<p>Have any of you heard about this program? Are any of you going to apply to it? I received some information on it in the mail and it sounds pretty cool to me. What are your opinions on it?</p>
<p>The Provost’s Scholars Program allows you to get a bachelor’s degree in 3 years at USF. Many colleges offer similar programs or have experimented with similar programs; few students take advantage of the programs! I don’t care how the college paints it or explains it, to me 3 years in college is not as good as a full 4 years. 4 years goes really fast. I brought over 50 dual enrollment credits from high school and could have gotten a bachelor’s degree in 2 years, but I would have only been 19 years old and back on the streets looking for employment. Instead, I am now working on 2 bachelor’s degrees and will graduate with both degrees spring 2012–a normal 4 year stretch in college at USF with financial aid like Bright Futures scholarship and other undergraduate financial aid helping pay for my education. If you get bachelor’s degree in 3 years and work on master’s your 4th year, Bright Futures won’t pay tuition for master’s, nor will other undergraduate financial aid. So I’m not keen on the Provost’s Scholars accelerated program; I’d avoid it unless you absolutely can only swing paying for 3 years of school. Just my two cents, the program might be right for some students though. </p>
<p>[Provost?s</a> Scholars Program](<a href=“http://www.honors.usf.edu/Provost_Scholars.html]Provost?s”>http://www.honors.usf.edu/Provost_Scholars.html)</p>
<p>^Too, I think this Provost’s Scholars program is more beneficial to the college than the student. The program is just another way to open up seats at the college and move students through the college quicker. Especially with today’s tight university budgets and cutbacks in funding from the state, the state universities are doing everything possible trying to move students through college quicker. The universities don’t like students hanging around 6 or 7 years, they’d like them out in 4 years, or less, to free up classroom seats. I think a program like the Provost’s Scholars is more for show by USF so when they go to the state looking for more funding or less cutbacks, USF can wave programs like Provost’s Scholars around and say “Hey we’re doing everything we can to reduce spending so keep giving us financial support!”–saying this full well knowing only a handful of students are doing the program.</p>
<p>BTW, what I’m doing getting all the credits paid for by Bright Futures might not fly today for newer students because of changes in Bright Futures rules a yr or 2 ago, I am grandfathered in with older guidelines and rules.</p>
<p>Yeah you do have a good point. What I initially found appealing about the program was that they have a very nice schedule for research opportunities(I plan on being pre-med so research is a must for me) and study abroad programs, which include scholarships. Both of those are something that I am really looking forward to in my college years and in addition to that they say that they’ll give you nicer dorms with other honors students, so that’s always good. Another thing I really liked about it was that they say they give you priority in choosing your schedule. Do you know how many of these opportunities are still available without the Provost’s Scholars Program?</p>
<p>I think regular Honors College offers all the same opportunities, but without the accelerated 3 year pace of the Provost’s Scholars Program (which is part of the Honors College.) It would seem to me you could squeeze in more meaningful research, foreign travel, etc. into 4 years than 3 years. 3 years doesn’t give you much wiggle room. Regular Honors College offers priority registration too. Maybe put the two programs side by side and weigh which one matches up better with your priorities and needs.</p>