<p>I haven’t seen too many opinions about the options of University College (first year seminar) or the 4 year Honors College. I would particularly like to hear from students who have had experiences with either. The essence of my question is whether or not participation in both or either of them would enhance the AU experience enough to counteract some of the less solid academic experiences that some of the posters seem to have run into.</p>
<p>I assume the "Honors College" is what I know as the "Honors Program." I was involved in it for all four years at AU. In any given semester, 2 or 3 of my 5 classes were honors classes. In addition to having honors sections of regular courses, the honors program also offers honors colloquia in special topics. The honors courses are smaller than most other classes and are generally taught by the best, most knowledgeable, most engaging professors. Just as students get more out of the honors classes, so do the professors--they enjoy teaching students are serious about learning, and it shows. I can easily say that my honors courses were the best classes I had at AU.</p>
<p>The honors program also has an optional dorm component--you can choose to live on a floor reserved for honors students. I lived on campus for 3 years and lived on a honors program floor the whole time. And believe it or not, it's not just a bunch of nerds living together (although there is a fairly high nerd quotient--but it's not too bad because the stereotypical math/science types tend not to go to AU). Thirteen years after graduation, all of my good friends from AU are people who lived on my floor.</p>
<p>The honors program is something that greatly enhanced my AU experience.</p>
<p>it is my understanding that the University College Program is offered to admitted students who don't quite make the honors cut-off, but are very strong applicants. no money(scholarship) is involved. it is only done, i think for one semester, and involves choosing the one seminar you want, which then sort of automatically selects your dorm , since the seminar is held in a certain dorm, with the kids who will be doing it with you. i think this part puts off a lot of kids and i don't know how many choose this option.</p>
<p>Conserning the Honors Program, it really is worthwhile. They do force interaction with other Honors kids the first semester, which can get annoying, but the classes and professors are worth it. The class sizes are much smaller and the teachers seem to put more effort into getting to know you. The honors floor is actually really fun too. Theres kids who definately don't drink, but at the same time a lot do. The University College is offered to everyone who doesn't make the Honors Program. People who've done it that I know were not huge fans. It's the university's attempt to have interest clusters.</p>
<p>It looks like one doesn't have to make a separate app, so that's nice!</p>
<p>I believe anyone can apply to University College. It isn't on the basis of merit or anything.</p>
<p>no, there is no separate application. the offer to consider it comes with your acceptance letter. unless it has changed, it is not open to all who don't get into the honors program, but is somewhere in between. at the accepted students info session, the question of "university college" came up. the speaker asked who in the room was involved, and only some hands went up. it is a fairly new program, with mixed appeal.</p>
<p>If I recall from my daughter's experience from last year, there is a brief separate application for University College, where you would list your top three choices for which particular UC program you want to participate in, and you need to write a relatively brief essay regarding why you're interested in the particular programs that you chose.</p>
<p>anyone know what stats look like for the honors college?</p>
<p>From the Honors Program brochure on the AU web site:</p>
<p>"Roughly the top 15 percent of admitted freshman are selected to participate each year. GPA, high school academic strength, and standardized test scores are weighed in the selection process. The average SAT score for fall 2006 was 1446, and their average unweighted GPA was 3.90/4.00."</p>
<p>For comparison, the middle 50% of enrolled freshmen SAT scores was 1210-1360 and GPA was 3.33-3.80.</p>
<p>Oh I guess I could've found that. Well thanks!:-)</p>
<p>yes, there is an application in which students specify which seminar they'd like in the University College Program, thus simultaneously setting up which dorm as well. i guess i meant that students don't apply to GET the offer into University College, but that it comes with letter of acceptance.</p>
<p>I agree that the honors courses are some of the best courses that I have taken at AU, but the availability of upper level honors courses is very limited. Honors students are generally happier on the whole because their gen eds are not quite as unbearable since the professors are better and the classes are smaller. I would say that it has been a good experience for me so far but it is not as if the honors program brings in its own recruiters or anything. </p>
<p>UC is something that I did not do but have heard mixed things about it. The program is really for a certain type of personality and if you do not encompass that personality, you may end up hating it. What HappyCollegeMom said about how it is only available to certain people is simply not true. Everyone who is not in the honors program gets a form to apply for University College in their acceptance package and the application process is based on fit more than anything else.</p>
<p>What certain type of personality would that be?</p>
<p>a few comments for the new kids~ remember everything on here is relative and about one's own experience. it's all quite subjective. also, so much of this has to do with one's major, minor, if a double major, etc. so with this in mind, i'll say that we know honors students at AU who are UNhappy, as they have to work harder than they'd like to maintain the required GPA. they feel they can't socialize the way they'd like, nor try other things like jobs/internships. of course this isn't true for all.
seniorslacker~ i'd say kids who want to be in their own, somewhat insulated learning/dorm environment would be likely to try University College. if you want the whole freshman college scene, and exposure to a wide range of kids early on, it probably wouldn't be a good fit.</p>
<p>As a former UC student I think I can shed some light on this discussion...</p>
<ol>
<li><p>You must be invited to the University College program to apply. Someone posted that it was for students who didn't quite make the cut off for the honor's program, which is true. Once you have been invited you must then complete a brief application stating your reasons for wanting to join, and your preferences for program placement. I chose Western Legal Traditions.</p></li>
<li><p>The program requires students in each section to live on the same floor with their program director. You attend your seminar (4 credits) three times a week. Ours often led into lunches, we had field trips, extra discussions on our floor, etc. You spend a LOT of your time with these people since you are not only living with them, but also exploring DC together and attending class as a group. This can obviously be a good or bad thing, but I never found it difficult to make friends in other places on campus, especially after I joined a sorority second semester.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Hope this helped. PM me if anyone has anymore questions...</p>
<p>As for the difficulty level of the honors program, at least for freshman year, there is almost no difference in the amount of homework between my honors and regular classes. They aren't necessarily "harder;" they tend to have a few more readings than the regular classes. Most students I talk to say professors teach honors and regular classes basically the same. The real benefit is the class size. I haven't had a honors class that is over 15 students. As for internships and outside activities, I think it is the type of people in the honors program that seem more geared towards internships. I've had no problem balancing the work load and a congressional internship this semester. If one gets in, there really isn't a sound reason for giving it up. It also has a lot of advantages with housing and registering for classes.</p>
<p>
[quote]
1. You must be invited to the University College program to apply. Someone posted that it was for students who didn't quite make the cut off for the honor's program, which is true. Once you have been invited you must then complete a brief application stating your reasons for wanting to join, and your preferences for program placement. I chose Western Legal Traditions.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This was only the case for the first few years in which the program was implemented, they have recently(the past two years) been sending applications out to everyone. </p>
<p>As for the comment about how honors kids do not have time for other work -- I will agree that they may not have a lot of time, but they certainly make time. I may be an extreme, but I TA, work for a relatively high paying firm downtown, and hold multiple leadership positions on campus while balancing 18 credits. Many other honors students at least have two primary activities outside of their school work.</p>
<p>I'm a mom of a freshman UC student. It is true that anyone can apply, but you are typically invited to in your admissions letter and there is a supplemental application (an essay, if I recall) that must be completed (at least there was last year). It is generally for those who are just shy of Honors-- the stats for that on this site seem accurate-- very high.</p>
<p>AU has also been expanding UC because it is largely successful-- this year they increased to 13 seminar classes. You get to rank 3 seminars to choose from and they place you. Topics include all academic areas. </p>
<p>We've been happy with the UC program, though my preference would have been Honors, for which she may apply at the end of this year, GPA willing. </p>
<p>She loves AU and is not bored after graduating from a top metro region high school with top academics.</p>
<p>I agree with Ryan, Honors kids do internships and activities regularly. If a student wants to, a student can.</p>