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Goldwater Scholar Profiles: LSU Honors College

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Editor’s Note: This is another in a series about 2014 Goldwater scholars who are also undergraduates in public university honors colleges or programs.  The following post is from LSU news….

Two LSU Honors College students, Brandon Oubre and Paxton Turner, have been named 2014 Barry M. Goldwater Scholars. Two other LSU Honors students, Rachael Keller and Paul Koenig, were selected as Honorable Mentions by the prestigious scholarship competition.

“The Honors College is exceptionally proud of these students for earning such impressive recognition on a national stage,” said LSU Honors College Dean Nancy Clark. “Their outstanding scholastic achievements in science, math and engineering are a credit to themselves and the university as a whole, and this is further proof of the academic excellence of LSU.”

LSU Honors Students Receive 2014 Goldwater Scholarships

From left to right, Brandon Oubre, Paul Koenig, Paxton Turner, and Rachael Keller

Honors College junior Brandon Oubre, a LaSTEM scholar, is pursuing a double major in Computer Science and Mathematics. He is currently working in LSU’s Robotics Research Lab on the creation of a low-cost robot that can be used in the classroom to provide students with hands-on electronics and programming experience. He is also working on a collaboration between Microsoft and LSU to develop a geometry tutoring web application system. He plans to obtain a Ph.D. in Computer Science and is interested in conducting research on robotics for an academic or government organization.

Paxton Turner is also an Honors College junior and is pursuing a major in Mathematics. He is currently researching an Honors Thesis on cluster algebras with Dr. Milen Yakimov in LSU’s Department of Mathematics. Paxton has previously received National Science Foundation funding (through the Research Experience for Undergraduates program) to research cluster algebras and graph theory at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He intends to pursue a Ph.D. in Pure Mathematics and ultimately hopes to conduct research in number theory and combinatorics, and teach at the university level.

Rachael Keller is a junior in the Honors College and is pursuing a major in Mathematical Sciences. She plans to research coal-combustion processes with a goal of producing pollutant-dispersal models that can be used to inform policy makers on the environmental impact of various energy-extraction methods. She hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Studies with a Masters in Public Policy.

Paul Koenig is a sophomore at the Honors College and is pursuing a major in Chemistry. His research interests include experimental organic chemistry—specifically the synthesis of novel, useful molecules—and to that end plans to pursue a Ph.D. in organic chemistry. He hopes to teach chemistry at the university level.

This is the third year in a row that all of LSU’s candidates nominated to the competition were recognized by the Goldwater Foundation. All of the nominees worked closely with their faculty research mentors and the LSU Honors College Office of Fellowship Advising throughout the application process.

“We are incredibly proud of Brandon, Paxton, Rachael, and Paul,” said Dr. Drew Lamonica Arms, Director of Fellowship Advising at the Honors College. “This national recognition is a testament to the students’ initiative and to the outstanding undergraduate research that is happening at LSU. We hope their success encourages other students to pursue national fellowships and awards. Congratulations to all four!”

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Senator Barry Goldwater, who served his country for 56 years as a soldier and statesmen, including 30 years of service in the US Senate. The Foundation’s mission is to assist undergraduate students in becoming professional scientists, mathematicians, and engineers. To that end, its scholarships provide one and two-year $7500 stipends to sophomore and junior undergraduate students pursuing research in these fields. Goldwater Scholarships are widely considered one of the most prestigious undergraduate awards available to students of the sciences.

Goldwater Scholar Profiles: Iowa State Honors Program

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Editor’s Note: This is another in our series on 2014 Goldwater scholars who are undergraduates in public university honors colleges or programs.  The following piece is from Iowa State University….

 

AMES, Iowa — Four Iowa State University Honors students have received Goldwater Scholarships, the nation’s premier undergraduate scholarship in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.

Iowa State’s University Honors Program, which coordinates nominations and applications, announced the scholarships today. They are awarded by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation.

A total of 283 Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,166 applicants nationwide. The Iowa State students are:

  • Jacob William Harry, a senior in aerospace engineering from Clive, who plans to pursue a Ph.D. and conduct research in advanced spacecraft propulsion.
  • Thomas Ray Knief, a senior in physics from Cedar Falls, who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in condensed matter physics and conduct research in materials science.
  • William Robin Lindemann, a senior in materials science engineering and mathematics from Champaign, Ill., who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and conduct research in and teach advanced ceramics.
  • Rachel Liana Philiph, a senior in materials science engineering from Wildwood, Mo., who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and conduct research on biological applications of polymers in a collaborative environment.

“This is the first time we’ve had four Goldwaters,” said Dana Schumacher, Honors Program assistant director for scholarship and research. “It demonstrates the quality of ISU’s academic programs and the university’s dedication to undergraduate research.”

Schumacher said universities can nominate up to four candidates for the national competition. ISU’s candidates are selected through an on-campus competition.

“It makes this year’s 100 percent success all the sweeter,” she said.

The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established in 1986. The scholarship program honoring Senator Barry Goldwater was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue research careers in the fields of mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.

The one- and two-year undergraduate scholarships will cover the cost of tuition fees, books and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.

– See more at: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2014/03/25/goldwaters#sthash.tP2IFAIv.dpuf

AMES, Iowa — Four Iowa State University Honors students have received Goldwater Scholarships, the nation’s premier undergraduate scholarship in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.

Iowa State’s University Honors Program, which coordinates nominations and applications, announced the scholarships today. They are awarded by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation.

A total of 283 Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,166 applicants nationwide. The Iowa State students are:

  • Jacob William Harry, a senior in aerospace engineering from Clive, who plans to pursue a Ph.D. and conduct research in advanced spacecraft propulsion.
  • Thomas Ray Knief, a senior in physics from Cedar Falls, who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in condensed matter physics and conduct research in materials science.
  • William Robin Lindemann, a senior in materials science engineering and mathematics from Champaign, Ill., who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and conduct research in and teach advanced ceramics.
  • Rachel Liana Philiph, a senior in materials science engineering from Wildwood, Mo., who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and conduct research on biological applications of polymers in a collaborative environment.

“This is the first time we’ve had four Goldwaters,” said Dana Schumacher, Honors Program assistant director for scholarship and research. “It demonstrates the quality of ISU’s academic programs and the university’s dedication to undergraduate research.”

Schumacher said universities can nominate up to four candidates for the national competition. ISU’s candidates are selected through an on-campus competition.

“It makes this year’s 100 percent success all the sweeter,” she said.

The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established in 1986. The scholarship program honoring Senator Barry Goldwater was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue research careers in the fields of mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.

The one- and two-year undergraduate scholarships will cover the cost of tuition fees, books and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.

– See more at: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2014/03/25/goldwaters#sthash.tP2IFAIv.dpuf

AMES, Iowa — Four Iowa State University Honors students have received Goldwater Scholarships, the nation’s premier undergraduate scholarship in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.

Iowa State’s University Honors Program, which coordinates nominations and applications, announced the scholarships today. They are awarded by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation.

A total of 283 Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,166 applicants nationwide. The Iowa State students are:

  • Jacob William Harry, a senior in aerospace engineering from Clive, who plans to pursue a Ph.D. and conduct research in advanced spacecraft propulsion.
  • Thomas Ray Knief, a senior in physics from Cedar Falls, who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in condensed matter physics and conduct research in materials science.
  • William Robin Lindemann, a senior in materials science engineering and mathematics from Champaign, Ill., who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and conduct research in and teach advanced ceramics.
  • Rachel Liana Philiph, a senior in materials science engineering from Wildwood, Mo., who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and conduct research on biological applications of polymers in a collaborative environment.

“This is the first time we’ve had four Goldwaters,” said Dana Schumacher, Honors Program assistant director for scholarship and research. “It demonstrates the quality of ISU’s academic programs and the university’s dedication to undergraduate research.”

Schumacher said universities can nominate up to four candidates for the national competition. ISU’s candidates are selected through an on-campus competition.

“It makes this year’s 100 percent success all the sweeter,” she said.

The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established in 1986. The scholarship program honoring Senator Barry Goldwater was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue research careers in the fields of mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.

The one- and two-year undergraduate scholarships will cover the cost of tuition fees, books and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.

– See more at: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2014/03/25/goldwaters#sthash.tP2IFAIv.dpuf

AMES, Iowa — Four Iowa State University Honors students have received Goldwater Scholarships, the nation’s premier undergraduate scholarship in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.

Iowa State’s University Honors Program, which coordinates nominations and applications, announced the scholarships today. They are awarded by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation.

A total of 283 Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,166 applicants nationwide. The Iowa State students are:

  • Jacob William Harry, a senior in aerospace engineering from Clive, who plans to pursue a Ph.D. and conduct research in advanced spacecraft propulsion.
  • Thomas Ray Knief, a senior in physics from Cedar Falls, who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in condensed matter physics and conduct research in materials science.
  • William Robin Lindemann, a senior in materials science engineering and mathematics from Champaign, Ill., who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and conduct research in and teach advanced ceramics.
  • Rachel Liana Philiph, a senior in materials science engineering from Wildwood, Mo., who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and conduct research on biological applications of polymers in a collaborative environment.

“This is the first time we’ve had four Goldwaters,” said Dana Schumacher, Honors Program assistant director for scholarship and research. “It demonstrates the quality of ISU’s academic programs and the university’s dedication to undergraduate research.”

Schumacher said universities can nominate up to four candidates for the national competition. ISU’s candidates are selected through an on-campus competition.

“It makes this year’s 100 percent success all the sweeter,” she said.

The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established in 1986. The scholarship program honoring Senator Barry Goldwater was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue research careers in the fields of mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.

The one- and two-year undergraduate scholarships will cover the cost of tuition fees, books and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.

– See more at: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2014/03/25/goldwaters#sthash.tP2IFAIv.dpuf

Goldwater Scholar Profiles: Maryland Honors College

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Editor’s Note:  This is one in a series of profiles of 2014 Goldwater scholars who are undergraduates in public university honors colleges or programs.  The following piece is by Abby Robinson of the University of Maryland….

Three University of Maryland students have been awarded scholarships by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, which encourages students to pursue advanced study and careers in the sciences, engineering and mathematics. A fourth student received honorable mention.

UMD juniors Geoffrey Ji, Michael Mandler and Rafael Setra were among the 283 Barry Goldwater Scholars selected from 1,166 students nominated nationally this year. Junior Daniel Farias received honorable mention. The four students, who are all members of the UMD Honors College, plan to pursue doctoral degrees in their areas of study and to become university professors.

2014 University of Maryland Goldwater Scholars (l-r): Geoffrey Ji, Michael Mandler and Rafael Setra

2014 University of Maryland Goldwater Scholars (l-r): Geoffrey Ji, Michael Mandler and Rafael Setra

Ji—who is majoring in physics, mathematics, economics and computer science—has been conducting quantum science research for two years in the laboratory of Chris Monroe, Bice Zorn Professor of Physics.

“Geoffrey has almost single-handedly outfitted advanced digital and analog electronic control circuits, in addition to writing impressive computer code that will soon be adopted by most of our other projects,” said Monroe.

Ji also conducted theoretical nuclear physics research with Paulo Bedaque, associate professor of physics, which resulted in co-authorship of a peer-reviewed publication in the journal Physical Review D.

Mandler, a double major in chemistry and biological sciences, published a first-author peer-reviewed paper in the journal Organic Letters in January 2014. This paper joins three other peer-reviewed publications on which Mandler is a co-author. For his research, Mandler develops novel synthesis pathways for organic catalysts that may reduce the time and/or cost of their commercial production for drug development and other applications.

“Michael is one of the most talented undergraduate students that I have mentored in my 46-year career, and that would place him among past undergraduate students who are now internationally known professors at top-ranked universities and colleges, as well as those who are prominent executives in industry,” said Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor Michael Doyle, who is Mandler’s mentor.

Setra, a double major in mathematics and electrical engineering, conducts research with Thomas Murphy, electrical and computer engineering professor and director of the Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics; Rajarshi Roy, physics professor and director of the Institute for Physical Science and Technology; and Wojciech Czaja, mathematics professor.  Setra placed second nationally in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology in 2010.

“The project we gave to Rafael was related to overcoming a nonlinear signal scattering problem that is pervasive in optical fibers, and the project was in a research direction that had never been previously tested or initiated,” said Murphy. “In the span of just 10 weeks, Rafael taught himself about fiber optic instrumentation, measurement automation, splicing, and spectrometry, and he designed, purchased and constructed an experiment to test his hypotheses.”

2014 University of Maryland Goldwater honorable mention recipient Daniel Farias

2014 University of Maryland Goldwater honorable mention recipient Daniel Farias

Honorable mention recipient Farias is a triple major in computer science, electrical engineering, and mathematics. He has conducted research projects with Daniel Butts, assistant professor of biology, and Neil Spring, associate professor in computer science with an appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies. With Butts, Farias adapted a model that was developed to describe neural signal processing in the visual midbrain to work in the auditory midbrain.

The Goldwater Scholarship program was created in 1986 to identify students of outstanding ability and promise in science, engineering and mathematics, and to encourage their pursuit of advanced study and research careers. The Goldwater Foundation has honored 47 University of Maryland winners since the program’s first award was given in 1989. Prior Goldwater scholars and nominees from UMD have continued their impressive academic and research pursuits at leading institutions around the world and have garnered additional recognition as:

    • National Science Foundation graduate research fellows
    • Gates Cambridge and Churchill Scholars (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)
    • A Clarendon Fund Scholar (University of Oxford, United Kingdom)

Colleges and universities may submit up to four nominations annually for these awards. Goldwater scholars receive one- or two-year scholarships that cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to $7,500 per year. These scholarships are a stepping-stone to future support for their research careers.

 

 

Honors Programs+STEM Majors=Goldwater Scholars

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Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of posts on the value of Goldwater scholarships for undergraduates.  Future posts will include profiles of honors students from many universities, all of whom earned Goldwater scholarships in 2014.

Our interest in Goldwater scholars “stems,” so to speak, from the conviction that public university honors students who win the awards affirm that their typically large institutions can nevertheless provide excellent, individualized instruction and research opportunities for undergraduates, while serving the national need for outstanding STEM graduates.

Goldwater scholars earn a $7,500 scholarship to help them complete their undergraduate education.  The Goldwater award is undoubtedly the most prestigious undergraduate award.  Public university students earned more than half of the 281 awards in 2014.  Many Goldwater Scholars go on to earn Rhodes, Marshall, Gates Cambridge, Churchill, or Truman awards when they graduate.  Those and others also compete strongly for National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research fellowships to further their studies for advanced degrees.

Our view that public honors colleges and programs enjoy a significant relationship with Goldwater achievement is based on our analysis of Goldwater winners who attend one of the public universities we have reviewed, or will review in a new book to be published later this year.

A total of 90 students from these universities won Goldwater scholarships in 2014, and 71 of those students (79%) were in honors colleges or programs.  What is remarkable about this is that some STEM students, especially those in engineering, might be tempted to shy away from honors programs because the basic requirements of their majors are so rigorous to begin with.  But, increasingly, honors colleges and programs are emphasizing undergraduate research and mentoring that can give honors students more access to top researchers.

Notably, scholars from nineteen universities with multiple winners were all honors students: Alabama, ASU, Clemson, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa State, LSU, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, South Carolina, U at Buffalo, and Vermont.  Delaware, NC State, and Oklahoma each had two winners, with three total apiece.

 

 



National Science Foundation Graduate Research Grants 2014: Public University Leaders

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With the national interest so focused on developing talent in the STEM disciplines and the “hard” social sciences (e.g., economics, behavioral sciences), we have been tracking the number of National Science Foundation Graduate Research Grants awarded to universities during the last four years.

Public university leaders in NSF grants are listed below.

NSF graduate research grants are among the most prestigious and valuable awards given to outstanding students.  They also indicate the quality of faculty and facilities and the degree of attention and mentoring that may be available to high-achieving undergraduate researchers.

“Fellows share in the prestige and opportunities that become available when they are selected.  Fellows benefit from a three-year annual stipend of $32,000 along with a $12,000 cost of education allowance for tuition and fees, opportunities for international research and professional development, and the freedom to conduct their own research at any accredited U.S. institution of graduate education they choose.

“NSF Fellows are anticipated to become knowledge experts who can contribute significantly to research, teaching, and innovations in science and engineering. These individuals are crucial to maintaining and advancing the nation’s technological infrastructure and national security as well as contributing to the economic well-being of society at large.”

Public University leaders in NSF grants, 2014:

UC Berkeley–60

Maryland–34

UCLA–29

UC San Diego–29

Florida–28

Illinois–27

Washington–26

UT Austin–24

Michigan–23

Georgia Tech–19

NC State–17

North Carolina–17

Minnesota–16

Rutgers–16

Wisconsin–16

Virginia–15

Arizona–13

Colorado–13

Indiana–13

Nebraska–13

Ohio State–13

Penn State–13

Texas A&M–13

Clemson–12

Missouri–12

Pitt–12

Michigan State–11

Arizona State–10

Arkansas–9

Massachusetts–9

South Carolina–9

UC Irvine–9

UC Santa Barbara–9

 

Ohio U Honors Tutorial Grad Hits the Big Time in Sports Journalism at Age 25

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You may know the name Allie LaForce, especially if  you’re a sports fan.  Current a co-host of “Lead Off,” the nightly talk show on the CBS Sports Network, LaForce, only 25, was only a very few years ago a point guard on the Ohio University basketball team.

But her basketball days at Ohio U came after she was Miss Teen USA…after she was the valedictorian of her high school class in Vermilion, Ohio… after she was a model in New York… and after she was a guest star on a soap opera.

And another big thing came along after all those accomplishments: LaForce studied broadcast journalism as a member of the highly selective Honors Tutorial College at Ohio University, an elite group of students with an average SAT score of 1380.  Just another pretty face, hardly.

“LaForce graduated in 2011 from the Honors Tutorial College with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism,” according to Ohio U.  “She then became a reporter and anchor for Fox 8 in Cleveland….LaForce had also worked as a sideline reporter for the NCAA Tournament and has also been the halftime host and sideline reporter for the Sun Bowl.

As a sideline reporter during a Colts-Patriot NFL game, “LaForce was reported to be ‘killing it in her pieces every time CBS shot down to the sidelines for a report’ by Fansided, an independent online sports network.”

To learn more about Allie LaForce, check out an interview filmed with her last year on campus at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwq3U-gpfFw#t=139.

Goldwater Scholars 2014: Iowa State, Purdue, UW Madison Lead Banner Year for Public Universities

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Each year, we provide an update of Goldwater scholarships won by public university students, and 2014 was a banner year: 149 of the 283 scholarships awarded this year went to outstanding scholars from 84 public universities.

We provide this update because Goldwater scholars are all still undergraduates, and their selection is an indication of the undergraduate research opportunities at their universities.

Iowa State, Purdue, and UW Madison led all public institutions with four Goldwater scholars each.  Another sixteen public universities had three scholars: Arizona State, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts Amherst, Montana State, New Hampshire, NC State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Rutgers, South Florida, Western Kentucky, and West Virginia.  Since 2008, Western Kentucky students have won 18 Goldwater scholarships.

“The Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,166 mathematics, science, and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. One hundred seventy-two of the Scholars are men, 111 are women, and virtually all intend to obtain a Ph.D. as their degree objective. Twenty-two Scholars are mathematics majors, 191 are science and related majors, 63 are majoring in engineering, and 7 are computer science majors. Many of the Scholars have dual majors in a variety of mathematics, science, engineering, and computer disciplines.

“The one and two year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.

“Goldwater Scholars have very impressive academic qualifications that have garnered the attention of prestigious post-graduate fellowship programs. Recent Goldwater Scholars have been awarded 80 Rhodes Scholarships, 117 Marshall Awards, 112 Churchill Scholarships, and numerous other distinguished fellowships such as the National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships.”

Bloomberg Business Week: Top Undergraduate Programs 2014

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The 2014 Bloomberg Business Week Top Undergrad Programs list is out, and 21 of the top 50 business schools are at public universities.  For the second year in a row, Notre Dame was number 1 and UVA was number 2.

Student and recruiter surveys have a major impact on the Bloomberg rankings, while the U.S. News rankings of undergrad business schools depend heavily on feedback from deans.  The Bloomberg rankings can vary significantly year to year, primarily because of the responses of employers and recruiters.  About 250 employers responded this year, and about 28,000 students participated, a response rate of about 33 percent.

Bloomberg considers SAT scores, student/faculty ratio, class size, internships, and hours spent on classwork to determine the academic quality of a program.

The Bloomberg rankings include test scores and, more importantly to many, median starting salaries, teaching “grade,” and placement rates.  All of the top 12 programs listed below have A+ placement rates except Washington U St. Louis (A).   Miami OH, Penn State, Ohio State, Georgia Tech, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Georgia also have A+ placement rates.

All of the public programs in the top 50 have median starting salaries of $50k or more, with UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce leading the way with $70,000 (tied with Penn’s Wharton School).

Here are the top 50, according to Business Week:

1. Notre Dame

2. UVA

3. Cornell

4. Boston College

5. Washington Univ

6. UT Austin

7. Penn

8. Indiana

9. Emory

10. North Carolina

11. Wake Forest

12. Michigan

13. Brigham Young

14. NYU

15. UC Berkeley

16. Richmond

17. Carnegie Mellon

18. Georgetown

19. Northeastern

20. Bentley

21. SMU

22. William & Mary

23. Boston Univ

24. Villanova

25. Miami OH

26. Babson

27. TCU

28. USC

29. Texas A&M

30. Penn State

31. Lehigh

32. Ohio State

33. Wisconsin

34. Illinois

35. RPI

36. UMass

37. Georgia Tech

38. Fordham

39. Maryland

40. James Madison

41. Univ of San Diego

42. Michigan State

43. Santa Clara

44. Florida

45. Elon

46. Minnesota

47. Loyola

48. Georgia

49. Bryant

50. Case Western

Lumosity: The 25 “Smartest” Public Universities

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The latest Lumosity ranking of the smartest universities is based on more than 70,000 student results on a battery of tests designed to measure cognitive ability in the following areas: attention, flexibility, memory, problem solving, and speed.  Students from more than 450 institutions participated.

Attention and memory scores correlate to a lesser extent than the other areas to SAT performance, but the other area scores correlate more closely with the crystallized math and verbal knowledge measured by the SAT.  Universities had to have at least 50 student participants to qualify for consideration; therefore, small schools such as Caltech were not included.  All of the top 14 schools were highly selective private institutions.  The rankings vary considerably from the previous year’s rankings.

The top ten schools were Washington U; MIT; Princeton; Northwestern; Carnegie Mellon; Chicago; Rice; Harvard; Yale; and Dartmouth. The rankings include liberal arts colleges (Oberlin, Wheaton, Colgate, etc.)

Below are the 25 public universities whose students had the best overall performance on the cognitive tests, in rank order, with the overall ranking in parentheses.

1. Virginia (15)

2. William & Mary (19)

3. UC San Diego (23)

4. Georgia Tech (23)

5. UC Berkeley (31)

6. Colorado School of Mines (36)

7. North Carolina Chapel Hill (38)

8. College of New Jersey (41)

9. Michigan (44)

10. UT Austin (47)

11. Pitt (51)

12. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (57)

12. UC Irvine (61)

12. UCLA (61)

12. Wisconsin (61)

12. Kansas (61)

17. Connecticut (65)

17. Binghamton (65)

19. Illinois (67)

20. SUNY Geneseo (68)

20. UC Santa Barbara (68)

20. Washington (68)

23. Minnesota (71)

24. Virginia Tech (73)

24. UC Davis (77)

 

 

 

 

Choosing an Honors Program: Twenty Questions to Ask

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We have noticed that many students apply to prominent public universities and then, almost as an afterthought, begin to wonder if the honors program at University A makes that school a better choice than regular admission to the higher-ranked University B.

A far better way to look at honors is to evaluate programs in some depth at the earliest stages of the college application process.  Otherwise, students realize too late that the honors application or scholarship deadlines have already passed, or find themselves searching for anecdotal evidence with little time to spare.

Honors colleges and programs differ greatly in size, quality, curricula, housing, overall philosophy, and financial aid opportunities.  Working through the maze of differences can be a daunting prospect, especially when time is an issue.   When it comes to honors programs, many of the most important questions can be answered only by consideration of those all-important “details.”  Below are twenty steps that should be very useful in helping you make the best decision regardless of whether you want a public or private university honors program:

1. Match basic admission requirements with your test scores, GPA, and essays.

2. Request actual average admission statistics.  These may vary greatly from basic (minimum) requirements.  In general, honors students will have average test scores 6-10% higher than the 25th percentile of accepted students for the university as a whole.  The 25th percentile scores are available from U.S. News and other sources.  If there is a wide gap between the basic and average stats, and your stats are much closer to the basic stats, then you can probably find a better option.  That said, if the admissions requirements are more holistic and less stats-driven, you may be fine.

3. Determine the size of the honors program (mean size in major public universities is ~1,700, but programs may be as small as 140 or as large as 6,000).

4. Ask the fish-to-pond question: Are honors students big fish in a small pond or is the pond full of sizable fish?  The more selective the university as a whole, the bigger all the fish.   Some parents and prospective students might prefer an honors program that stands apart on campus, while others might like a program that is more expansive.  Perhaps if you are not sold on the overall quality of the university, you might choose the former; if you think the university as a whole has a strong student body or you simply prefer a non-elitist atmosphere, then you might like the latter.

5. Assess the quality of the city, surrounding area, and climate.

6. Determine the curriculum requirements as a percentage of graduation requirements. Generally, the number of honors hours should be at least 25% of the total required for graduation.

7. Determine the number of honors sections per semester/quarter.

8. Evaluate the reputation of university in preferred or likely areas of study.

9. Ask whether there are special research opportunities for undergrads and if an honors thesis is required.

10. Ask about staff size, the number of advisers, and availability to students, as well as special freshmen orientation programs.

If the above check out, then:

1.  Ask about the number of honors sections, by discipline, per semester or quarter and try to verify; determine the average enrollment in honors seminars and sections.  The average class size can vary greatly among honors programs, from fewer than 10 students per class to more than 35.  Most seminars and all-honors sections should have around 25 students or fewer, although in almost every case you will find that there are a few large classes, notably in first-year sciences and economics.  Some honors programs have few or no honors courses in certain disciplines.

2.  Ask about the types of honors sections: all-honors seminars; all-honors sections offered by honors or a department; “mixed” sections of honors and non-honors students; and the percentage of honors contract/option/conversion courses per average student at time of graduation.

Mixed sections may be small or, more often, large sections that can have more than 100 total students in 3-4 credit hour courses.  Of these students, maybe 10-20 could be honors students, who then meet for one hour a week (rarely, two hours a week) in separate “discussion” or “recitation” sections.  These sections can be led by tenured professors but are typically led by adjunct faculty or graduate students.  Ask how many sections are mixed, and of these, ask how many of the main section classes are large.

Contract courses are regular–and often larger–sections with both honors and non-honors students, mostly the latter, in which honors students do extra work or have their own discussion sections.  While most programs have some contract courses, they are generally more prevalent in large honors colleges and programs.  There are advantages and disadvantages associated with contract courses.  They can speed graduation, offer more flexibility, expand the influence of honors in the university as a whole, and foster contacts with mentoring faculty. But their quality and size may vary greatly.

3. Ask about tuition discounts, scholarships, continuing financial aid, including special recruitment of national merit scholars.

4. Determine if there is priority registration for honors students and, if so, type of priority registration.

5. Research the types of special honors housing for freshmen and upperclassmen, if any, including basic floor plans, on-site laundry, suite or corridor-style rooms, air-conditioning, location of nearest dining hall, proximity of major classroom buildings (especially in preferred disciplines), and availability of shuttles and other transportation on campus. If there is no special honors housing, it is often a sign that the honors program does not want to foster the big fish in a small pond atmosphere.  The absence of priority registration may be an additional sign.

6. Research the study-abroad opportunities; some universities have a separate division for study-abroad programs.

7. Ask about the presence and involvement of advisers for prestigious scholarships, such as Goldwater, Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, etc., and program success in achieving these awards.

8.  Ask about additional fees for participation in honors and ask about the percentage of honors “completers.”  These are honors students who actually complete all of the honors requirements and graduate with some form of honors.  There are many programs that have completion rates as low as 25% and a few with completion rates higher than 80%.  (This is different from the graduation rate, which, for freshmen honors entrants, is anywhere from 79%–99% after six years.)

9. Now, try to assess the quality of the honors program versus quality of university as a whole.

10. VISIT the college if you have not done so and try to question current honors students.  Some of the information mentioned above can only come from a personal visit or be learned after a student has been accepted.