Very excited- got an email today inviting to apply. They want 3 essays and a letter of recommendation. The deadline is on 3/18. Anybody else got the email? Do Honors Program students get priority in signing up for classes?
I got this email as well - also interested in hearing others’ opinions on it.
Got it here too - looks like a great program with great benefits. Housing option looks great too.
I received the email too. I just talked to my counselor about it and priority is also one of their benefits.
@meb1meb1 - where did you learn about housing options? I’m curious about priority for signing up for classes : I’ve heard it may be challenging to get into classes at CalStates due to the budget cuts.
@nmg7215 thank you for the info!
@natrad - in the email it highlighted the benefits:
Honors Housing Interest
Each year the Honors Program reserves space for incoming freshmen in the Honors student dormitory. In past years, this Honors “learning community” has been housed in the Cerro Vista apartment complex and Honors student residents have each been given private bedrooms. Please let us know if you are interested in Honors housing by checking the box below. Interest in Honors housing does not factor in the application review process. Checking the box below does not guarantee a space or a private bedroom in the Honors student dormitory. http://www.housing.calpoly.edu/
Looks like not guaranteed but higher chance of getting it if you want it.
The honors program is great IF the required coursework fits into your curriculum path. Many students who bring in lots of credits, especially those used for GEs, will find that the required classes will extend their number of hours well past where it’s deemed worth while. This is especially true for engineers whose curricula are already 20 hours longer than the typical CP major.
If it works though, the registration advantage alone is worth it. Honors students register before regular students, around the time athletes do.
Fair warning, lots of students get invited to apply. After all, the average GPA and test scores of all admitted students is high. Thus, many are qualified academically. CPs Honors College is not like many other schools where you get in if you get invited. There are only 50 or so slots for a Freshman class of over 5000. Since every invitee has very high stats, admission is very subjective, hanging likely on the essays alone. Welcome to “holistic” decisions. 
The bottom line is this, there are WAY more people who are VERY well qualified than they have slots for. If it works with your schedule, definitely apply, but don’t be too bummed if you don’t get in.
Congrats and good luck!
@eyemgh can you elaborate a bit more for engineer program since I get that invitation as well. So for the honor program, you will have to take more classes than just regular engineering program?
Yes @eyemgh it would be really helpful if you have more info on honors program and EE or other eng curriculum and how to balance a schedule.
@eyemgh - I got in for Biology major, how would I know if the required coursework fits into my curriculum path?
Also for the letter of rec what is the distinction between a teacher and an instructor? I do volunteer work at a zoo and was thinking of asking my “boss” (not actually, just the easiest word to describe him), since I’m not getting paid, he isn’t my employer…
http://honors.calpoly.edu/content/requirements
Honors students must take the intro seminar and at least 7 other honors classes. Plus, they have a capstone. I’m not sure if your senior engineering project will suffice or if the honors capstone is in addition. If you bring a lot of credit in, many of your GEs will be filled. Most engineering curricula have no free electives. What that will mean is that you’ll either have to waste the advantage gained by bringing in AP/IB/dual enrollment credit and take honors courses instead OR you’ll have to take more courses.
Engineering is HARD. Even the students who flew through HS find it difficult. The average engineering GPA at Poly is around 2.7. Even students with high GPAs report that it is very challenging. Using credit you bring in allows you to take less hours per semester. That is a big advantage.
On a side note, some of you will be invited into math honors by virtue of a 5 on the AB or BC exam. I highly recommend that. There’s no drawback.
Hope that helps.
Thanks very much - very helpful! Math honors might be better thing to consider. Have a 5 on the BC exam last year and a number of APs in English, History, Science, etc.
@meb1meb1, congrats on your 5! Don’t take it for granted though. My sin took Honors Calc III and there were quite a few scores in the 30s on the first test. Every student scored a 5. Get the syllabi for I and II and the tests. Several old ones are available on line. Make sure you are solid on the concepts they’ll expect you to know and that you can understand all the test questions. If you’re rusty, bone up on Kahn Academy, especially series. Good luck! Have fun!
@eyemgh thanks for the Honors Program info. Do you have any idea when the invited into math honors usually happen?
sorry, can’t remember. before you enroll.
@newapplicant, if invitation to math honors is based on AP scores, then it has to be after CP receives the scores, so I’m guessing June or July?
@eyemgh - Do you (or anyone else) know which AP classes can be used towards GEs for Engineering majors at Cal Poly?