<p>Any one have any comments about UM's honors program? I don't hear much about it or can't find much info about it online.
Are there minimum requirements to be invited ect..?</p>
<p>Heres info on admissions of the Honors program - [Entrance</a> Requirements | University of Miami](<a href=“http://www.miami.edu/index.php/honors_program_home/entrance_requirements/]Entrance”>http://www.miami.edu/index.php/honors_program_home/entrance_requirements/)</p>
<p>Requirements are similar to the good scholarships imo.</p>
<p>I’m not in the University honors program, but I’m thinking about pursuing departmental honors (Marine Science). I have a lot of friends in University Honors with mixed feelings. They offer it at acceptance to the top 5%/10%/15% (idk) of the freshman class based on GPA and SAT scores I think. </p>
<p>If you don’t get in with acceptance you can petition to join after your first semester (write a letter to the dean and have a 3.5). You must maintain a 3.5 GPA every semester to remain in the honors program and I believe you need 24 credits in “honors classes.”
So that’s basically one three credit class per semester, every semester. </p>
<p>The biggest complaint I hear about it is there aren’t a lot of honors classes offered. I know for the sciences, it is particularly difficult and you end up taking classes you don’t really want to take just because they are “honors.” You are allowed to use 6 credits from non-honors classes if the professor approves and gives you extra work for the class. </p>
<p>Benefits are you get to register for classes early and get some better professors.</p>
<p>Son was in honors program. He was able to convert some regular classes to honors by having the teacher agree to it and providing more work/requirements for him. </p>
<p>In general, Honors programs really don’t add much to your resume. Looks good, can’t hurt, but that’s about it. (Makes Mom and Dad proud!!)</p>
<p>Thanks for responses.
So, although not entirely true, essentially the honors program will limit what courses are available to you?
Is this something worth pursuing?</p>
<p>Speaking as someone who is currently in the honors program and also a Foote Fellow, it’s not too special at the moment. There is a limit on the number of honors courses available, but if you can manage to fit them into your schedule without putting a huge load on yourself, you should stick with it. If not, you can drop out at any time without any regrets. </p>
<p>HOWEVER, there’s been a lot of discussion about changing the current honors program, due to a lot of issues that have been raised by students in the honors program, so stay tuned for that update when the time comes.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m currently in the Honors Program (not a Foote Fellow, sadly) and it’s pretty useless.</p>
<p>Not a fan of the Honors Program. I’m a Foote Fellow and despite getting a 35 on the ACT and graduating with a 3.95 unweighted GPA, I didn’t qualify solely because I graduated ranked 40th which was around top 10% (class of around 400) and evidently not good enough for the Honors Program. When I got here in August, I even contacted the HP coordinator to see if there was any possible way of making an exception and the answer was no, that I can appeal in Spring with an explanation of why I should be in the program. This was ridiculous because I’m excluded essentially only because I went to a rather competitive high school. If they can’t recognize who’s good for their own program and stick to ridiculous statistical requirements, it’s not worth my time. There doesn’t seem to be any real benefit to being in the honors program anyways.
It’s not that the program itself limits you, it’s that to remain in the honors program, you have to take a certain number of honors courses, and the number of honors courses offered is limited to begin with, so it may be hard to keep up with the requirements.</p>