Q. As an incoming freshman, will the Honors courses be too much for me to handle?
A. The structure of the Honors Program is set up so that you are eased into it. You will be in at most two Honors courses your first semester. One course is Honors 101, a class that is designed to introduce you to Ashland University as well the fundamentals of the Honors Program. You may also be enrolled in an Honors section of one of the university core courses. Though these classes will be challenging, they won't be too overwhelming and you will be in them with other Honors freshmen. Students in these classes often form study groups which are extremely helpful (and fun!). Also, the professors are available and willing to help. The benefits that you'll get from these classes, the great improvements that you will see in your writing and thinking skills, along with all that you will have learned, will be well worth the hard work you'll put into them.
Q. I have been accepted into the Ashbrook Scholar Program as well. Will the two programs conflict or be overwhelming for me?
A. This will not be a problem at all. In fact, some of the things that you will do for the Ashbrook Program may count for Honors Program credits as well. Some of the classes that you are required to take for Ashbrook may be offered as Honors courses (Western Civilization, for example). The best part is that your senior Ashbrook thesis will count as your Honors Capstone Project, too. You will not have to do two separate projects. A large number of Honors students are also Ashbrook Scholars, and they have found that the programs work very well together.
Q. I'm planning to be a varsity athlete on campus. Is it possible to be a varsity athlete and be successful in the Honors Program?
A. Absolutely. Honors Program students can be found participating on almost every athletic team on Ashland University's campus. Our Honors Program students have participated on a variety of teams, including most recently: volleyball, women's tennis, cheerleading, women's soccer, women's basketball, football, men's and women's swimming, wrestling, baseball, and cross country. Since the Honors Program requires only about 11 additional credit hours of coursework, and our athletes do an excellent job in managing their schedules and their time, many of our athletes are able to be successful in the Honors Program.
Q. What exactly does it mean to graduate from the Honors Program?
A. To graduate from the Honors Program means that you have successfully completed all requirements for the program: First Year Honors Colloquium, at least four Honors core courses, two upper level Honors classes, Honors Thesis Preparation and your Honors Capstone Project. It is possible to graduate with a certain status, such as Summa Cum Laude (having a 3.9), but this is not the same as graduating from the Honors Program. Graduating from the Honors Program will show your future employers and graduate schools that you were willing to take extra challenges and work to fulfill your greatest potential. It will show that you completed the most challenging classes offered with much success. This will, without a doubt, give you a competitive advantage.
Q. If I didn't take Honors or Advanced Placement courses in high school, will I be able to keep up in the Honors Program?
A. It really doesn't matter whether you took honors courses in high school or not. Some Honors Program students took many AP courses in high school while many others took none at all. In fact, many of the top Honors students in the program right now did not take any advanced courses in high school. Most of the material that you will learn in college Honors courses is brand new to everyone, even those who were in honors in high school.
Q. Will I feel separated from the rest of the campus if some of my classes are only with Honors Program students?
A. Actually, you will find that you'll get to know a lot more people from around the campus by being in the Honors Program. This is because the friends that you make within the Program are from so many different majors, groups and organizations. When you get to know them, you will also get to know their groups of friends who aren't in the Program. You'll meet people from a variety of different groups because most Honors students are involved in many other campus activities besides the Honors Program. Because of this, you will not feel secluded at all. Another way that the Honors Program gives you opportunities to meet people from other organizations is through our co-sponsored events. We team up with a variety of different groups across campus and plan events and activities throughout the year.
Q. Is there specific housing on campus for students in the Honors Program? Am I required to live there?
A. The Honors Program is currently housed on the 4th floor of Clayton Hall. This residence hall contains suite-style housing, and most student rooms on this floor have two double rooms on either side with a middle room that serves as a common area. The floor is divided into male and female areas with separate restrooms for each. Although Clayton Hall is some of the most coveted housing on campus due to the spacious layout and location of the building and many Honors Program students choose to live there, living on the Honors floor is not a requirement. Priority is given to upperclassmen Honors Program students with incoming students being considered on a first-come, first-serve basis.
