<p>It seems like everyone I've talked to(limited pool) who was in honors or had a student in honors really loved the Miami experience. I can't tell so much for the non-honors students. Can people help me understand the difference, and what makes honors so special/better? I think of my son was accepted to honors the decision might be easier for us, but he wasn't. </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Our daughter is in the honors program and it has been very helpful to her. But we’ve never felt that the honors program was what makes Miami special. For that, we think it starts with an engaged faculty that focuses exclusively on the undergraduate experience. Then you throw in the quaint college town that is Oxford, and it has been great for our daughter. She once said the honors program is more like another extracurricular activity than like a different college experience. </p>
<p>But to answer your question about what makes the honors program so special, for our duaughter it was being in the honors dorm her freshmen year which she thought allowed her to meet a lot of other serious students in a quieter (less partying) environment. Also, the Miami program requirements are largely waived for honors students. She is a business student and this meant she didn’t have to take a lot of unrelated classes from the liberal arts menu. Instead, the honors program lets you achieve the liberal arts education through out of the classroom experiences 9internships, clubs, study abroad, etc) instead of through coursework. This let her focus on courses more pertinent to her interests and allowed her to double major.</p>
<p>Ah… That ability to not take certain classes is huge. Thanks for your insight.</p>
<p>the advantages of Honors depends on your specific situation. In my D’s case the biggest advantage was priority registration. It saved her lots of headache. She had to complete pre-med requirements and she had 2 minors. Another big advantage is that Honors classes are smaller, prof. is more available so some consider them easier since help is readily available.<br>
When D/ was at Miami, I believe that honors dorms were available for non-honors students also. But dorms are mostly for the first 2 years. Most people are moving out for junior year. D’s Honors dorms had piano, which was great for her Music minor.
Not sure about Honors requirements, D. was primarily concerned with pre-med requirements and making sure that her junior/senior years have much ligher schedule becuase of preparation fro the MCAT during junior year and Med. Schools interviews during Senior year. She had to load pretty heavily in the first 2 years and I am not sure if she would be able to schedule all her major 2 minors classes in correct sequence without priority reqistration. Another “tiny” benefit was small Merit Scholarship as part of Honors, I said small becuase D. was on full tuition Merit, and Honors was just small portion of it. D. did not do any others like clubs, study abroad, parts of Honors because her schedule was very loaded, since pre-meds also require Med. Research internships, volunteering. But Miami is great if you want to go abroad. They have campus in Europe. D. went to New Zeland for 6 weeks (was not connected to Honors) which was her dream since the Lord of the Rings.</p>
<p>I’m trying to up post count so I can reply to your private message 1214 mom! It won’t let me until I have 15 posts. Hang in there-I’m posting away to get there.</p>
<p>I think your son will like it even as a non-honors student.</p>
<p>Priority registration has been my big plus.</p>
<p>One of my twins is in Honors and the other is not. Both top students and both are having a great and very challenging time at Miami. I would say the main difference is the flexibility of the honors scheduling as far as not having to take the same core curriculum.</p>
<p>Thanks. It seems like not having to take the
Core classes is a pretty big benefit, and so is priority registration.</p>
<p>Miami has recently changed the Honors Program. Starting with next school year (Class of 2018), Honors students will have to do the same core curriculum. But they will still get priority registration.</p>
<p>I’m an Honors student now, and I can tell you that the Honors experience is more than the classes though.</p>
<p>What would you say are the important aspects of being in honors?</p>
<p>There are also scholarships available for studying abroad.</p>
<p>Does Honors Students get xtra $$ of being Honors. ??</p>
<p>Dadfor2014, the $$s/honors seem somewhat random, based on the little information I have. For example, my snow as offered lots of money, but not honors. Others were offered less money, but honors. </p>
<p>I think we all need to wait till we see the Final FA pkg, that should spell out exactly student will get.
Hopefully those should arrive sometime in March or April…</p>
<p>1214mom. Did your son apply for honors? Unless they changed it this year, it requires a separate application with a few extra essays. Some applicants don’t realize it is a separate application and others don’t want to do the supplemental essays. The merit aid is based on GPA and ACT/SAT scores and is unrelated to the Honors program. The Honors program has benefits that come into play with traveling abroad and summer study. The smaller classes and interesting discussions are also a plus. It was beneficial for all my Miami kids. </p>
<p>It is different at this time: </p>
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</p>
<p>Also:</p>
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For more info: </p>
<p><a href=“Honors College | Miami University”>http://www.honors.miamioh.edu/HSapplication.html</a></p>
<p>Thanks for the update. It is probably time for me to bow out of this site as I don’t keep up with the changes for admission–and there are changes every year! </p>
<p>I can offer opinions about the results and their love of the time they spent there. I had all 3 of mine attend Miami–never would have guessed that would happen, but we could not have been more pleased with the outcomes. First went on to graduate school with full fellowship at a top school. Second is soon to graduate and has been offered 3 funded programs so far. They also had a ball while they were there. The third is doing well and loving it as well. We always thought he would be an OSU guy, but when it came time he just didn’t want to “drink the juice”. They will love the place forever, and that won’t change with a new catalogue!</p>
<p>@wildwood330, I know everyone’s time is limited, but I just wanted to say that posts likes yours above are extremely valuable. </p>
<p>Thanks for chiming in</p>
<p>Thanks for the insight. Three out of three picking Miami says a lot about the school.
Dave, thanks for your info. Too. If by some chance they do another round of honors at Miami, and my son gets in, I think that would seal his decision. Wildwood, did all of yours do honors?</p>