Insider's Guide to General Honors at BU

Stacy:

When I arrived on campus, I was debating whether I wanted to study psychology or communications, so those are the courses I took. It turned out that I wasn't so keen on psychology, but I really liked my communications course and I really liked my professor and I really liked my classmates.

When I went to pick up my final paper on the last day I met my professor in the hall and he told me, "I enjoyed your paper and I think you should consider doing this for a living." To have a college professor say that to me was amazing. It just clicked and I thought, you know, you're right. And after that all I wanted was to come back to BU.

My time in General Honors was a chance to figure out who I was. I felt so good when I was here. I was independent and able to focus on what I wanted, and not required high school courses. This program is a way to find out what you're really interested in.

Micah:

One of the most exciting parts of General Honors is having the opportunity to work with other students who share your academic motivation and interests.

But one of the more practical aspects is simply learning to manage your time and develop good study skills. Because college classes don't meet all day it can feel like you don't have that much to do, when in fact it's important to use time outside of class to read and prepare.

Something I learned during my summer as a high school student was that cramming the night before is not a good strategy. I didn't do well on my first test and I thought it was the end of the world. But it wasn't. And the experience taught me how to study for college-level classes. When I arrived on campus as an undergraduate, I was ready to hit the ground running because I knew exactly what to expect.

Rachel:

Many students have never shared a room with anyone before arriving on campus. They quickly find out that it is terrific fun staying up late talking or playing games or even studying together in groups. In fact, I wish I'd made better use of the great social dynamic in the dorms when I was a high school student.

However, students do have different living habits and preferences and it is really important to find a way to be open with your roommate about the day-to-day realities of living. Like how late is too late to stay up? How clean should the room be kept?

The dorms are your home when you're on campus, so learning how to make them a comfortable space is key to succeeding at college. And that means communicating with your roommate about your needs and expectations, and also respecting their preferences. There is an important give and take, and the sooner you can manage this dynamic, the better off you'll be as a student.

Stacy:

I always tell high school students that General Honors will change their lives completely—whether you find your passion, or whether you find out the Web design or psychology or philosophy is not your cup of tea after all. No matter what you discover, you will see things differently and you will be more prepared to take advantage of college when you get there.

Rachel:

It's such a big step just to get started on college. A lot of students are very nervous about taking their first exam or writing their first paper. I was. But I figured out that my professors were really accessible and helpful, and that sometimes, grades are not the most important thing.

Micah:

General Honors was the single most helpful and memorable experience I had in preparing for college, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is preparing to go to a four-year university.