ACC Honors Program

ACC Honors Program

For Questions or Comments, contact: honors@austincc.edu

ACC ACCENT

ACC Honors Program shows seven-fold growth

By Laura Alanis

Every year thousands of students from Austin Community College apply to four-year academic institutions like Texas State University, formerly known as Southwest Texas, and the University of Texas at Austin.

In 2001, ACC launched an honors program, which now helps hundreds of students transfer to four-year institutions.

Dr. Judy Sanders, honors program chairman, said the transfer rate of students to four-year colleges is good, with a lot of honors students transferring to Texas State University. An agreement between the ACC Honors Department and the college allows ACC honor students to enter TSU’s honor program.

UT and ACC officials are currently in the process of negotiating an agreement that would give automatic admission to ACC honors students who apply to UT, Sheldon Ekland-Olson, UT executive vice-president and provost, said. Honors students would have to meet certain requirements such as a minimum grade point average and maintain a good record.

Ekland-Olson said the proposal between ACC and UT is “still on the drawing board,” with no agreement yet reached. Amanda Wilder, a photography and nursing student at ACC, said if the proposal does pass, she definitely would try to enroll in honors classes.

“It would be a good incentive to try and could help make up for past mistakes,” she said

Both Sanders and Ekland-Olson said they feel that the program could benefit both institutions. Ekland-Olson said it is not only an opportunity for the colleges, but the students as well.

“I love it [the proposal], it was my idea,” said Ekland-Olson. “It’s a great way for two institutions to hook up and a great opportunity to give students.”

Sanders said the honors program started with about 80 students in 2001 and is now at approximately 550 students in 2003. The program has had a nearly seven-fold increase in two years.

ACC’s Honors Program also helps students obtain jobs, because students can tell perspective employers that the classes they have taken were honors courses, said Sanders. The requirements for admission to the honors program includes meeting one of the following criteria: top 10 percent of high school graduating class, have a cumulative high school grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, have a cumulative college grade point average of 3.25 or higher, or have a SAT score of 1170 or higher or ACT score of 26 or higher.

ACC’s Honors Program offers a variety of core curriculum classes that will transfer to any four-year institution. Some of the classes being offered for the spring semester include a British Literature course titled “God, Love, and War;” an introductory Biology class focusing on the “Unity of Life;” and, the honors program’s first distance learning class, an English Composition I course - “Growing Up: A Southern Experience.”

Dr. Dan Grangaard, an honor’s psychology instructor, said an advantage to honor classes is that they “are small classes allowing increased discussion.” The increased discussion is allowable since students can study certain topics on their own.

“The differences between honor classes and regular classes are the class size and the more intellectual discussion that goes on,” Grangaard said. “There is more emphasis on developing written communication skills than oral skills.”

Grangaard said honor students want to make good grades, but take honors classes for the more in-depth social interaction. In the last year he said he has seen an increase in the overall intellectual performance and competence of honor students and believes the trend will continue.

“ACC students are very refreshing and have a great work ethic,” Grangaard said. “I would love to see more high quality students in honor classes.”

For information on the Honors Program or an application contact Dr. Judy Sanders or visit the website www.austincc.edu/honors.

	ACC Honors Program
For Questions or Comments, contact: honors@austincc.edu
		ACC ACCENT ACC Honors Program shows seven-fold growth By Laura Alanis
		Every year thousands of students from Austin Community College apply to four-year academic institutions like Texas State University, formerly known as Southwest Texas, and the University of Texas at Austin. In 2001, ACC launched an honors program, which now helps hundreds of students transfer to four-year institutions. Dr. Judy Sanders, honors program chairman, said the transfer rate of students to four-year colleges is good, with a lot of honors students transferring to Texas State University. An agreement between the ACC Honors Department and the college allows ACC honor students to enter TSU’s honor program. UT and ACC officials are currently in the process of negotiating an agreement that would give automatic admission to ACC honors students who apply to UT, Sheldon Ekland-Olson, UT executive vice-president and provost, said. Honors students would have to meet certain requirements such as a minimum grade point average and maintain a good record. Ekland-Olson said the proposal between ACC and UT is “still on the drawing board,” with no agreement yet reached. Amanda Wilder, a photography and nursing student at ACC, said if the proposal does pass, she definitely would try to enroll in honors classes. “It would be a good incentive to try and could help make up for past mistakes,” she said Both Sanders and Ekland-Olson said they feel that the program could benefit both institutions. Ekland-Olson said it is not only an opportunity for the colleges, but the students as well. “I love it [the proposal], it was my idea,” said Ekland-Olson. “It’s a great way for two institutions to hook up and a great opportunity to give students.”	Sanders said the honors program started with about 80 students in 2001 and is now at approximately 550 students in 2003. The program has had a nearly seven-fold increase in two years. ACC’s Honors Program also helps students obtain jobs, because students can tell perspective employers that the classes they have taken were honors courses, said Sanders. The requirements for admission to the honors program includes meeting one of the following criteria: top 10 percent of high school graduating class, have a cumulative high school grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, have a cumulative college grade point average of 3.25 or higher, or have a SAT score of 1170 or higher or ACT score of 26 or higher. ACC’s Honors Program offers a variety of core curriculum classes that will transfer to any four-year institution. Some of the classes being offered for the spring semester include a British Literature course titled “God, Love, and War;” an introductory Biology class focusing on the “Unity of Life;” and, the honors program’s first distance learning class, an English Composition I course - “Growing Up: A Southern Experience.” Dr. Dan Grangaard, an honor’s psychology instructor, said an advantage to honor classes is that they “are small classes allowing increased discussion.” The increased discussion is allowable since students can study certain topics on their own. “The differences between honor classes and regular classes are the class size and the more intellectual discussion that goes on,” Grangaard said. “There is more emphasis on developing written communication skills than oral skills.” Grangaard said honor students want to make good grades, but take honors classes for the more in-depth social interaction. In the last year he said he has seen an increase in the overall intellectual performance and competence of honor students and believes the trend will continue. “ACC students are very refreshing and have a great work ethic,” Grangaard said. “I would love to see more high quality students in honor classes.” For information on the Honors Program or an application contact Dr. Judy Sanders or visit the website www.austincc.edu/honors.