Has anyone received info regarding their Scholars acceptance? if so, what program and when were you notified?
Not yet
@researchQ I think we’re supposed to find out in Jan/Feb
Some decisions have come out.
My daughter just received the email yesterday to select her choices for the scholars program. I have no idea if this means that they are considering her for acceptance to honors or if it’s just another step in the application. Anyone have any insight here?
My son just shared an email from me about selecting his choices for the scholars program. It is confusing–the title says “Welcome to the Ohio State Scholars Program.” Yet the email talks about continuing on in consideration for the scholars program, and that submitting the interest form does not guarantee placement in the Scholars program.
@GAcollegemom6 Scholars and Honors are two separate programs; you can’t apply for both coming in as a first semester freshman. If your D just got an email about scholars, she’s on the track for that, and not honors.
@soyunchico @cher8495 I got an email last too about indicating my top choices for the scholars program. As cher said, I don’t think this email is an indication of getting into the scholars program. It is merely asking you to indicate your top choices so that they can continue to evaluate placement. They need to do this before they finalize who gets in because they don’t want to end up with 200 freshmen who want the Green Engineering program and 3 who want Business. The title of the email is indeed misleading, but the in the body of the email it does say multiple times that consideration is still being made.
My son is in Scholars and as I recall if you recieve the email inviting you to Scholars and then to pick your top 3 choices, you are in. It does not guarantee you will get your first choice but if you are ok with your second or even third, then go for it. You can still take honors classes and graduate with honors distinction without being in honors program. Honors College just offers you a more direct and guided way through the proces with added support and opportunity, But Scholars is really great, too!
Like researchQ’s son, my nephew is in the scholars program. From his memory, if you complete the form and choose your preferences, you will be admitted, although not necessarily to your first choice. I have to say I really like Ohio State’s Scholars program, as an alternative to honors. My nephew is doing a lot of leadership and community service, which is a great supplement to his coursework. And you get to live in new dorms with other like-minded students. Well, I am an OSU alum, so I cannot say enough about the Buckeyes. We live in California now, but I really hope my son chooses OSU!
My daughter received her Scholars invite very late last evening and it is slightly different than my son’s invite 2 years ago. I am still pretty optimistic that everyone invited, who actually makes the decision to attend the school, will get an offer for a Scholars program thought it may not be their first choice.
My son received his email late last night too. He was considering rooming with a friend of his, but this might change things since his friend didn’t apply for scholars. I think we will have to find a way to talk to people in the program already. Sounds intriguing for sure!
@drjdillon i would love to put a plug in for the scholars program. It is a wonderful program offering many resources and opportunities to the first year students. I have no doubt that this added support, along with being grouped with similarly focused young people, helped my son have a great freshman year, academically and socially. Highly recommend considering the program. only downside is that not every scholars program is housed in the new, state of the art dorms, if that is important to your son. but no guarantee you will get a new dorm anyway. I don’t think it made a bit of difference in the overall first-year experience and my son moved into a brand new dorm this year and plans for off-campus next year.
Is it often that people who choose their preferences and submit the scholars form not get into scholars at all? Or do students usually get an offer if they submit the form (even if it’s not their first preference)?
@456swimgirl I believe that if you are offered a place in the program, you will be placed - the only reason you might not be is if you will only accept placement into one program and it is full. As long as you are open to a few choices, you should have no problem. My daughter has really benefitted from her Scholars experience - I highly recommend it!
How does scholars differ from honors? Is it a lower level program?
My son is currently in the Business scholars program. He received admission into the scholars program first then had to prioritize his 3 choices. Business must put that as #1 though. OSU had a scholars/honors day in which everything was explained well making it easier to make your selections. It is a great program in that it helps the students make friendships immediately. They are required to live in the designated dorm. My son chose scholars over honors because he liked what the program had to offer for him. It is my understanding a student can always choose to apply for honors later but not scholars.
@GAcollegemom6 Scholars is a different program from honors, and it isn’t that one is above the other - they are just different. Scholars has a community focus, with team building and community service to enhance the academic experience, and most of these kids are very active on campus. Honors also has community aspects, but it is primarily about the academics. There are trips and programming available to both H&S that aren’t open to the balance of campus. They also get many opportunities to apply for research and internships in both groups. @dmconn1 is right - scholars is a one time option (fall of freshman year), while students can get into honors once they are on campus provided they have the GPA (I believe it is 3.5?). My D opted for Scholars because it was her only opportunity, and it was a good choice for her - it made the large campus small (her graduating class was <100).
In addition, my D has taken honors classes, so it is possible to take them without being in the actual program - they just need advisor and/or instructor approval. The biggest advantage to honors over scholars is that honors has priority scheduling based on year only (there are fewer sections of honors classes), while scholars has priority scheduling within their year. For example, honors freshmen schedule after honors seniors, juniors, and sophomores, but before everyone else. Scholars freshmen schedule before all other freshmen (except honors), but after the upperclassmen. Honestly, my D hasn’t had trouble getting into her desired classes, and got in off waitlist for the only one she didn’t get.
@mom1girl Thank you. Your explanation is very helpful. I believe my daughter will enjoy the scholars program. Do you happen to remember when your D was notified of which scholars cohort she made it into? My D did the selection form back in early January, but I was wondering how long it takes to receive an answer as to which one the kids are placed into.
@GAcollegemom6 I went back and read the original Scholars email and it said they would hear by the end of March or early April.
I’m currently a first year in Ohio State’s scholars and can answer any questions anyone has. By and large it’s a very good program and I would recommend it over honors.