5 Things you might not know about the honors program
Chloe Watson, Staff Writer
Photo Courtesy: Unsplash.com
Most colleges have some kind of honors program – a chance for academically-gifted students to cultivate and grow their minds. These programs vary in prestige and difficulty. North Greenville University is no exception. Most of the information about the honors program is made public and available to all students, but there are still tidbits of information which you might have never heard before.
1. Honors students get additional perks outside of their classes.
Honors students get priority housing, as well as the ability to register for classes early. If that isn’t enough, there are also social events led by school leadership every semester. The program also covers up to $1,200 per semester for students who overload courses. The biggest part is the special diploma, of course, but it doesn’t hurt to nail down those special classes a few days before everyone else.
2. Changes are coming to the program.
Over the next 18 months, NGU President Gene Fant is planning on altering the program to become more community-focused. “There aren’t that many details available right now,” said Kayla Black, “but hopefully we’ll be able to learn more soon.”
Black is one of the leaders of the honors program. In an interview, she shared a few details about the program and its hopes for the future. Fant, as many know, has been shifting the paradigm of the school towards community since his arrival. According to her, his goal is to strengthen the bond between honor students, but also between the honor students and the regular students.
3. Current students can join the honors program.
Say, for instance, that a student was not able to join the program their first semester. Perhaps they were worried about the workload, or their grades weren’t quite good enough. Current students who want to join only require a 3.5 GPA.
“To enrich you take 15 hours, take four seminars, and go to the banquets. That’s about all there is. It’s a bit more work, but not much,” says Nicole Shannon, a mathematics major.
4. You don’t have to continue the program all four years.
Even if they don’t plan on staying in the program all four years, incoming freshman are encouraged to attend at least the freshman seminar. It is a good starting point – an introduction to college life. If the workload gets too much to handle, they can always pull out at any time. The criteria are simple – graduating high school with a 4.0 GPA, being in the top 10 percent of their class, with a score of 1160 on the SAT or 25 on the ACT.
5. Honors programs are designed to be fun for students.
It’s not just about adding extra work, it’s about experiencing new and interesting concepts. “Courses are made to encourage academically gifted students to cultivate their minds,” said Kayla Black. “We even had a seminar about Harry Potter.” Whether your goal is to get into a graduate program or heading straight into the workplace, honors will support and embellish your regular coursework to ensure you are completely prepared.
