Deciding which college to attend was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make. There are so many factors to consider when finding the perfect match– location, size, weather, money, majors, clubs, and so much more. However, the biggest factor for me when it came to choosing was whether I was admitted to the respective honors college or not.
I now currently attend Michigan State University, as part of the honors college here on campus. As college decisions come out, I know a lot of prospective students struggle deciding on the perfect college. Some students’ choice may be between more prestigious colleges versus lesser-known colleges, or between colleges located in the north versus the south. Yet, admittance to the honors college remained a large factor for deciding where to attend.
For a lot of students, being in an honors college might seem daunting. They may think they will have to take harder classes or spend countless hours studying. In reality, this is not the case. While the honors classes are slightly more challenging, they’re catered to your individual interests, and therefore are much more engaging. Additionally, students may be scared that they will have to take a multitude of honors classes on top of their major classes. However, a lot of colleges have honors classes that fulfill certain major requirements or that dive deeper into relevant topics. Students in an honors college can take classes that challenge them while also exploring more niche areas of interest.
At Michigan State, students can decide to make a class an honors class simply by doing an extra project. This semester, I am in a media and information class. To explore my interest in the subject further, I’m writing an additional paper due at the end of the year on a topic of my choosing. Therefore, an honors class has never been seen as a chore to me since completing an honors project can be something where I explore the topics of a class even further.
Another perk to being in the honors college at MSU is the early class registration. I can then register for my classes before the other students in my year. This gives me a huge advantage when it comes to getting the schedule I want. I don’t have to worry about my classes filling up, and I can take classes at more desirable times (avoiding those dreaded 8AMs). Signing up for classes also early allows me to take more unique classes that other students may not have the option to take. In my opinion, having the ability to register for classes early is the biggest perk of being an honors college student.
Lastly, most honors colleges have honors housing. At Michigan State, you can choose to opt in to live on an honors floor. These honors floors are dispersed across several different dorms on campus. However, most colleges have a designated residence hall for honors students to live. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time living with other honors students. The people around me are like-minded and driven. Additionally, I have met a lot of my friends on my floor, and it’s fun to attend honors events together. While some people feel that living in an honors dorm or on an honors floor seems unnecessary, I would have to disagree.
As I finish up my first year of college at Michigan State, I am grateful for all the opportunities the honors college had to offer me. I’ve been able to take classes that reflect more of my niche interests. My schedule is built how I want it to be. I live with people who share similar thoughts and levels of ambition. I can truly make my college experience my own. For all of these reasons, I think being in an honors college should be a high-ranking factor when looking at what colleges. For anyone considering joining an honors college, I would highly recommend it, as there are so many amazing perks that can truly better your college experience.