<p>If you do not have the emotional maturity to handle people in your class are that are not at your level, but have “higher” recognition, you have much larger issues than being in an honors program. Frankly, “numbers” (GPA, Rank, Test Scores) don’t mean much to honors programs. If you are an accepted student, they know your numbers support and then they dig down deep to find the “special” … that can be research (where you actually lead a project, not just clean up a lab) EC’s where you were a driving force leader that showed progress, or aptitude or mastery. Those are things that get you into honor’s programs.</p>
<p>You have plenty of good options. Only if UT is your first choice (or your parents’!) should you pursue it. Based on what you have told us, It sounds like you could make the grades to move to honors after the first semester or so if you went to UT. </p>
<p>I am not trying to talk you into UT, but think about the advantages that the honors program would give you and how important they would be. Research? Non honors students can apply to FRI. Housing? There is an honors quad, but plenty of honors kids opt to live elsewhere, especially science and engineering types. Advising and registration? Okay, honors students do get a leg up here. There are horror stories about kids who can’t get in the classes they want or need. But a clever undergrad can usually get what he wants if he stays on top of the drop/add process. It would be a pain to have to do this, but you could. Smaller class size? Yes, in the honors classes. As mentioned above, you may be able to petition to get in based on your scores and grades, or by talking to professors (just an anecdote, but I know of a high performing physics student who was invited to take an upper level course for which he does not have the prereqs). If you get good grades first semester, you should be able to get in some honors classes. In any case, once you start taking upper level classes, the size is smaller anyway. </p>
<p>Again, good luck. </p>
@gr8kids At UT info sessions they say it is possible to get into Honors in or after freshman years. You can call advisers at the department of your desired major ask them about the possibility. Then make an informed decision.
@gr8kids You have listed a few exceptional school’s offers you have. Look at the major you are planning to do in college and compare rankings for that specific major in the list of your schools. Don’t just go by the general rankings of the schools. Secondly, I can understand the frustration you are going through, but with $12K at UChicago scholarship, you are still needing to pay for the rest of costs(about $54K/year, UChicago COA is about $66K/year).