Honors FAQ
ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE PROGRAM: TAKING HONORS ELECTIVES
How many honors courses per term do I need to take to stay on track to finish the program?
Six of the eleven requirements necessary to finish the honors program are honors electives. Two semesters are spent taking H1 and H2 and two are spent writing the thesis. Hence you will automatically be taking at least one honors course during four semesters of your college career. In order to prevent the honors classes from becoming overwhelming, it is advisable to take one honors class a semester. If you are worried one or two of the semesters you are taking H1, H2 or writing the thesis might be too overwhelming then an alternate strategy would be to take two honors classes during each of the semesters when you are not working on these requirements.
Will participation in the Honors program hurt my GPA?
There is not a yes or no answer to this question. On the whole, most teachers take into account that the honors class is more difficult and try to grade in a fashion that does not punish the student for taking on a greater challenge. Often times the teacher is advised to think of how the student would do in the regular version of the class and is awarded the grade based on that. In many cases the teacher will even award the students for accepting the greater challenge. However there is no guaranteed answer and some teachers may assume that the "H" found on the transcript will alert someone looking at the transcript to the greater challenge of the class and hence may give a lower grade based on this assumption.
What good will it do me take honors courses if I don't plan to finish the program?
Honors courses are designed to enrich a student's knowledge in an area that interests them. The honors courses are more in depth and are more challenging. The courses are also required to have certain written and presentation elements that will also increase the student's abilities across the board. Classes are also much smaller allowing students to build better relationships with teachers in a more intimate setting. In addition, honors courses appear on the transcript with an "H" next to the class, indicating you chose to take an honors class. This looks more impressive to institutions reviewing your transcript.
You don't offer honors electives every term in my major. Why not?
The initiative for every honors course comes from an individual professor. The professor writes up a proposal for a course and sends it to the honors committee for approval. If a department does not offer an honors course during a given semester it is because no teachers in that department wanted to give an honors course that semester. The best thing for a student to do if an insufficient number of honors courses are being given in his major is to express his interest and encourage his professors to give honors courses in the future.
ABOUT SUMMER EXPERIENCE OPTIONS
How Can I fulfill the Summer Experience requirement? Do I need to take a trip abroad?
The summer experience is a co-curricular summer program, internship or research placement that spans roughly eight weeks. For example you could spend two months working in a lab or with a lawyers as an intern. The honors program also provides several summer programs that qualify to fulfill the requirement. The culture in New York City program allows students to fulfill their experience requirement by going to different cultural events throughout New York during the summer. Additionally the honors trips to different locations often times count as a summer experience even though they are less than eight weeks. During the school year poster presentations are given on the summer experience along with a short presentation. For more information on the summer experience, see the summer experience web site.
ABOUT THE SENIOR HONORS THESIS
Why should I consider writing a senior honors thesis?
The senior honors thesis is a unique opportunity to explore an area of interest in great depth. The thesis writing calls on a student's research, critical thinking and writing skills. It is a great opportunity to bring together the knowledge and skills which were amassed during undergraduate studies into a final work which reflects not only past accomplishment but also the students current abilities and interests.
The thesis is also an impressive academic work. Many advanced undergraduate programs throughout the country require the completion of a senior thesis. Often times the thesis is published in a respected journal in the field and is a very impressive accomplishment to have on the resume both for jobs and graduate schools.
I may want to write a Senior Honors thesis, but I'm not sure what I want to focus on. What should I do?
A good first step is to discuss your plans with Dr. Lee. He will be able to explain what is expected out of you and the various guidelines that are necessary to complete the thesis. Another good idea is to discuss your plans with a teacher who you might want as your mentor. The senior thesis is generally written on your major or minor. Hence if you have a teacher in your major or minor subject who you feel you would want to work with, it is advisable you speak to them about different ideas.
ABOUT FINISHING THE PROGRAM
Why should I finish the JJSHP? What's in it for me?
Each element of the honors program provides an extra enhancement to one's overall education. Hence intrinsic in each element of the program is a value in and of itself. Completing the program testifies to student's accumulation of all these elements in a diverse education.
Moreover, the completion of the program is a sign to graduate schools and future employers that you have accumulated these extra elements in your education. To graduate with honors is not an easy feat and is a respected title. Past graduates of the honors program have been accepted to top tier programs in law, medicine and science in large part because they decided to complete the program.
