ToddFor students wanting smaller classes, a rigorous curriculum in which they can customize a major, housing with other top students, and a diploma that may indicate the Latin phrase summa cum laude (highest honors), then they should investigate some “hidden gems” called honors colleges and honors programs in America. Many smaller universities can also offer some of the same benefits.
What Are Honors Colleges and Honors Programs?
Honors colleges and honors programs are special learning programs to which students can apply during their college application process or once they’ve been admitted to the university.
Honors colleges typically function independently within a larger university system, like a College of Business or College of Arts and Sciences does at a large university. Often, students apply specifically to the honors college. Honors colleges typically come with their own funding, student housing, faculty, course offerings, clubs, and other benefits for their students. Honors colleges can offer their students more rigorous educational opportunities because they usually serve fewer students and often have better funding than the bigger colleges within a university system.
Honors programs within public universities, on the other hand, function like an academic track within the university. Eligible students can follow honors programs' guidelines to receive a more rigorous and personal education and an honors distinction at graduation. At many universities, these honors programs are managed by individual departments; they may not be large enough to be a separate college within the university. Nevertheless, honors programs can still offer students the opportunity to take special courses and participate in extracurricular activities that aren't open to "regular" students.
A Top Ten List
Determining the "top ten" honors colleges in the US is subjective and may vary depending on different criteria such as academic rigor, resources, faculty, affordability, and student opportunities. However, here are some honors colleges and programs worthy of investigating, followed by a few smaller, highly selective universities that can offer similar benefits.
- Barrett, The Honors College of Arizona State University in Tempe is ranked by several researchers as the top honors college in the US. It offers a diverse range of honors courses, research opportunities, and a tight-knit community of students and faculty. Barrett is among the top 20 universities in the US for recipients of the Fulbright fellowship. It's also the only honors college that has a Nobel Prize recipient teaching undergraduates.
- Wilkes Honors College of Florida Atlantic University is in Jupiter, Florida near Palm Beach (where Donald Trump’s Florida mansion is located), separate from the university in Boca Raton (near Fort Lauderdale and Miami.) The honors college shares facilities with the Scripps Research Institute and Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience. Wilkes Honors College graduates receive acceptances at several top schools including Cal Tech, Georgetown, and the University of Chicago.
- Plan II Honors Program, University of Texas at Austin is an interdisciplinary arts and sciences major with a core curriculum inside the College of Liberal Arts at UT. Sometimes called a "public Ivy," UT has an overall acceptance rate of 32%. Its honors program, however, usually receives around 1400 applications every year and only admits around 175 freshman honors students each fall. The UT honors program is great for ambitious students who are pursuing a more interdisciplinary course of study because it allows double and triple majors and even dual degrees!
- The Honors College at the University of Maryland, College Park blends eight highly acclaimed living-learning programs, small classes, study abroad, diverse yet close-knit communities of students and faculty, and the unique opportunities of the only Tier 1 public research university in the globally significant Washington DC area.
- Schreyer Honors College at Pennsylvania State University prides itself in offering a best-of-both-worlds experience to its students. Honors students have access to the excellent resources of a big, top-tier research institution, but they have the small class sizes and one-on-one learning experiences characteristic of a small liberal arts college. Admission is highly competitive. Of around 4000 applicants, the honors college accepts only 300, all of whom receive a $5000 scholarship as freshmen.
- The Honors College at the University of South Carolina, Columbia received the highest ranking among public school honors programs for the fifth straight time by the publication Inside Honors. Over 2000 honors students live together in specific dorms, and each one can design his or her own major from over 600 honors courses. Class size averages only 16 students, so honors students enjoy more personal attention from professors.
- Davidson College near Charlotte, North Carolina is known for its strong sense of community and academic excellence. The college offers a liberal arts and sciences education with a focus on undergraduate research and leadership development. Davidson's Honor Code fosters a culture of trust and integrity among students and faculty.
- Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota is renowned for its rigorous academics, innovative teaching methods, and vibrant campus culture. The college offers a wide range of majors and interdisciplinary programs, as well as numerous opportunities for students to engage in research and study abroad.
- Reed College in Portland, Oregon: Reed is known for its intellectual atmosphere. The college offers a distinctive curriculum centered around small, discussion-based classes and independent research projects. Reed's commitment to academic freedom and intellectual inquiry makes it a great choice for highly curious students.
- Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee features Oxford-Cambridge style classes and one of the most beautiful campuses in the US (even though it lies within a major city.) Teacher-student ratio is only 1:10. The honors program is for the senior year only and involves a research project. The majority of Rhodes graduates continue their education at elite universities.
These colleges are not as highly ranked as the more famous Ivy League and extremely selective institutions, but they are all excellent choices for students seeking an enriched undergraduate experience as well as a stepping stone to graduate education.
Many of the top 60 ranked public universities have honors programs. These programs offer students a chance at more personalized learning, deeper friendships with classmates and dorm mates, closer relationships with professors, and often greater chances of acceptance at elite graduate schools. Students considering careers in which a masters degree or doctorate is preferable or required would do well to consider an honors college or program for their bachelors degree.
For a comprehensive listing of honors colleges in the US, you may consult Wikipedia.