--- title: What is an Honors College? description: Honors colleges offer small classes, research opportunities, close faculty interaction, and a lively social life. image: https://admitreport.com/hubfs/Honors%20Colleges.png --- [Think you can get into a top-10 school? Take our chance-me calculator... if you dare. 🔥](https://uq2z800a22f.typeform.com/to/GSbIvdW0) [![](https://admitreport.com/hubfs/admit-report-logo-black.svg)](https://admitreport.com/) [College Essays](https://admitreport.com/college-essays) Personal Statement Supplemental Essays Writing Advice Example Essays Other Application Writing Sections Personal Statement Foundations [How to Write a Personal Statement](https://admitreport.com/blog/personal-statement-for-colleges) [Brainstorming a Personal Statement](https://admitreport.com/blog/college-essay-brainstorming-questions) [Personal Statement Mistakes](https://admitreport.com/blog/how-to-end-a-college-essay) [How to Revise a Personal Statement](https://admitreport.com/blog/how-to-write-a-college-essay#how-to-edit-a-common-app-essay) Personal Statement Strategy [Writing About Strengths](https://admitreport.com/blog/personal-statement-for-colleges) [Finding a 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list](https://admitreport.com/blog/tag/application-strategy) Tools & Resources [Demonstrated Interest](https://admitreport.com/blog/how-to-show-demonstrated-interest) [How to Use the Common Data Set](https://admitreport.com/blog/common-data-set) Visiting Colleges [When to Visit Colleges](https://admitreport.com/blog/touring-colleges#ways-to-visit-college-campuses) Resources [Common Data Set](https://admitreport.com/common-data-set) [Colleges That Change Lives](https://ctcl.org/) School List Basics [How to Build the Perfect School List](https://admitreport.com/blog/how-to-make-a-college-list) [Safety Schools](https://admitreport.com/blog/how-to-make-a-college-list#what-is-a-safety-school) [Target Schools](https://admitreport.com/blog/how-to-make-a-college-list#what-is-a-target-school) [Reach Schools](https://admitreport.com/blog/how-to-make-a-college-list#what-is-a-reach-school) Early Decision Strategy [Early Action vs Early Decision](https://admitreport.com/blog/early-action-vs-early-decision) [How to Pick Your ED](https://admitreport.com/blog/how-to-strategize-your-early-decision-application) [Early Decision II](https://admitreport.com/blog/how-to-strategize-your-early-decision-application#what-s-the-strategy-for-ed-ii-schools) Letters of Recommendation [Teacher Letters](https://admitreport.com/blog/letters-of-recommendation-for-college) [Counselor Letters](https://admitreport.com/blog/letters-of-recommendation-for-college) [How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation](https://admitreport.com/blog/letters-of-recommendation-for-college#how-to-get-the-best-letters-of-recommendation-possible) School Report [What Is a School Report?](https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/vz09mf/the_document_in_every_application_most_students/) [All Resources](https://admitreport.com/blog) [College Consulting](https://sierraadmissions.com/) [About Us](https://admitreport.com/about-us) [![](https://admitreport.com/hubfs/admit-report-logo-black.svg)](https://admitreport.com/) [College Essays](https://admitreport.com/college-essays) [Preparing to Apply](https://admitreport.com/how-to-apply-to-college) [Your Application Strategy](https://admitreport.com/application-strategy) [All Resources](https://admitreport.com/blog) [College Consulting](https://sierraadmissions.com/) [About Us](https://admitreport.com/about-us) ###### Contents Last updated January 24, 2024 Every piece we write is researched and vetted by a former admissions officer. Read about [our mission](https://admitreport.com/standards) to pull back the admissions curtain. [Blog](https://admitreport.com/blog) > [School List](https://admitreport.com/blog/tag/school-list) > What is an Honors College? # What is an Honors College? Admissions officer reviewed by [Ben Bousquet, M.Ed](https://admitreport.com/about-us) Former Vanderbilt University Written by [Ben Bousquet, M.Ed](https://admitreport.com/about-us) Former Vanderbilt University Admissions ###### Key Takeaway Honors colleges offer a unique blend of small classes, research opportunities, and a vibrant social life. They provide a close-knit college experience with the resources of a large university, making them an excellent choice for motivated students seeking an affordable and enriching college education. Torn between the social scene of a large university and the small, discussion-based classes of a liberal arts college? Two words: honors colleges. Honors colleges give you the best of both worlds. And if you attend an honors college at a public university in your home state, you can also save a ton of money on tuition. Let’s get into what honors colleges are and why you should add them to your list. ## What is an Honors College? So at a large research university, you usually find different schools or colleges. You might have a College of Arts and Sciences, a School of Engineering, or even a College of Design. In addition to those “schools” and “colleges,” you can also find what are called “honors colleges.” Unlike a College of Arts and Sciences or a School of Engineering, honors colleges aren’t for specific disciplines. Students who study lots of different disciplines can be part of them. Instead of a particular subject, honors colleges focus on more advanced coursework and research, smaller class sizes, and closer relationships with faculty members. Often, honors colleges will have particular academic requirements and specific classes you have to take. You also have a built-in network of peers in your cohort (which is a fancy way to say “honors college group”) since you’re taking the same classes with the same people. ## Why Should I Look into Honors Colleges? So, why look into an honors college to begin with? If you want a place that feels like a small, close-knit college but has the resources of a big university, an honors college could be right for you. The small classes and access to professors are big benefits. Professors – not grad students – are usually the ones teaching, so you can build a strong relationship with them. If you love research, honors colleges often offer unique research opportunities. Sometimes, they even provide funding, which means you get paid to pursue your research interests, which is a great way to set yourself up to be a good grad school applicant, if that’s something you’re interested in. But it's not all about the academics either. Honors colleges also offer lots of social activities and clubs. You might even have special study abroad programs or internships to choose from compared to the rest of the student body. These experiences can really enrich your time in college. Many students overlook honors colleges, especially the ones at state universities. But remember, these colleges can give you an education that's just as good as the ones at more [well-known schools](https://admitreport.com/blog/50-thousand-applications), and often at a lower cost. ## How do I apply to an honors college? Honors colleges can add a little extra work to your application process, so you should plan accordingly. Many programs require a separate application that has additional requirements, like a certain GPA threshold and extra essays or short answers. For some, you may also need an additional letter of recommendation or college supplement. But not all honors colleges require you to submit extra materials. Some automatically consider you for their honors college if your grades and application stand out. As you’re building your [school list](https://admitreport.com/blog/how-to-make-a-college-list), be sure to research what requirements each honors program has. ## Schools with Honors Colleges Need some inspiration to get started? Here’s a short list of popular schools that also include honors colleges. - Arizona State University - Auburn University - Clemson University - George Mason University - Indiana State University - James Madison University - Purdue University - University of Kentucky - University of Maryland - University of Oregon - University of Vermont - Virginia Tech Now get started on that school research! ## TL;DR Honors colleges offer a strong academic environment with benefits like small classes, close interaction with faculty, unique research opportunities, and a lively social life. They're often overlooked, but they could be the perfect fit for motivated students looking for an affordable, enriching college experience. If you're working your way through the college application process, considering honors colleges could expand your options. ###### Liked that? Try this next. ###### [![post preview thumbnail](https://admitreport.com/hubfs/Power%20of%20a%20Cohesive%20College%20Application.jpg) The Incredible Power of a Cohesive College Application](https://admitreport.com/blog/cohesive-application) ###### [![post preview thumbnail](https://admitreport.com/hubfs/CDS%20Posts%20(24).png) Leveling Up Your Extracurriculars (with examples!)](https://admitreport.com/blog/leveling-up-your-extracurriculars) ###### [![post preview thumbnail](https://admitreport.com/hubfs/CDS%20Posts%20(36).png) Financial Aid for Colleges: Our Basic Guide](https://admitreport.com/blog/financial-aid-for-colleges) ###### [![post preview thumbnail](https://admitreport.com/hubfs/12%20Common%20App%20Examples.jpg) 12 Common App Essay Examples (Graded by Former Admissions Officers)](https://admitreport.com/blog/common-app-essay-examples) ### Upgrade your college journey ###### Content [Admissions Guides](https://admitreport.com/admissions-guides) [Categories](https://admitreport.com) ###### Legal [Privacy Policy](https://admitreport.com/privacy) [Terms of Use](https://admitreport.com/terms) K&S Canon, PLLC 1200 5TH Ave Ste 1950, Seattle, WA, 98101-1183, United States Copyright © 2026 McNeil Admissions ### "The only actually useful chance calculator I’ve seen—plus a crash course on the application review process." Irena Smith, Former Stanford Admissions Officer We built the best admissions chancer in the world. How is it the best? It draws from our experience in top-10 admissions offices to show you how selective admissions actually works. [Get Chanced (We Dare You)](https://uq2z800a22f.typeform.com/to/GSbIvdW0) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Ben Bousquet, M.Ed", "url" : "https://admitreport.com/blog/author/ben-bousquet-m-ed" }, "dateModified" : "2024-01-24T18:00:00.639Z", "datePublished" : "2024-01-24T18:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "What is an Honors College?", "image" : [ "https://admitreport.com/hubfs/Honors%20Colleges.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://admitreport.com/blog/what-is-an-honors-college", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject" }, "name" : "McNeil Admissions LLC" } } ```