<p>Great post, Lindsey, and congrats on getting into DS. I’m glad you enjoyed your time here. See you around next year :)</p>
<p>I’ll add a few candid comments of my own.</p>
<p>1) What sets honors students apart? Any special attention?</p>
<p>In all honesty, there’s a pretty stark contrast between the average DSer/HSHer and the average College of Natural Sciences (CNS) student. One thing to keep in mind is that the CNS is not the engineering school, nor is it the business school. With over a thousand students per class and one of the most liberal acceptance policies in the University, the CNS is composed of students who are- I’ll admit- pretty average, all connotations implied. Now, this isn’t to say that all non-honors CNS students lie smack dab on the average- normal distributions apply, of course- but if you were to stand in Welch Hall, and accost a random student for his resume, your impression would likely be along the lines of “nice!”. Meanwhile, if you took a look at a honor student’s resume, your response would likely lie closer to, “How do you do it!?!”</p>
<p>By becoming part of either DS or HSH, you enter a school within a school. All the fantastic activities and benefits of attending a large research/athletics university still surround you, yet you are offered other unique experiences that help to give UT a small, private feel. When you become associated with 50 of the best students in your college, your perspective changes. Moreover, the college’s perspective of you changes. </p>
<p>You’re assigned an honors adviser who will trust you when you think it best to skip Calc 1 and 2. You’re given priority during registration so that you’ll have assured access to the top professors at the University. You’re partnered with a faculty adviser (professor)- a big shot in his or her field- that will offer you crucial insight and foresight you couldn’t find anywhere else. Trust me, you’ll be taken care of.</p>
<p>2) Do Honors people only befriend Honors people?</p>
<p>No, definitely not. The programs are too small to form an exclusive network within. Though you’ll have a couple other honor students in each of your classes and you’re more likely to work beside one in a research lab, the vast majority of people you come in contact with will not be of the honors variety. You would have to go out of your way to avoid associating with and befriending other students. And just to dash any worries, there is no elitism among the honors students.</p>
<p>3) Is an honors acceptance undeniable?
Nothing is ever absolute, but DS and HSH are programs you should highly consider. If you intend on attending any sort of graduate or professional school, minimizing costs should be one of your highest priorities. Fortunately, UT has the great advantage of having a very low tuition and, as a pre-medical student, I personally found the offer to be undeniable.</p>