Scholars Program Advantages?

<p>My S has been invited to apply for the Scholars program (deadline is Feb. 1). He isn’t sure he wants to apply because he doesn’t want to live with “a bunch of nerdy kids” (his words) in scholars housing his freshman year. I would like for him to apply because of benefits such as priority scheduling, group activities, etc. If he applies, it would be for the Health Sciences Scholars. He is thinking about pre-med, and I think being in Scholars would also look good on med school applications.</p>

<p>Can anyone comment on the advantages of the Scholars program and the Scholars housing experince? Thanks.</p>

<p>It's fine ... I have friends that have done biology (pre-med) scholars, and they thought everyone was pretty normal and cool. They don't consider it "a bunch of nerdy kids" at all.</p>

<p>Most of the kids in the scholars programs are actually very social...in fact, I think that's a big advantage of scholars, that you live in a group with other kids who share your academic interests. Scholars programs also take field trips and even study abroad excursions.</p>

<p>How do Scholars fit in for priority scheduling?</p>

<p>If I am not mistaken, they schedule ahead of other students in their rank (e.g. freshman, sophomores)...athletes and honors students excluded.</p>

<p>If DD goes to OSU, she will bring credits from completing 10 AP courses (score mostly 5). That could potentially allow her to start some 2nd year level courses as a freshman. </p>

<p>Based on what have been discussed here, I am getting an impression that she may have difficult getting the classes she wants to take. Whom should we talk to while we are at OSU for maximus?</p>

<p>Also, do most of the students take classes in all 4 quaters or just three per year?</p>

<p>Dad, if your DD goes to OSU she will undoubtedly be in the Honors program. Honors students get preferential scheduling (right after the scholarship athletes due to their extensive scheduling restrictions). I don't think she will have any trouble getting the classes she wants. Again this is based on limited experience and a lot of second hand information, but in our experience it hasn't been a problem.</p>

<p>Thanks, PP. I should probably ask your # and just call you up next time :)
I understand about the honor's preferential with in the same year. What I am not sure is about picking higher level classes.</p>

<p>If DD wants a 201 class in her first year, do the honor sophomores have preferential over her? With her 10 AP classes credit, she may not need any 101 class in English or Math.</p>

<p>My friend's son went in with a lot of AP classes and it didn't help for first quarter scheduling in the summer. By the time the first quarter was rolling, though, the registrar computer knew he had sophomore status and was in honors, so he was able to register VERY early. So, for second quarter on, the student coming in with a lot of AP credits is likely to be able to get into preferred classes. First quarter won't be perfect but after that you are golden. I know a lot of our kids - should they choose to attend OSU - will be coming in with so many AP credits that they will easily be labelled honors juniors (for registration purposes) by the end of Freshman year. That's very nice; it gives them a lot of flexibility.</p>

<p>My DS had some AP credit and some post-secondary (about 40 hours all together), but as far as first quarter scheduling went, he was considered a freshman like everybody else at that Honors orientation. His first quarter schedule included two 200 level courses and a 300. His winter quarter includes a 700 class added by permission. He hasn't had any problem getting into the classes he wants - assuming of course that they are offered that semester and the times work out. That's not to say it isn't possible to be closed out of a class, but I really haven't seen it to be a problem.</p>

<p>Not to say it will never be, but that hasn't been our experience with him or with the kids he knows at OSU. And like MidwestMom said, after first quarter things only get better as status rises. He's a humanities major so I don't know how things go in engineering or the sciences which may have more rigid course progressions.</p>

<p>I honestly do not think your DD will have a problem.</p>

<p>And feel free to PM or email me if you have any specific questions outside the forum. I can also put your DD in touch with my DS if it would be helpful in her decision process.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>Dad II, I was in the same position as your daughter last year, and I didn't have any trouble scheduling. As everyone else has said, after her first quarter, she will always have priority priority scheduling--I'm an honors senior by rank, sophomore by year, and I have scheduled on the first scheduling day since fall quarter last year, when I was an honors sophomore by rank, freshman by year.</p>

<p>For her first quarter, she will be scheduling after the rest of the university but before the non-honors freshmen. I was in this situation and ended up in English H202 (Honors English), History 591, and Latin 212...there WILL be upper level classes open for entering freshmen with AP credit--not all of OSU's thousands of upper level courses will be open, but enough will be that she will have choices. It's not a problem. If you're in the honors program, scheduling at OSU is a breeze.</p>

<p>My son is also honors business. He is a sophomore but is considered a junior for scheduling because of all his AP classes. He has never had a problem getting the classes he wanted.</p>

<p>We also received the deposit application today to reserve our spot for DD.</p>