I’ve seen some posts and have heard from many friends that the Honors College is what makes LSA good, and that without it, many of my friends probably won’t go to Michigan. Now this is a little discouraging to those who worked really hard to get into LSA and consider Michigan their reach & dream school. So this prompted me to ask: is LSA without the honors college still good and worth it? Is it enough?
Yes, most definitely. Honors is a nice community, but even if you were in honors you would still be taking a lot of “regular” LSA classes. Also, many students also only complete the first two years of the honors program and there is no requirement that you live in honors housing. Michigan is a highly competitive school and students not in honors are still highly qualified, motivated, intelligent students. I can’t imagine not going to UM because you didn’t get into honors. It isn’t like some schools where the honors students are markedly more studious/intellectual or the classes are noticeably better.
Biprof said it all perfectly. It’s almost inconceivable to pass on umich based on not being in honors.
Try one of the good learning communties- they offer residential programs which may offer even better opportunities than LSA Honors IMO.
Thanks for your responses. I realize that people hold themselves to different standards, but sometime being told your achievements aren’t good enough (even indirectly) can be a bit irritating and disheartening.
@woah16 Trust me, when you get to campus, no one will know or care if you are in the Honors Program or not. You automatically join the Honors Program if you declare an Honors Major (which is how you graduate with a Honors Degree), so it’s not like not being it from freshman year will hold you back from graduating with Honors
Can I do a learning community as well as honors? I applied for the honors program, and am also interested in the Michigan Research community.
@jazzer98 If it is a residential learning community, I believe the answer is no. I know you can do UROP (which is essentially the same as MRC, but w/o the housing) and Honors at the same time
MRC is a research community requiring housing in the specified dorm. But, LSA honors does not require housing in South Quad. So, you can do both living in the MRC specified dorm. An alternative if you would rather live in the Honors housing, as hailbate mentioned, is doing UROP, rather than MRC.
Historically, housing for Honors has been in South Quad and housing for MRC has been in MoJo- someone correct me if I am wrong. South Quad and MoJo are both considered some of the “most desirable”. They each have their ups and downs.
@woah16 Well look at it this way: There is some school or program other than LSA honors that wouldn’t accept you either. There will be jobs you won’t get. There will be relationships that don’t work out. There’s no reason to get more down about this particular rejection, if it happens. Maybe it was easier for me because, similar to Ross pre-admit, i saw those super selective programs as reserved for the kids who had more opportunity/resources to prove their potential. It’s not until you arrive on campus that you’re on equal footing. Probably even the adcoms would tell you with that level of varied accomplishments, it’s something of a lottery
Or you can look at it as you got to a place 40,000 others were rejected from and got into your dream school, and not dwell on a few hundred spots that pales in comparison
I agree with you @steellord123 I am not upset about potential rejection as I know life is all about acceptance and rejection and that there’s no point in getting upset over not getting into a program when I’m already in my dream school. I’m just asking because… Well I honestly don’t know. I think it’s that insecurity we all somewhat have of not being good enough. I realize life is competition, but sometimes failing is truly hurtful and to hear friends somewhat dismiss your accomplishments is hurtful (they of course congratulated me and I congratulated them, but saying “LSA isn’t worth it without the honors college” is basically saying “if you don’t accomplish more, then what you’re proud of is not good enough”).
@woah16 Check out some of the great learning communities- some may say they offer better opportunities than Honors.
woah - if your friends are dismissing the accomplishment of your Michigan enrollment on its own, then they are ignorant of what that takes. Be proud for yourself.