Honors Program Community Analysis

Being halfway through the first semester of freshman year can be a strange time. For many students, it can be the point in which the allure of being a college student begins to wear off and reality begins to set in—classes are difficult, living with a roommate might not be as great as it initially seemed, being away from family and friends can be really tough, forming friendships that are as strong as the ones left at home is not an easy task, and for some reason, it seems like everybody is getting sick. The mid-first semester crisis can have a large influence on students, and that impact can prove to be harmful if not addressed. As a facilitator, I believe it is incredibly important to keep an eye out for all of my students and to respond …show more content…
Students come to college with different expectations of their experience in the Honors Program; some might wear their “honors status” as a badge, some might hope to challenge themselves academically, and some might anticipate living in a community of academic-oriented students and making strong friendships. In talking to students, I have found that many might have chosen to attend UConn because the Honors Program was a reconciliation factor in not being able to afford a more prestigious university or not getting admitted to a top-choice school. The reality of the situation is that being in the Honors Program does not make one student any different than another. Students who are not members of the Honors Program might view Honors students as elitists or the program as a distinct entity, “Critics of the honors program…say this division between ‘regular’ and ‘honors’ students should not exist” (Knudsen, 2011). Honors Programs do an excellent job of offering students unique opportunities and intellectually stimulating coursework, but they do not change the student on an individual level to the extent that there should be a divide in Honors and non-Honors students, as some might …show more content…
I personally have found that when another student becomes aware that I am in the Honors Program, that student might immediately begin to form assumptions about who I am as a student and as a person. While I am now used to this, I found it frustrating in the beginning, and I would not be surprised if some of my students feel the same way. It can get pretty irritating hearing seemingly incessant comments about how intelligent a student must be and remarks about how failure must be a foreign concept, simply because of participation in the Honors Program. Although comments like these might initially seem like compliments, I have found they often become quite uncomfortable. With an understanding of the potential divide that arises as a result of being in the Honors Program and how it can impact the adjustment process, I think it is important to be aware of students who might feel isolated in academic or social settings because of their honors status. As a facilitator, I plan to look out for students who might be having a problem and speak with them about my personal experiences and offer any advice that is