I'm in my universities honors program and I'm having a hard time justifying all the things that they require. An honors thesis is required to graduate magna/summa cum laude, even if the GPA requirement is met. Honors courses are also required, a minimum of four - and since not every class has an honors alternative, I will have to take some classes I'm not interested in to fulfill this requirement (this part is what I most dislike about the honors program). What do you guys think? Should I just suck it up and do the honors component, or is the significance of an honors thesis/graduating with honors not worth the inconvenience and work required?
Is graduating with honors anything significant?
- Thread starter bngli
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2004
- Messages
- 1,319
- Reaction score
- 29
Every bit helps.
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2010
- Messages
- 543
- Reaction score
- 11
Obviously I'm not on the admissions committee so I really don't know, but I can offer my opinion. Is it anything "significant?" Probably not so much. I have heard from multiple people that obtaining a master's degree isn't a big deal to adcoms (I asked around because I considered going for a master's), so why would a bachelor's with honors bring much to the table either? It shows you worked hard, especially if you keep your GPA up. You can also take graduate courses your junior/senior years which might look good also. When the inevitable "tell me about your research" conversation comes up in interviews, it helps a lot talking about your thesis rather than a little research here and there. The only real drawback to the honor's college is if you don't really care. If you don't like research that much, completing a thesis is going to suck. Seriously. If your school doesn't offer honors courses that you like, you're probably going to be in for some hard courses which you'll hate. I'm glad I graduated with honors, but I'm sure I could have gotten into med school without it. It probably wasn't that important. What was more important than the name of my school's honors college was what I got out of it: good GPA, solid research, and an intense curriculum. But I could have done those things without being in the honors college if I wanted to.
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2004
- Messages
- 30,873
- Reaction score
- 10,063
You are going to be using resumes/CVs for the rest of your career. Having more lines that say "with honors" looks good. But it probably won't make or break you fir med school admissions, if that's what you are asking.
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2011
- Messages
- 258
- Reaction score
- 24
I graduated from my school's honors program, and the requirements were similar. The general consensus around here is that participating in an honors program is little more than a nice EC. Your GPA is what it is, no special consideration is given for the extra rigor of the honors coursework that you take. I'm not an Adcom, so I obviously can't verify the truth of that. I'm just passing along what others told me. But, for me, my honors classes were easy to find within my major. I never had to take any undesired coursework in order to meet the required number of classes. That might make the program not worthwhile. In your case, it sounds like an inconvenience that isn't worth the effort.
My only suggestion is that if you're really wanting to go honors, maybe look into converting a course to honors. I did that several times, and it worked out well. Basically I'd take the regular class, and then have different tests and/or usually a comprehensive term paper to write or a big term project in order to make the class honors.
My only suggestion is that if you're really wanting to go honors, maybe look into converting a course to honors. I did that several times, and it worked out well. Basically I'd take the regular class, and then have different tests and/or usually a comprehensive term paper to write or a big term project in order to make the class honors.
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2011
- Messages
- 261
- Reaction score
- 1
I think it's a nice bonus, but if you know you could get a significantly higher gpa (like .2) without it, then screw it. A 3.8 not honors is probably more helpful than a 3.6 that is honors.
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2011
- Messages
- 392
- Reaction score
- 4
I used a graduate level course to replace an honors course. I don't think it really matters too much, but if you don't get into med school first try, it'll look nice on a resume/CV.
- Joined
- May 14, 2010
- Messages
- 1,189
- Reaction score
- 359
another perspective: honors is the only phrase from your undergraduuate that will stay with you for your academic career (on your CV, in speaker introductions). extracurriculars won't. your gpa won't. your recommendations won't. your specific classes won't. your mcat won't.
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2011
- Messages
- 392
- Reaction score
- 4
But that line on your resume may make you look better than Joe/Jane Schmoe in the eyes of an HR person.
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2008
- Messages
- 6,180
- Reaction score
- 5,616
It actually does very little to help. Graduating summa cum laude is much more important than graduating "with honors".
If you could get a higher gpa or better extracurricular activities by dropping the honors, do it.
If you could get a higher gpa or better extracurricular activities by dropping the honors, do it.
I too was invited to join the honors program at my university and thought allot about it. In the end, I felt that the risk to my GPA was just not worth it. The honors courses were more subjective since they required a significant amount of writing, and I felt the less subjective grading I had the better. Plus there was a number of courses that I really had no interest in, and because it was a religious university there was allot of theology courses that added more work to the equation.
I did graduate with Latin honors, and perhaps they are just as impressive to the have since everyone is familiar with them. Would graduating summa cum laude be just as impressive if you didn't take the honors classes, probably so. Remember your GPA counts as much or more than the MCAT for medical school and you will have enough on your plate with all the EC activities. If you think you can do all that with the honors classes, sure it would be even more impressive. Just don't let your GPA take a hit because you are overloaded.
I did graduate with Latin honors, and perhaps they are just as impressive to the have since everyone is familiar with them. Would graduating summa cum laude be just as impressive if you didn't take the honors classes, probably so. Remember your GPA counts as much or more than the MCAT for medical school and you will have enough on your plate with all the EC activities. If you think you can do all that with the honors classes, sure it would be even more impressive. Just don't let your GPA take a hit because you are overloaded.
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2007
- Messages
- 6,874
- Reaction score
- 1,357
Impression I've gotten from people "in the real world" is that it doesn't matter much. When they see someone with honors, they might think "oh that's nice". When they see someone without honors, they don't then think "hey, this guy doesn't even have honors!" No one really knows what's involved as far as graduating with honors from school to school, and it's unlikely to ever be held against you.
If you're going the med school path, I doubt it will matter much. And, once you get into medical school, no one cares about what you did in undergrad, they want to see if you had AOA in med school, and so forth.
If you're going the med school path, I doubt it will matter much. And, once you get into medical school, no one cares about what you did in undergrad, they want to see if you had AOA in med school, and so forth.
- Joined
- May 6, 2010
- Messages
- 2,893
- Reaction score
- 127
Ask Tyler the Creator.
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2011
- Messages
- 921
- Reaction score
- 432
I graduated summa cum laude in english and magna in biochem, with both theses written in the same semester. My english thesis is about 120 pages and my biochem thesis is on a chemotherapeutic drug I helped to design. So far 1 interview at my state school and that's it. In terms of admissions, honors definitely didn't make a difference. Although writing these theses was very important to me and was totally worth the experience.
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2011
- Messages
- 1,171
- Reaction score
- 433
How do you know that?
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2011
- Messages
- 921
- Reaction score
- 432
Because it didn't result in any interviews besides my state school. All I'm saying is that it didn't give me an extra boost in the admissions game. Although it is pretty standard so you should probably do honors and also do everything else just to cover your bases.
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2011
- Messages
- 392
- Reaction score
- 4
Haha, man, you are such a negative Nancy. Yes, there is much more to job applications than honors.
My point is simple, business world: 2 applicants, extremely similar resume's, one interview slot. One has honors, other doesn't. All else being equal, honors will probably get you that interview. Take every edge you can get! Even if it's a small edge.
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2011
- Messages
- 606
- Reaction score
- 99
I'm in my university's honors program and graduating this coming semester. Same set up, honors thesis and 4 honors courses to graduate with honors. I'm writing my honors thesis based on the bench work I'm doing. I think if you're looking for research positions during a gap year or even in medical it will probably help a little bit if you could say "I spent X amount of time in the lab working on this subject, then wrote my honors thesis based on that work".
My $0.02.
My $0.02.
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2011
- Messages
- 606
- Reaction score
- 99
I will admit that they do want you to stay in college longer for whatever reason, the director of my honors program openly said she was opposed to students graduating in three years. Thankfully my adviser and the professor I work with encouraged my plan to graduate early
.
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2011
- Messages
- 392
- Reaction score
- 4
Advisers suck. My worldview is best summarized by existentialism so I see the world as a sea of suck. With that said, I also attempt to be an optimist.
Let us revisit my hypothetical scenario you completely ignored: So you have two extremely similar applicants and that honors line means nothing. So then it is a coinflip for that interview slot eh? Every HR person in the world solves problems that way according to you. I don't doubt that many would play a game of darts or flip a coin, but someone may look on the honors favorably. My argument is that it could provide a SLIGHT edge, so you might as well do it. Not that it is some all important factor.
Overall I agree with this post. But I think the "oh that's nice" is still a good thing to have on a resume. Is it worth sabotaging your entire career over, no. The best way I can sum it up is a +0.1 to one's resume. With every application you are competing for an opportunity (job/grad school/pro school). My goal is to get as many positives about myself as possible, not worry about others.
With respect to the OP, check to see if you can sub. honors courses. Also, a thesis can be a good experience to talk about. IF it causes you to miss a better opportunity, then you should skip honors. If you just don't feel like doing it and are not doing anything better, just suck it up.
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2011
- Messages
- 606
- Reaction score
- 99
Exactly.
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2011
- Messages
- 357
- Reaction score
- 144
In my opinion just do the honors thesis because it requires you to do some kind of research and having research for med school strengthens your application.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2009
- Messages
- 9,226
- Reaction score
- 3,796
Is there any kind of financial benefit to doing honors? At many schools, you get a scholarship for being an honors student, and if you do, it might be taken away if you quit. Without details, though, it's hard to give really concrete advice.
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2005
- Messages
- 729
- Reaction score
- 3
I did the honors thing at my school, and I'm glad I did. here's why I don't think it's dumb:
1) My coursework was more well-rounded. That has made me a better medical student, in ways I would not have imagined.
2) A LOT of interviewers, both for med school and residency, asked me about my undergrad thesis. In history. No, really.
3) Any ***** who knows what summa cum laude means will at least consider the possibility that you are smarter than the average bear, honors or not. Especially if you are at a good school.
4) Subjective grading is what clinicals are all about. How well you can write an H+P matters too. So suck it up and take some humanities classes that will teach you how to survive subjective grading and write a little better. Humanties profs tend to be good letter writers, too.
5) You might meet some faculty or grad students who will help you refine your PS, and do a better job because they actually know you.
6) Writing a thesis is good for you. Will help you feel more comfortable with research, even if you never want to do it again, you'll understand how the sausage is made.
The only thing that I would push harder to do is a semester abroad. Every med student who hasn't traveled should.
1) My coursework was more well-rounded. That has made me a better medical student, in ways I would not have imagined.
2) A LOT of interviewers, both for med school and residency, asked me about my undergrad thesis. In history. No, really.
3) Any ***** who knows what summa cum laude means will at least consider the possibility that you are smarter than the average bear, honors or not. Especially if you are at a good school.
4) Subjective grading is what clinicals are all about. How well you can write an H+P matters too. So suck it up and take some humanities classes that will teach you how to survive subjective grading and write a little better. Humanties profs tend to be good letter writers, too.
5) You might meet some faculty or grad students who will help you refine your PS, and do a better job because they actually know you.
6) Writing a thesis is good for you. Will help you feel more comfortable with research, even if you never want to do it again, you'll understand how the sausage is made.
The only thing that I would push harder to do is a semester abroad. Every med student who hasn't traveled should.
- Joined
- May 14, 2010
- Messages
- 1,189
- Reaction score
- 359
Dr.lyd2 is our distinguished speaker today. He earned his bachelors in astrophysics, summa cum laude, from Cornell and went on to....
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2009
- Messages
- 9,226
- Reaction score
- 3,796
I have definitely heard that before. But that honorific is something I usually forget immediately after the fact.
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2011
- Messages
- 1,171
- Reaction score
- 433
There are many factors at play in admissions. My point is that your personal experience is not a useful barometer of whether honors matters.
Based on your MDapps, you had extremely poor clinical experience and fairly average numbers. Your MDapps also states that you applied to schools that were too top heavy.
The honors may have given you a boost, but that boost was not enough to overcome the problems that held you back this cycle.
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2009
- Messages
- 640
- Reaction score
- 104
this is making me happy I'm doing a thesis/studying abroad this summer/got As in my humanities honor's classes
