My son is a junior now and has been part of the University Honors and Engineering Honors programs. He is considering letting them go for his senior year due to the work required and he really wants to focus on his upcoming fast track graduate track. Beside the early class registration, is there really any benefit to actually graduating with these honor programs? Once a senior you get preferred registration anyhow.
My daughter dropped it Senior year as well(this year). It would have been hard to get enough Honors class hours in her major. She didn’t want to spend all that time getting her upper level major specific classes “approved” as honors hours. She swears to me that the only benefit she’s giving up is a medal around her neck at graduation. Since she’s graduating with highest honors and already has a University Research Scholar medal, she doesn’t care about the second medal. She’s spending her extra time doing research and job-hunting!
Some programs have the advantage of meet & greets when in honors programs, or special selected groups that you can get exposure through. If that isn’t the case & he sees no benefit, or no scholarship tied to the honors program…(This might not be a popular answer) but if maintaining both jeopardizes gpa- go for the gpa. Most employers don’t know the difference between the various honors designations . Just be sure he gets something upon graduation to put down on a resume ( graduating with honors, a special recognition, honors program, etc). Graduating with honors is a universal term, they don’t ask for clarification when you apply for jobs. Many of the TAMU honors have changed in recent years, so it isn’t like your interviewer (if an Aggie) would know which programs are running at the moment.