Bigest bang for your buck: honors colleges at public universities

This article is for those of you who are looking into building a “smart” college list this fall. Let’s see…you want small classes, great professors, special residential living communities, school spirit and sports, a relatively large college with lots of options…all of this at a relatively low (or low-er) tuition. Hmmm…can you have it all? You can, in an honors college at a public university.Admission to an Honors College is usually based on the review of a candidate’s college application or meeting a minimum high school GPA and standardized test score. An Honors College is typically designed to keep the “high achievers” together in a more rigorous academic environment and to provide a personalized education experience for its students.Let’s hear how the University of Maryland describes their own honors program: “Small College Atmosphere. Large Research Institution Advantages. The Honors College combines the best of two educational options: the sophisticated academic offerings and friendly residential environment of a small liberal arts college nestled within the rich, diverse, boundless opportunities of a big research institution with the extra perks of the dynamite Terp spirit.”How does this play out? Honors colleges are often an “oasis” in a large campus, with special courses taught by selective faculty members. Most honors programs require research, capstone projects, and a minimum GPA throughout the four years in the school. The benefits? Exposure to research with professors, internships, special programs, and advanced classes…a beautiful HONORS in your resume, at a lesser tag price. Talking about the best of both worlds..How much less? Even for out-of-state students, these Honors Colleges typically charge $10,000-25,000 less than highly selective private universities, with merit and financial aid also available.Here are five excellent Honors Colleges at Public Universities around the country:East:University of MarylandHonors CollegeHonors Invitation: comprehensiveOOS Sticker Price: $48,776Merit Scholarships: Banneker / Key ScholarsDeadline: November 1 South:University of AlabamaHonors CollegeHonors Invitation: minimum GPA 3.5 + test score of 28 ACT / 1250/1310 old/new SATOOS Sticker Price: Tuition/Fees $27,750 + Room/Board $13,050 = $40,800Merit Scholarships: Presidential Scholar, UA ScholarDeadline: February 1 but 12/15 for Merit per aboveMidwest:Indiana UniversityHutton Honors CollegeHonors Invitation: matrix of grades or rank and test scoreOOS Sticker Price: $52,566Merit Scholarships: separate applicationDeadline: November 1Southwest:Arizona StateBarrett, The Honors CollegeHonors Invitation: comprehensiveOOS Sticker Price: (approx) $45,300Merit Scholarships: New American University ScholarDeadline: Early Action I & II, Regular DecisionWest:University of OregonRobert D Clark Honors CollegeHonors Invitation: comprehensiveOOS Sticker Price:  $54,976Merit Scholarships: Automatic based on grades/test scoresDeadline: Early Action & Regular Decision