Can anyone advise or have an opinion on which is better or what would they pick between Honors Carolina or McNair at University of SC?
IMO UNC honors will carry more weight. That degree has nation wide recognition versus mainly regional for USC. HOWEVER, it is not so much better that you should pay a lot more money for it. If you get a full ride to USC and UNC is significantly more, I would take the scholarship. McNair scholars have a lot of opportunities and seem to have great experiences at the school.
If you like them both equally, honors at UNC is a great choice. It is a more prestigious and well known program.
Thank you for the replies. McNair is almost free. We will find out in about 3 weeks if UNC is going to offer anything towards the honors program or not. Also visiting USC for 2 days in March and will get more in depth info. on McNair.
My D is facing the same choice. I believe the other posters are right about the quality and name recognition of UNC but the honors program at SC is more extensive and more intense. Also see publicuniversityhonors.com for more info on honors colleges.
If you son is a NMF, USC will allow him to stack the $6000 Lieber Scholarship on top of a McNair/Horseshoe award. My DD had UNC as a choice as well (also Vanderbilt and UChicago), but was not offered a guaranteed scholarship like USC did. The UNC and Vandy financial aid packages were generously above expectations, but the guarantee of a scholarship vs. the yearly FAFSA filing was important to us. My DD has found students in the Honors College to be academic peers, a diverse group, and has had a lot of fun. She has studied abroad, participated in teacher-student exchange program in Germany, does research with an English professor on a commercial project, and is involved in several other activities. Every quality university will have similar programs and opportunities. However, USC Honors seems to make them readily accessible. Her professors have been approachable with a student-first attitude. It’s been great so far.
The McNair weekend may tell you a lot…the scholarship weekend sealed the deal for my D. It will also depend on your potential major. For instance, International Business at USC is top in US, so more than just regional exposure.
Top scholars (McNair/Horseshoe/Carolina/Hamilton) get a lot of attention/support beyond what other honors students at USC get.I don’t know details of honors at UNC, but know lots of motivated students have done great things at USC.
Look at this link to Top Scholar Annual Report and read about what the 2013/14 scholars are doing. http://www.sc.edu/ofsp/docs/TrueScholarPDF1314.pdf
Sounds like you have great options - it’s nice to have great choices. You’ll have a great time at McNair weekend and meet some great students.
I am sure it will be an amazing experience and looking forward to it. So far both are great options and we are very fortunate to have these 2 options. He is still waiting to hear back from few other schools and is a finalist for Parks at NC State. scmom12 thanks for the link. It is a great report.
scmom12 - From your observation and D’s experience at USCHC, could you give an idea what is difference in additional opportunities, support and attention McNair/Carolina kids receive over rest of honors population? Thanks in advance!
@SECfan1234 –
McNair/Carolina gets an additional advisor (on top of academic and Honors advisors) from their field of study. Typically, a faculty member who engages in this has very very few advisees from McNair/Carolina, so they give them a lot of time. Personally, I met my McNair advisor for lunch the first week of school freshman year, and after I informed her of my interest to get involved in research, she marched me upstairs and introduced me to various professors. Fast forward to now, and I’ve been in the same research lab for 3 years, secured 2 research grants, presented at an international conference, and acquired 2 internships. I am doubtful I would have gotten started so quickly and young if it weren’t for my McNair advisor.
We also just started a Scholars Association that encompasses all current Carolina and McNairs and promotes social events, professional development, speakers series, etc.
The head of the “Top Scholars” program also works in the Office of Fellowships and Scholarships. Thus, she keeps us really in check about applying to national fellowships. We’re required to meet with her around once a semester to make sure we’re on the right track with these sorts of applications. That office has been incredible to me and helped me through the tough task of applying to things like the Goldwater.
Finally, we have a formal dinner every semester, and opportunities for etiquette dinners, and things of that sort.
There really is a whole lot of time invested into us. I’m very thankful for the program here!
^^Exactly. There are additional social opportunities planned and the Scholars are heavily involved in orienting the next class. All scholars are given an upperclassman as a “scholar buddy” to help from a student prospective. D changed majors and did not keep up with original faculty mentor, but has had amazing opportunities. The office of fellowships and scholarships is amazing and top scholar “mom” is always available for the kids. Now the fellowship/scholarships opportunities are available to all honors (and non-honors) students, but scholars get a little more of a push.
So regarding some of the more unique and much promoted benefits associated with Honors College, I think its important to note that some of these coveted research opportunities, internships, etc. are more often reserved for that small segment of honors college student receiving McNair, Carolina, etc.
That makes sense, but if you happen to be invited to Honors College with Coopers or Alumni award, I guess its going to be important to evaluate that offer with a realistic understanding that some of the really great promoted benefits associated with the Honors College are probably better defined as benefits associated with McNair, Carolina, Horseshoe and Stamps.
That’s not to imply that as an Honors student you will not have zero chance at some of these more coveted USC opportunities, but you should recognize going in that you will be at a distinct disadvantage in competing without that very top scholar distinction upon admission.
Thanks SEC that’s helpful info
@SECfan1234 , @chuck222 - I don’t agree entirely with this analysis. I think my explanation of McNair/Carolina benefits may have too strongly implied that these opportunities are reserved specifically for us. This isn’t true. More realistically, we receive additional seminars and emails regarding internships, research, etc. as reminders for the opportunity to apply. We also have a Top Scholar “Mom” (as @scmom12 stated) who will meet with us and encourage us to apply for these.
However, any SCHC student, and USC student for that matter can meet with the Office of Fellowships & Scholarships, apply for these awards, and so on. McNair/Carolina just gets that extra push, and I’d assume they have more competitive profiles for the awards due to the fact that they got a “Top Scholarship” to begin with.
I’m not sure if I mentioned it here or another thread, but I have witnessed general SCHC students excel just as much if not more than fellow McNair/Carolina students. It is all dependent on your determination, ambition, and persistence to use the resources offered to you at any institution you attend.
CNT also great info thanks
CNT - I think we’re on same page and I hope my comments didn’t come off as critical. I genuinely appreciate all of the information I have been able to pick up on these discussions. I agree that students in which university is heavily invested should be given extra attention and push to ensure they make most of opportunities. Like mentioned above, that makes 100% sense! My comments were posted more as an analysis of what probably then takes place for non McNair/Carolina HC students when competing for some of these more coveted undergrad research opportunities, internships, etc…
USC has moved to top of my D’s list because of HC admission and projected value of OOS scholarship. While not McNair, it is still a great offer especially when considering that we do not qualify for financial aid (that sucks!) and other schools which she has applied or has been accepted to (last week UNC EA OOS), or some of the schools in Northeast like Penn or Lehigh (applications pending RD notification) are easily 3X more in tuition and board each year.
The information you have provided above is just something I think should be considered in evaluating all the pros and cons of USCHC for my D. No school is perfect! Its just important to know all the facts that going in. Some of the promoted benefits like undergraduate research, internships, etc., while available to all students in USCHC and for that matter, all USC students, the reality is that some of these coveted, competitive opportunities are most likely going to be secured right from week one by McNair/Carolina students as illustrated by your own experience.
That’s OK, no complaints here. Just looking to ensure we gain an accurate picture of what to expect when evaluating offer of USC in comparison to all other schools. Thanks again for your great feedback - we are cool CNT!
What does your son plan to study, @NCdad704? USC would have the stronger program in international business, for example.
SEC my D didn’t start research until sophomore year - she, as with many students, didn’t have the background to be much use until she got through a certain level of class. Once she did, she got recommendations from teachers to talk to other teachers, etc. I’m sure the guy she ended up with knew she was in honors, but no more. You are correct though. USC does commit lots of resources to top scholars. Just like for honors as a whole they invested more in housing, scheduling, advising and other opportunities. Mostly it just means other students may have to be a little more proactive.
But USC is a big place and lots of opportunities to pursue. As opposed to my D, one her roommates had research from freshman year and not a top scholar. One kid that sang in our local choir as honors (not scholar) undergrad won several fellowships, did a grad program, law school and is now clerking for supreme court. USC has great opportunities for any student that goes after them, but they make an extra push for HC and then a bit more for top scholars.
yaupon, My son’s long term goal is to be a doctor. He wants to do Bio Medical Engineering with minor in Business or finance for now. He is also looking at Math major if he gets in to certain schools.
This is all really good information.
Hmm, with med school on the horizon, I’d be looking hard at the bottom line. Will be interested to hear if anything tops McNair’s offer.