on occasion for the last 4 years
but..... being premed... somewhere that i know i'm going to have a strong GPA is definitely a big +... that and the rest of the US has no clue about SMU and thinks its actually a good school... which it is... but its not nearly as strong as people think it is, but whatever it seems like a good place to be premed</p>
<p>the honors program as far as i can tell isn't very beneficial course-wise outside of mainly english/lit type classes, there are no science classes that are part of the honors courses</p>
<p>all in all, i personally feel like i'm looking at SMU for the wrong reasons and i probably need to get out of dallas</p>
<p>flashback, what are your reasons for looking at SMU? Also, where else have you applied? </p>
<p>Smallfry, I kind of have the feeling the the honors is like the IB program. To me, the IB was a waste of time. I spent so much time on projects and papers, rather than spending my time lets say, studying for the SAT which with higher scores, I probably could have gotten into the school I wanted to. I also sacrificed a lot of social activities. :( So when comparing IB to the honors, why spend so much time on something that won't get you where you want to be? For example, I also plan on doing medicine or dental. The honors is mostly libral arts classes and I would be spending my time studying english, history and things I don't care about. There won't be any science classes. And when it comes time to study for the MCATs or DATs, I don't want to have to be doing other honors projects and papers and extra things. I'm not saying that the honors is a waste of time, because I haven't experienced it yet. I'm gonna try it out and if it doesn't get me to where I want to be, then i'll drop. </p>
<p>Also, I heard that even if you're not in honors, you still have to take the libral arts classes from all 5 'perspectives'. Does anyone know anything about this?</p>
<p>I do agree with you about seeing the same people from highschool. I've always wanted to go somewhere where I don't have to see the same people I did in high school. Unfortunately that won't be happening, because there are a few people that are going to SMU, as am I. But then I realized that SMU is quite large and I'll probably meet more interesting, nice, fun people! (I hope)</p>
<p>Wait.. I always thought SMU is a good school. I didn't know everything was easy... Do you think the honors classes will be easy too? And does anyone know if they do the weighted thing for GPA like they do in high school?</p>
<p>Oh and pdesai06, I've looked at sample course schedules and I don't think they focus around liberal arts classes, but I do know that the booklet that they sent out said something about if you do University Honors, you get an honors degree in liberal arts. So.. I'm thinking it wouldn't be very beneficial to me since I don't care about English or history.</p>
<p>haha. What do you plan on studying, smallfry? I don't know. I remember talking to someone and she said something like if you're not in the honors, you still are required to take certain liberal arts classes? Maybe I just misunderstood. I guess I'll find out in July when I go to the AARO session. </p>
<p>I'll admit, SMU is no Harvard or Yale. But I mean, it's college, a private one at that, so I don't think that the classes will be easy per se, especially honors. Also, I heard that the Cox business school is really difficult. Like you have to give 10-45+ mins presentations and manage your own company and other business stuff that I have no clue about. But anyway, I heard it's intense!</p>
<p>"flashback, what are your reasons for looking at SMU? Also, where else have you applied?"</p>
<p>main reason for looking at smu was because its so close to me and it has a name. it was one of my backup schools and i really didn't know the honors program existed until they sent me the letter telling me i'd been nominated.</p>
<p>Also applied to
Emory-1st choice- waitlisted
Vanderbilt- Denied
Claremont Mckenna- Denied
Wakeforest- Waitlisted
Colorado College- Accepted (no money boo)
Trinity University- Accepted + nice scholarship
Tulane- Accepted + scholarship
UT Austin- applied WAY too late(second to last day) and got the CAP program
Austin College- Accepted + scholarship</p>
<p>right now its really between SMU Honors, Trinity University and Colorado College</p>
<p>"Wait.. I always thought SMU is a good school. I didn't know everything was easy... Do you think the honors classes will be easy too? And does anyone know if they do the weighted thing for GPA like they do in high school?"</p>
<p>Sorry maybe my comments were a little harsh about it. My view of it is comming from someone in a small private school surrounded by people going to ivy's next year and the ones who are still great students(but mediocre by my schools standards) find SMU very easy... and most end up transfering out after freshman year. I doubt the honors classes are on the same level, but keep in mind the majority of your classes won't be honors classes. from what i can tell, all the honors program is is a way for you to take some typical liberal art small classes that are a little more difficult so that when you graduate you have "liberal arts honors" on your diploma</p>
<p>I think I'm just going to try to get into business honors classes after my sophomore year. Do you guys know if I take classes at a community college during the summer and winter, if they'll be able to transfer over to SMU?</p>
<p>My D attends SMU and is trying to get some summer school credits.
As a current student, at least, she has been advised that the credits must come for 4 year accredited colleges. </p>
<p>I would contact SMU and actually talk to someone who handles transfers to make absolutely sure before you assume any community college will transfer credits properly. SMU is particularly difficult to work with when it comes to "transfer credits" in my opinion.</p>
<p>I'd just be very careful and get proper clearance, perhaps in writing, before proceeding with that strategy.</p>
<p>If you go to a community college in the DFW area, they will most likely transfer. Here is a link:</p>
<p>Thanks tracemhunter, that website is very helpful!</p>