Applying to colleges can be a stressful process. Between filling out applications, going on college tours, interviewing and deciding on a future home, it is nothing short of exhausting. But while you are looking into different colleges, one thing that you should take the time to look into is if that college has an honors college, and what it has to offer. You might just find it to make your home away from home just that much better.
1. You get smaller class sizes.
One of the biggest perks to being in an honors college is the smaller class sizes. Here at UNC Greensboro, all honors courses are capped at 25 students in order to give you more individual attention and promoting class discussions. Additionally, if you need to take a speaking intensive course and standing up in front of 150 people is daunting for you, this would be a great way to fulfill your requirement in a smaller group setting and more in depth advice from your professor.
2. You get to know your professors.
Since honors colleges tend to be much smaller, there aren't as many professors in it. Therefore, over the course of your time in the honors college you will have more than one class with different professors, and they double as your honors advisors! Getting to know them opens up doors for you for recommendations and references in the future.
3. You get to register early.
One of the biggest advantages about some honors colleges is the ability to register before anyone else. It gives you a great advantage when trying to get into some of the common core classes that everyone at the university must take, especially as a freshman at the bottom of the pecking order! Having 24 hours before the rest of the freshman to register for my classes allowed me to get into all of the classes I wanted for the semester.
4. You get unique opportunities.
At the Lloyd International Honors College at UNCG, we are given the opportunity to study abroad, as a requirement for our graduation with honors. Additionally, if you have the required GPA at the time you will be given a scholarship to help cover some of the costs of studying abroad. This is just one example of an honors college, many offer other unique opportunities, classes and even honors-only majors to their students!
5. You get a community.
Being in an honors college is a great way to make a big campus feel small. There are so few of us compared to the rest of the student body that we all get to know each other much better. We take the same classes and even live in the same honors-only dorms. Having this community is a great resource because all of the students are invested in their education and take advantage of the opportunities that come with being in college.
Overall, being in an honors college is one of my favorite things about college so far. I have met so many interesting and amazing people from my dorm and in my classes. My professors are more excited to teach than any of my professors in my general education classes because they have a passion for learning as well. Having these professors makes me excited to go to class everyday and learn new things from them and my peers. I wouldn't have it any other way.
