HONORS STUDENTS Cohen (1966) defined

honors as “organized
attempts to provide all
IN UNITED STATES superior students with
a special and different

HIGHER EDUCATION learning experience” (p.

1).
 1890s
introduction
of Rhodes
Scholarship 1950s

1920s

In 1905, Frank Aydelotte wins the Rhodes Scholarship. Honors

programs began in America in 1922 when Frank Aydelotte instituted the

pass/honors approach at Swarthmore College (Owens & Travis, 2013).

Frank Aydelotte
(1921-1940)
Frank Aydelotte's nearly 20-year tenure as president is best remembered for the Honors
Program he introduced in 1922. At its inception, it provided an experience that was
otherwise unknown in American undergraduate education: a rigorous intellectual
experience in which qualified upperclassmen studied subjects in small groups, without
grades, for two years until evaluated by outside scholars in a series of written and oral
examinations.

Aydelotte (1880-1956) had benefited from similar training as one of the first Rhodes
Scholars. Believing that the Oxford University honors system could be applied to a small
college in the U.S., he saw Swarthmore as the perfect place to do so. The program's
success was due in large part to his emphasis on raising the intellectual level of the
College as a whole - hiring faculty who were experts in their field, reducing the
student/faculty ratio, and making admission to the College more competitive. His
cooperative administrative style and the mutual respect he shared with the faculty were
also critical to his success in implementing such sweeping curricular changes
Honors Courses in American Colleges and
Universities, published in 1924, helped launch
honors programs at colleges and universities
across the United States.

“The academic system as ordinarily administered is

for better and more ambitious students a kind of lock-

step; it holds them back, wastes their time, and blunts

their interest by subjecting them to a slow-moving routine

which they do not need”

- Frank Aydelotte (1944, p.14)

 1890s
1950s
introduction
of Rhodes aftermath of
Scholarship WWII

1920s
aftermath of
WWI

After each of the world wars, “American higher education experienced a tremendous

increase in enrollment, providing educators with direct evidence of individual intellectual

differences…forcing educators to wonder how best to meet the needs of the brightest students

on campus” (Rinn, 2003, p. 29).

The launching of Sputnik in

1957 , called attention to the

need to foster talent and the
development of honors
programs was revived.
(Owens & Travis,
2013)
Now close to 900 honors programs
nationwide
BENEFITS TO THE
INSTITUTION
Honors students tend to Honors programs in general
have: tend to:

 higher GPAs,  attract donors and outside

funding,
 higher retention rates,
 increase institutional prestige,
 higher graduation rates,
 and attract and retain the most
 and tend to be more satisfied talented students and faculty
and successful in college

(Shushok, 2006; Brimeyer, Schueths, & Smith, 2014). (Owens & Travis, 2013; Brimeyer, Schueths, & Smith,
2014; Hayes, Clancy, Cherney, Martin, Bowie, &
Miller, 2011).
“Many of our best and most
dynamic students, the ones
who are our leaders in
classes and on campus,
chose our school because of
our great honors program”
Jen Wunder,

Director of the Honors Program

at Georgia Gwinnett College

BENEFITS TO NON-HONORS
STUDENTS
Honors students
 raise the intellectual stakes for all students
 model greater intellectual engagement in a
class by
• asking probing and challenging questions,
• enlivening discussion,
• critiquing and exposing gaps in
understanding, and
• provoking or inspiring non-honors
students to further considerations of the
content at hand
BENEFITS FOR HONORS
STUDENTS
Positive effects on students’ academic achievement
and success
 allow superior students to become more involved in their
educational development.
 major contributor to the student’s adjustment, growth, and
development
 greater gains in general education; liberal arts; science and
technology;
 greater persistence to second year;
 higher GPA.
 more likely to persist to graduation,
 more likely to enroll in graduate school
 opportunities to develop social bonds while also satisfying
intellectual interests

(Achterberg, 2005; Kaczvinsky, 2007)

“HONORS PROGRAMS ARE OF
VITAL IMPORTANCE IN OUR
UNIVERSITIES, FOR WITHOUT
THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND
SUPPORT WHICH THEY OFFER,
MANY HONORS STUDENTS
WOULD ABANDON THE
STRUGGLE FOR EXCELLENCE”
(OWENS & TRAVIS, 2013, P.3)
BENEFITS FOR HONORS
STUDENTS
Positive effect on academic success skills
more likely than non-honors students to
 prepare for class,
 ask questions in class,
 rewrite a paper, or
 discuss academic ideas with a professor outside of
class.
 spend significantly more in-depth and out of class
experiences with faculty

(Achterberg, 2005)
 BENEFITS FOR HONORS
STUDENTS
Participate in HIP learning experiences & opportunities

 Small, Intensive,  Honors Study Abroad

Interdisciplinary Honors Classes Opportunities
 Continuous Contact with Honors  Honors Scholarships and
Faculty Fellowships
Research and Internship  Opportunities to Meet with
Opportunities Distinguished Visiting Professors
 Honors Early Fall Start Courses  Honors Lounges
 Honors Freshman Seminars  Honors Peer Mentoring
 Honors Living and Learning  The Honors Computer Labs
Communities
 Residence Hall floors or
 Personalized and buildings dedicated to Honors
Comprehensive Honors Advising students
National Collegiate Honors Council. (2014). NCHC Institutional Database and 2012 Member Institution Survey Summary. Retrieved from
http://nchchonors.org/research/2012-Survey-Summary-Table-June-27-2014.pdf
 CHARACTERISTICS OF
HONORS STUDENTS
 highly motivated  greater range of intellectual interests

 enthusiastic  more positive attitude toward educators and

education
 task-oriented
 increased willingness to make sacrifices
 self-directed needed to achieve academic success
 determined  value education and learning as more than
means to an end
 shy or introverted
 more intellectually interested,
 fearful
 more open to new ideas
 risk-adverse
 more academically confident
 persistent
 better prepared for college level work
 impatient
 rate higher in critical and creative thinking
 curious
 more deeply engaged in learning process

, 2005; Kaczvinsky, 2007; Long & Lange, 2002; Neihart, Reis, Robinson, & Moon, 2002; & Scager, Akkerman, Keesen, Mainhard,
Pilot, & Wubbels, 2012),
CHARACTERISTICS OF
HONORS STUDENTS
Honors students rated higher in four of six
characteristics that predict future success in education
and at work:

 creative thinking,
 openness to experience,
 the desire to learn,
 drive to excel,

But not in intelligence or persistence

(Scager, Akkerman, Keesen, Mainhard, Pilot, & Wubbels, 2012)

 CHALLENGES, ISSUES, &
CONCERNS
Socio-Emotional
Challenges
 less socially inclined than their
classmates
 also face similar emotional and
transitional problems as their
counterparts
 more likely to be introverted, shy, or
otherwise “loners”, can lead to feelings
ostracism
 intense pressure (both internal and
external) can lead to a sense that
“failure is fatal” – psychological
repercussions
 face anti-intellectual stigma – can be
particularly challenging for female and
minority students
 social alimentation, rejection,
withdrawal and underachievement
(Rice, Leever, & Porter, 2006)
Academic Challenges
 lacking in some of the essential
habits and study skills needed for
success in college
less likely to ask for help or to seek
assistance when needed
tend to procrastinate, especially as
reaction to perfectionism
 lack of perseverance in face of
difficulty, tendency to dismiss and/or
be paralyzed by set-backs
 little or no previous experience with
failure
 can be unprepared for rigor of
college work
 can have adverse effects on
confidence, joy of learning, and
In their own words
 “I feel like I’m just gaming the system”
“I’m way too overcommitted “

In their own words

“people overestimate how much we

can handle”
 BEST PRACTICES IN HONORS
EDUCATION
Honors Programs should include High Impact
Practices
 Small, Intensive,  Honors Study Abroad
Interdisciplinary Honors Classes Opportunities
 Continuous Contact with Honors  Honors Scholarships and
Faculty Fellowships
Research and Internship  Opportunities to Meet with
Opportunities Distinguished Visiting Professors
 Honors Early Fall Start Courses  Honors Lounges
 Honors Freshman Seminars  Honors Peer Mentoring
 Honors Living and Learning  The Honors Computer Labs
Communities
 Residence Hall floors or
 Personalized and buildings dedicated to Honors
Comprehensive Honors Advising students
National Collegiate Honors Council. (2014). NCHC Institutional Database and 2012 Member Institution Survey Summary. Retrieved from
http://nchchonors.org/research/2012-Survey-Summary-Table-June-27-2014.pdf
BEST PRACTICES IN HONORS
EDUCATION
Offer Challenge and Support
 Multidisciplinary
Distinct classes (or  Special Guest Lecturers
converted standard
courses) requiring more  Colloquia/Seminars
Reading  Field Trips
Writing  Team Taught Classes
Discussion  Study Abroad
Problem-based learning
 Service Learning
Independent study
Original undergraduate Small Classes
research  Personal Relationships with
Capstones and Theses Faculty
Reflective & Integrative
Learning (Owens & Travis, 2013; Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, & Whitt, 2011; Upcraft,
Gardner, & Barefoot, 2004; & Greenfield, Kuep, & Gardner, 2013)
 BEST PRACTICES IN HONORS
EDUCATION
Student Learning Goals & Outcomes
 Strive for mastery, curiosity, and achievement in challenging,
novel, and difficult tasks
 Actively search for cognitive stimulation and insights
 Cultivate the capacity to concentrate, to resist distractions, and
to engage in explorations involving intense curiosity, as these are
more indicative of future success than intelligence quotient, GPA,
or standardized test scores
 Offer students opportunities to evaluate and integrate
knowledge and diverse ways of understanding the world
 Provide four years of purposeful and meaningful education

(Hayes, et al, 2011)

 RESOURCES FOR HONORS
STUDENTS & HONORS
PROGRAMS/EDUCATORS
National Collegiate Honors Council
“The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) is the professional association of undergraduate honors programs
and colleges; honors directors and deans; and honors faculty, staff, and students. NCHC provides support for
institutions and individuals developing, implementing, and expanding Honors education through curriculum
development, program assessment, teaching innovation, national and international study opportunities, internships,
service and leadership development, and mentored research.”

 Annual Conference - At its annual fall conference and throughout the year,
NCHC provides access to a network of honors expertise, including consultants
with extensive experience in all elements of Honors teaching, learning, and
administration.
 Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council is a refereed
periodical publishing scholarly articles on honors education. The journal uses a
double-blind peer review process. Articles may include analyses of trends in
teaching methodology, articles on interdisciplinary efforts, discussions of
problems common to honors programs, items on the national higher education
agenda, and presentations of emergent issues relevant to honors education.

 Honors in Practice publishes articles about innovative practices in

individual honors programs and nuts-and-bolts issues of concern to the
members of the National Collegiate Honors Council. HIP employs a double-blind
review system. Essays should present ideas and/or practices that will be useful to
other honors administrators and faculty, not just descriptions of “what we do at
our institution.” Essays should advance a thesis located within a larger context
such as theoretical perspectives, trends in higher education, or historical
background.
From the National Collegiate Honors Society website http://nchchonors.org/
DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC
HONORS SOCIETIES @ GGC
Alpha Phi Sigma National
Criminal Justice Honor
Society
Beta Beta Beta National
Biological Honor Society
Golden Key International
Honour Society
Kappa Delta Pi International
Honor Society in Education
Kappa Omicron Nu Human
Sciences Honor Society
The National Society of
Leadership and Success
Phi Alpha Theta National
History Honor Society
Pi Sigma Alpha National
Political Science Society
Psi Chi International Honor
Society in Psychology
Sigma Beta Delta
International Honor Society
for Business, Management
and Administration
Sigma Iota Rho Honor
Society for International
Studies
Sigma Tau Delta
International English Honor
Society
Upsilon Pi Epsilon
International Honor Society
for Computing and
Information Disciplines
FOR MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT THE HONORS
PROGRAM AT GGC
Visit the Contact
Honors Program Honors Program
Website Location: Building I, Room
2121
Overview of the Honors
Program Address:Jennifer E. N.
Wunder
Honors Program Student
Learning Outcomes
Honors Program Director
GGC Honors Program Phone: 678-480-2146
Admission Policy
Honors Program Email: honorsprogram@gg
Expectations and c.edu
Requirements
REFERENCES
Achterberg, C. (2005). "What is an honors student?”. Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council --Online
Archive. Paper 170. 75-84 http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nchcjournal/170

Aydelotte, F. (1944). Breaking the academic lock step: The development of honors work in American colleges and
universities. New York: Harper & Brothers.

Brimeyer, T. M., Schueths, A. M., & Smith, W. L. (2014). Who benefits from honors: An empirical analysis of honors
and non-honors students' backgrounds, academic attitudes, and behaviors. Journal of the National Collegiate
Honors Council, 15(1), 69-78.

Clauss, J. J., (2011). "The benefits of honors education for all college students". Journal of the National Collegiate
Honors Council - -Online Archive. Paper 326. 95-100. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nchcjournal/326

The National Commission on Excellence in Education. (1983). A nation at risk. Washington, DC: US Department of
Education.

Greenfield, G. M., Keup, J. R., & Gardner, J. N. (2013). Developing and Sustaining Successful First-year Programs: A
Guide for Practitioners. John Wiley & Sons.

Hayes, E.; Clancy, T.; Cherney, I.; Martin, D.J.; Bowie, T.; & Miller, N. (2011). "Honors programs best practices: Le
Moyne College, Gonzaga University, Creighton University, Rockhurst University, Regis University, and Loyola
University Maryland," Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education, 39(15), 41-42. Retrieved from
http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol39/iss1/15

Kaczvinsky, D. (2007). What is an honors student? A Noel-Levitz survey. Journal of the National Collegiate Honors
Council--Online Archive, Paper 49. 87-96. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nchcjournal/49

Kuh, G. D., Kinzie, J., Schuh, J. H., & Whitt, E. J. (2011). Student success in college: Creating conditions that matter.
Chicago: John Wiley & Sons.

Kuh, G. D. (2008). Excerpt from High-Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and
Why They Matter. Association of American Colleges and Universities.

Long, E. C., & Lange, S. (2002). An exploratory study: A comparison of honors and nonhonors students. The
National Honors Report, 23(1), 20-30.
REFERENCES
National Collegiate Honors Council. (2014). NCHC Institutional Database and 2012 Member Institution Survey
Summary. Retrieved from http://nchchonors.org/research/2012-Survey-Summary-Table-June-27-2014.pdf

National Collegiate Honors Council. (n.d.) Definition of honors education. Retrieved from
http://nchchonors.org/faculty-directors/definition-of-honors-education/

Neihart, M., Reis, S. M., Robinson, N. M., & Moon, S. M. (2002). Social and emotional development of gifted
children: What do we know?. Naperville: Sourcebooks.

Neumeister, K. L. S. (2004). Factors influencing the development of perfectionism in gifted college students. Gifted
Child Quarterly, 48(4), 259-274.

Owens, D., & Travis, J. E. (2013). College and university honors programs in the southern United States. FOCUS on
Colleges, Universities & Schools, 7(1), 1-7.

Rice, K. G., Leever, B. A., Christopher, J., & Porter, J. D. (2006). Perfectionism, stress, and social (dis) connection: A
short-term study of hopelessness, depression, and academic adjustment among honors students. Journal of
Counseling Psychology, 53(4), 524-540.

Rinn, A. N. (2003). Rhodes scholarships, Frank Aydelotte, and college honors education. Journal of the National
College Honors Council, 4(1), 27-39.

Rinn, A.N. (2006). "Major forerunners to honors education at the collegiate level" Journal of the National Collegiate
Honors Council --Online Archive. Paper 17, 63-84.

Scager, K., Akkerman, S. F., Keesen, F., Mainhard, M. T., Pilot, A., & Wubbels, T. (2012). Do honors students have
more potential for excellence in their professional lives?. Higher Education, 64(1), 19-39.

Siegle, D., Rubenstein, L. D., Pollard, E., & Romey, E. (2009). Exploring the relationship of college freshmen honors
students’ effort and ability attribution, interest, and implicit theory of intelligence with perceived ability. Gifted
Child Quarterly, 13(1), 27-40.

Shushok Jr, F. (2006). Student outcomes and honors programs: A longitudinal study of 172 honors students
2000-2004. Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council--Online Archive, Paper 15. 85-96.
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nchcjournal/15