By Hadassa Ferreira, Arts & Culture Editor
If there’s one thing that drives some students, it’s the recognition of their hard academic work. It boosts their confidence in their abilities and helps academic boards assess their pool of students.
Acceptance into various honors programs is a great way to recognize students’ academic achievements. To be accepted, students typically need a high GPA, an impressive curriculum, strong extracurricular activities, and, in some cases, personal statements or exams.
Beyond recognizing exceptional students, honors programs offer a unique college experience.
These programs offer students the opportunity to take classes that are smaller in size, allowing students to experience a more dynamic learning environment, opportunities to partake in meaningful discussions, and develop a deeper networking connection with other successful students and faculty.
Beyond that, institutions, including Saint Leo University, often offer exclusive opportunities, such as additional learning resources, events, trips, and internship connections for students in these programs.
Recent reports and studies have shown that these programs play a significant role in universities’ commitment and retention rates.
Students who gain these opportunities often strive to maintain them and graduate with honors, a goal that may become more challenging if they transfer to other institutions.
The controversy is that some institutions have started to view this as a way to boost retention and, consequently, financial rates, leading to higher acceptance rates for honors programs. However, these programs should remain a small, selective part of a university’s student body, particularly at less selective institutions.
When these programs become too large, they lack the necessary resources—both financial and timely—to support all the students. As a result, expanded honors programs will eventually face challenges.
The goal is to maintain the high quality of these programs while providing the best possible support to all honored students.
At Saint Leo University, particularly, there are two types of honors programs: the Honors Program and the 3+3 Accelerated Law Program.
The Saint Leo Honors Program represents the top 10% of campus students and features a special curriculum that replaces the general education requirements for graduation.
The goal of the Honors Program’s curriculum is to help students communicate effectively and clearly while offering experiential learning experiences that allow them to apply what they’ve learned.
“I really like where the Honors Program has headed! I think I was able to experience all the resources that have been available to us and work with different faculty who are creative and excited about the courses they are teaching,” said Manuela Henao Coca, a junior majoring in international studies and business management.
To join the Honors Program at Saint Leo, students must have a minimum 3.5 GPA and complete a separate supplemental application.
Most students who apply for the Saint Leo Honors Program are also considered for the 3+3 Accelerated Law Program. This high-value program allows students to earn both a bachelor’s and a doctorate (law) degree in only six years.
The requirements for the 3+3 Accelerated Law Program are the same as for the Honors Program, and students in this program benefit from close supervision by the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, Dr. Heather Parker, along with free access to preparatory materials and mentorship for the law school application.
Despite recent controversies, honors programs continue to recognize outstanding students who have excelled academically and are eager to increase their chances of professional success by enhancing their learning, improving their hard and soft skills, and developing lifelong networks with other exceptional students.
