UF Honors College

I was recommended by my boss to apply to the UF Honors college, but I’m not exactly sure what that does…

I haven’t gotten into UF yet, however I think the chances of not getting in are fairly slim (knock on wood)
Here are my stats:

Unweighted GPA - 3.89
Weighted GPA - 4.78
ACT Comp - 34 (with 36 in both science and math)
SAT - 1490 (with 800 on math)
I’ve taken 11 AP classes with 5 scores of a 5 in Calc BC, Physics 1, Macroeconomics, Statistics, and Environmental Science
This year I’m also in the Physics 2 and Chemistry AP classes
I actually live in Gainesville, so I also dual-enrolled at UF to take Calc 3 last semester (I got a B) and this semester I’m taking Diff EQ and a CAD class. Obviously I’m STEM oriented and my major is MechE

I know the Honors college consists of much more in-depth class discussions and smaller class sizes, but how exactly would it benefit me? It won’t hurt me to apply, and if I don’t get in then it doesn’t matter, but I just want to weigh the pros and cons because I know the workload would be more strenuous than taking regular classes.

I also work in a bioinformatics lab on campus part-time with a microbiology professor, where I code python for data analysis

I could really use some opinions here because I’m going in blind!
Thank You

Thanks for asking this question for 2018 applicants. My high-school-senior son and I still lack an understanding of UF’s “Honor College.” First, what it is called? From the UF Honors Program website, freshmen actually join the Freshmen Honors Program, which lacks the term “college” in the name. However, the honors program website under “Honors History” describes Hume Hall is the home of the Residential Honors College, which includes the name “college”.

I followed the applications to the “honors college” last year, and it seems that UF honors has moved away from being a collection of the top students academically. This is unlike University Honors at FSU and UCF’s Burnett Honor College, where the university selects the applicants based on minimum test scores, grades, etc. Instead, application to UF’s Freshmen Honors Program is open to all freshmen UF students, presumably under the notion that all UF students are by definition “honor” students. Although I am unaware of the exact details of the selection process, the admission of new members is apparently under the control of existing members, and a series of creative essays is stated as being highly determinate in who gets admitted. I heard some NMFs who failed to gain admission to the program last year derogatorily refer to the program as a “Creative Writing Club”. Nevertheless, the advantages of being in the program appear to be the access to some classes with a better student to faculty ratio and the ability to live in Hume Hall. The UF website no longer promises early registration, although it was included in a previous year’s website.

So, my son and I, too, would like to know more about the advantages of UF’s “Honor College.” Who has a more clear explanation than the UF website?

Unless they changed things, last yr (and previous yrs), the honors program required formal application from admitted freshmen. One couldn’t apply to the program until they were accepted to UF. Then a separate application, including essay, was required. The program featured a modern living community (Hume Hall) that was primarily reserved for honor students. I believe there was a honors advisor and perhaps professor living within the community (trying to emulate residential college programs). Some classes have honors versions so the honors student would be in a small discussion based class vs a large lecture hall for the same topic. Fairly limited list of courses however. Tow big advantages are: preferential treatment for class selection (easier to get classes) and the living community itself (newer, more modern, more study spaces, and a real community to form friends with other students with an academic focus. They have events and other things to bring the community together.) It’s a good program to make the university seem smaller for the academically focused freshmen. Less value later on as students get into their majors.

I graduated from UF with High Honors. The most benefit for me was having it on my resume and it becoming a topic of discussion during my interview for Harvard Medical School and subsequent job interviews. I believe it was well worth the extra work.

Thanks for asking this question for 2018 applicants. My high-school-senior son and I still lack an understanding of UF’s “Honor College.” First, what it is called? From the UF Honors Program website, freshmen actually join the Freshmen Honors Program, which lacks the term “college” in the name. However, the honors program website under “Honors History” describes Hume Hall is the home of the Residential Honors College, which includes the name “college”.

I followed the applications to the “honors college” last year, and it seems that UF honors has moved away from being a collection of the top students academically. This is unlike University Honors at FSU and UCF’s Burnett Honor College, where the university selects the applicants based on minimum test scores, grades, etc. Instead, application to UF’s Freshmen Honors Program is open to all freshmen UF students, presumably under the notion that all UF students are by definition “honor” students. Although I am unaware of the exact details of the selection process, the admission of new members is apparently under the control of existing members, and a series of creative essays is stated as being highly determinate in who gets admitted. I heard some NMFs who failed to gain admission to the program last year derogatorily refer to the program as a “Creative Writing Club”. Nevertheless, the advantages of being in the program appear to be the access to some classes with a better student to faculty ratio and the ability to live in Hume Hall. The UF website no longer promises early registration, although it was included in a previous year’s website.

So, my son and I, too, would like to know more about the advantages of UF’s “Honor College.” Who has a more clear explanation than the UF website?

Thanks for asking this question for 2018 applicants. My high-school-senior son and I still lack an understanding of UF’s “Honor College.” First, what it is called? From the UF Honors Program website, freshmen actually join the Freshmen Honors Program, which lacks the term “college” in the name. However, the honors program website under “Honors History” describes Hume Hall is the home of the Residential Honors College, which includes the name “college”.

I followed the applications to the “honors college” last year, and it seems that UF honors has moved away from being a collection of the top students academically. This is unlike University Honors at FSU and UCF’s Burnett Honor College, where the university selects the applicants based on minimum test scores, grades, etc. Instead, application to UF’s Freshmen Honors Program is open to all freshmen UF students, presumably under the notion that all UF students are by definition “honor” students. Although I am unaware of the exact details of the selection process, the admission of new members is apparently under the control of existing members, and a series of creative essays is stated as being highly determinate in who gets admitted. I heard some NMFs who failed to gain admission to the program last year derogatorily refer to the program as a “Creative Writing Club”. Nevertheless, the advantages of being in the program appear to be the access to some classes with a better student to faculty ratio and the ability to live in Hume Hall. The UF website no longer promises early registration, although it was included in a previous year’s website.

So, my son and I, too, would like to know more about the advantages of UF’s “Honor College.” Who has a more clear explanation than the UF website?

So I got into the honors college last year and was super excited but unfortunately, I think it’s a bit overrated now and I’ll explain why…

  1. It comes with its own set of requirements and courses you must take which is just more money you have to spend per credit hour.
  2. It’s a point system, you earn a lot of points IF you have the money to pay for events such as conferences, H-camp, study abroad etc. (and you need points to actually complete the program). To me, it seems like a pay to play.
  3. There are smaller class sizes but this might not always be a good thing, especially if you don’t enjoy your professor. I took honors chemistry and didn’t particularly enjoy it. There were less resources (Study Edge, Smokin Notes, Tutors, etc). than the number of resources that are available for normal gen. chem./ orgo. classes.
  4. You must pace yourself. No one will reach out to you if you don’t participate in the program your first year.
  5. In general, I think it’s harder to enjoy the program if you’re living off campus your first year.
  6. Also if you’re DE or have a lot of AP credits, keep in mind you must finish 4 years worth of honors requirements in the 2-3 years that you’ll be attending UF after you come in with all your credits.

^I know someone is going to disagree with all of this but hey to each their own.

Despite all this, I’m still staying in the program though because of these benefits…

  1. Early registration (super important for snagging good professors)
  2. Potentially graduating with honors
  3. SHO free food/events
  4. Weekly detailed honors emails (listing available internships, volunteering, etc.)

You can graduate with honors without being in the Honors Program, though.

Graduating with Honors (cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude) has nothing to do with the honor’s program. The requirements are set by each College/Major.

https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/Pages/graduating-with-honors.aspx

The Honor’s program website really answers most of your questions. They recently changed it up, there is a Freshmen Program and a University Honors program. The real point of the program is to help students become “engaged” with campus. To help them get involved and take advantages of what UF can offer. You don’t have to be in the honor’s program to do undergraduate research, but if you’re in the honor’s program you’ll a bit more likely to take advantages of these opportunities.

http://www.honors.ufl.edu/

Most honor’s programs across the country are “point” based. Below are UF"s requirements. If you meet these requirements you will receive a notation on your official UF transcript (not on your degree) and a medallion to wear at commencement.

  1. Earn 8 academic points
  2. Earn 6 enrichment points
  3. Graduate with Honors in the major
  4. Submit a portfolio documenting these requirements

http://www.honors.ufl.edu/current/completion-requirements/

My daughter is a freshman in the honors program at UF. She loves, loves living in Hume and the benefit of registering early for classes. Honors advising has been incredibly helpful in helping her plan an unique schedule taking in to account her interests and career plans. Its been interesting to watch as I have an older UF student who did not apply to honors and the advantages of the honors program vs. not being in honors are striking.

Please take an official tour of the honors program at UF or any other university honors program you may be interested in attending. My daughter and I did that and found it very beneficial.

Best of luck to you! Go Gators!

And @oldandwise ,btw, my daughter is a NMF as are many of her friends in honors:)

This is so helpful. Thank you!

How do non-honor kids look at the honor kids who live in Hume? Do they look up to them as exemplary students, or do they look down on them as possibly nerdy? In other words, is there any negative stigma to living there?

It’s no big deal, either way, and there isn’t any stigma to living in Hume. Academically, at UF, there isn’t that big a gap between honor students and non-honor students. Socially, many honor students also get involved in clubs, Greek life, sports, etc.

The biggest drawback to Hume is longer walk to classes, generally speaking. However you may find that the living situation (suite style, larger rooms), makes up for that.

Where would someone eat if they are on the meal plan and living in Hume?

Did anyone else get an acceptance that said they were admitted to the honors program? I thought one had to apply ( and write “creative” essays).

@oldandwise Sounds like you got the golden buzzer!

It specifically says that he has guanteed space in Hume Hall and participation in the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program, whatever that is.

@oldandwise Hey I got the exact same thing! With $2000 a year also?

Yes.