How important is being in an honors college at a large university in terms of how much of an upper hand it would give you in going to grad school or getting a job after graduation? I’m looking at the honors college at University of Oregon, and I feel that with the space being filled by required Honors College courses, I could take other more fun and interesting courses or add a few minors. However, if there is a significant advantage to being in the honors college for after college, then I would probably be more inclined to accept an offer.
Grades, GRE/MCAT/LSAT scores, letters of recommendation, work/research/publications/volunteer experience related to the proposed field of study, your own statement of purpose/other application essays, matter for grad school applications. If the honors college will make it easier for you to do that stuff, then start out in the honors college. You can always move out of the honors college if you find that it isn’t working well for you with your own particular academic goals.
Would it be better to double major in two things that I like and take the honors route in one major (which involves writing a Thesis), or to single major and stay in the Honors College?
Stay in the Honors College for now. Take classes that interest you.
If senior year you are close to a double major, by all means plan your senior year schedule to complete it. Double majoring would only help you if the fields are closely related (ie., neuroscience/biology or neursocience/psychology, or History/Literature or History/History of art) or if you can relate them in function of the research you intend to undertake as a graduate student (ie., Leadership and History if you’re interested in how the fields intersected in the 1960s). Otherwise, you’re better served taking classes that cater to your interests.
In terms of grad school, Honors College should facilitate some of the things you need to do (research, thesis, presentation). You’re always free to leave the Honors College if you don’t want to stay, but whether you double major shouldn’t affect your choices. if it does, reconsider during your sophomore year.