Normal College Vs. Honors College

As a senior in high school, you will have to choose which college to attend. You might want to attend a normal college near your home, but you also have an opportunity to study at an honors college. Therefore, you might want to know which is better: normal college vs. honors college.

What is an Honors College?

After the Second World War, an influx of highly qualified students excelling in different capacities started to appear. For these students, the U.S. started introducing honors colleges and honors programs.

Honor programs are offered in most colleges, big or small. An honors college is a college that provides honors programs for exceptional high school students and is geared towards helping them polish their skills in their relevant field.

Unlike honors programs that you might get in a normal college, an honors college requires you to complete your education on a campus allocated toward an honors degree.

Normal College vs. Honors College

There are many differences between normal colleges and honors colleges that can help you understand where you should go. Some of the major differences are mentioned below.

The Campus

Honors colleges are found at large public universities. These colleges are stand-alone and require more resources than normal colleges on a university campus. This includes having them on facilities, academic advisors, scholarships, opportunities, and more.

Normal colleges are smaller in comparison, and honors students are often part of the university instead of having their campus. However, honors students in normal colleges follow a separate curriculum and might have extra assignments.

Admission Requirements

One of the major differences between normal colleges and honors colleges is their admission criterion. Since honors colleges tend to focus more on excellent students and focus their resources on a smaller student body, they tend to have tougher admission requirements than normal colleges.

While a normal college will require a high school GPA of around 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, honors college can require higher. The minimum GPA can be around 3.8 or above. Moreover, they can require extra-curricular activities and other test scores such as the ACT or SAT. The greater your achievements, the higher your possibilities of admission.

Difficulty

An honors college can be more challenging than a normal college. This is because you are competing with the best in the country, and you are required to take more demanding programs and lectures. Since honors programs are geared towards a specific program and field, you will have to work harder than in a normal college.

Degree Value

One of the major differences between normal colleges and honors colleges is your degree’s value. An honors college degree has more value than a normal college degree. This is because a degree from an honors college is proof of your capabilities and hard work.

Financial

Honors colleges are more expensive than normal colleges. This is to keep the class size small and fund the additional facilities required by the campus that you will need during your educational journey. However, honors colleges have financial aid to help you pay your fee.

Get Help with Your College Funding

Financing your degree can be challenging and is one of the main reasons why promising students miss great opportunities. Therefore, College Funding of Tampa Bay aims to provide college financial aid education and resources to help you pay for your education. With all the information about the differences between normal colleges and honors colleges, we can help you reach your aspirations.

Call us at (813) 755-6834 for a free consultation, or fill out our form online, and our agent will get back to you.