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| Frequently Asked Questions |
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| Why should I enroll in the Honors Program? The Honors Program provides a number of opportunities for motivated students to distinguish themselves academically and socially. For those who desire an enriched collegiate experience, honors courses and completion of Honors Program certification requirements (including completion of at least 18 units of honors coursework while maintaining an overall minimum GPA of 3.25) are encouraged. Honors courses are typically more demanding, requiring the student to explore topics more deeply than might be required in non-honors classes. Completion of all the Honors Program priority transfer requirements is acknowledged with a certificate of achievement at an annual reception held in the students’ honor, along with the presentation of honors regalia for graduation. A notation of Honors Program completion is added to the student’s academic transcript. Agreements with other HTCC (Honors Transfer Council of California) schools guarantee priority consideration of applications for transfer to several top colleges and universities in California and across the nation for those who complete the OCC Honors Program certification process. Besides transfer benefits, other academic opportunities such as creative works competitions and academic conferences, volunteerism, and public speaking engagements are available to members of the Honors Program. [Top of page] |
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| Am I automatically enrolled in the Honors Program if I take honors courses or if my GPA is at or above the minimum required? No. Enrollment in the Honors Program is not automatic. An application is required, and if the student meets all of the enrollment criteria s/he will be accepted and notified in writing. Applications may be picked up in person at the Academic Honors office, Transfer Center, Re-Entry Center, EOPS office, or Counseling Department; they may also be downloaded (see "Admissions and Application") or requested by phone (714.432.5061) or e-mail (hpro@occ.cccd.edu). There is no application or enrollment fee for the Honors Program. [Top of page] |
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| What’s special about honors classes? Honors classes offer students and professors the opportunity to explore the world of ideas together. The emphasis is on critical thinking and writing, including comprehensive research and the presentation of those results. Classes are often smaller and frequently offer field trips and guest lecturers. Students are not required to enroll in the Honors Program to qualify to take honors classes, nor are there any other prerequisites for honors classes than for non-honors sections of the same courses. However, completion of or concurrent enrollment in English 100 is highly recommended as most honors sections include an advanced writing component (see below). See "Honors Courses" for more information. [Top of page] |
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| What is the purpose of the Honors Program English composition requirement? Because most Honors courses require students to produce reasonably sophisticated essay assignments and exam responses, the Honors Program requires that students possess a college-level command of composition skills. We believe that honors education should demand the constant improvement of critical thinking and writing abilities. [Top of page] |
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| Must I take honors classes to be enrolled in the Honors Program? We encourage all students to take advantage of the wide variety of honors courses offered on the OCC campus. Any student enrolling in the Honors Program after February 14, 2008 must take a minimum of one honors course within one year of being admitted into the Program in order to maintain active membership. As active members, students may take advantage of other benefits of the Honors Program: library privileges at UCLA and UCI, attendance at special events, opportunities to volunteer time in the Academic Honors office, present papers or topics of interest at the Honors Program’s “Creating Scholars Speakers Series” events, and attendance at conferences. [Top of page] |
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| I’m already taking honors courses. Why should I apply to the Honors Program now? Aside from the extraordinary people and learning experiences you will encounter in any of the honors courses, meeting Honors Program requirements and certification for successful completion will provide you with priority transfer consideration to several top public and private universities. Check with an honors counselor for a current list of universities participating in HTCC transfer agreements with Orange Coast College. Additionally, students enrolled in the Program will receive benefits available only through the Honors Program, including invitations to receptions and guest lectures, scholarship opportunities, library cards to UCLA and UCI, and the opportunity to enter research competitions. See "Benefits to You" for more information. [Top of page] |
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| The honors courses I want to take were either closed before I could register, or not offered this semester. What should I do? Due to the popularity of honors courses at OCC, they do tend to fill up very quickly. Students are encouraged to click the “Course Interest” link in their MyOCC account Student tab to indicate their interest in enrolling in a closed class. This assists us in knowing which of our classes are in highest demand so that we can explore the possibility of adding additional sections in future semesters. In addition, students may and should petition for enrollment in classes they would like to take by contacting the instructor before the semester begins AND attending the first class session and speaking directly with the instructor. While there is no guarantee that a petitioner will be admitted to a class, very often seats open up for petitioners within the first week or two of the semester. Those students who wish to take honors classes not being offered at OCC or those who are unable to enroll in a filled class may want to consider taking a few honors courses at other 2-year institutions. We will accept up to nine (9) UC-transferable honors units earned at other community colleges toward your OCC Honors Program certification. Contact an honors counselor for details about how to take advantage of this opportunity and have your outside work considered toward your certification. Note: grades in all coursework done at (an)other institution(s) will be considered in calculating your transferable GPA and determining your qualification for Honors Program certification. [Top of page] |
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| What’s the difference between the Honors Program and the honor societies? A lot! See "Honors WHAT???", in particular the Honors Program and honor societies sections. [Top of page] |
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| By when do I have to apply to the Honors Program to take advantage of priority transfer consideration by a university? In order to be certified for the purposes of transfer consideration, applications should be submitted before the final semester in attendance at OCC, even if up to six units of honors course work will be taken in the final semester. [Top of page] |
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| How do I contact the Honors Program? See "Contact Honors Office and Counselors" to find out how to contact the Honors Program and Honors Counselors. [Top of page] |
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| Be one of those upon whom nothing is lost. ~ Henry James |
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| Revised 8/23/08 |