UB Honors College

The University at Buffalo Honors College is an undergraduate program that provides an enhanced academic experience for well-performing students at UB. Established in 1981 as the UB Honors Program and elevated to Honors College status in 2007, it offers enriched coursework, specialized advising, and a close-knit learning community within the university.

Overview and History

UB's honors education began in 1981, when President Robert Ketter founded the Honors Program with an initial cohort of 17 students. In 2007, UB expanded and rebranded the program as an Honors College, reflecting its growth and broader offerings. The Honors College today occupies the Don Schack Honors Lounge on the first floor of Capen Hall in North Campus, serving as a hub for honors student activities and advising.

Enrollment in the Honors College has grown dramatically. The inaugural class was small, but by 2022 over 1,300 undergraduates were in the program. As of Fall 2023, Honors College enrolls about 1,661 students.

Admissions and Benefits

Admission to UB's Honors College is selective. Incoming freshmen typically need an excellent high school record (historically a top percentile GPA) or other evidence of outstanding talent. Some students are invited upon admission to UB, while others apply separately - including current UB students who can join as sophomores if they excel academically.

Once admitted, Honors scholars receive numerous benefits designed to foster academic success. These include personalized advisement from dedicated Honors advisors, faculty mentorship programs, and specialized living communities (which are optional Honors housing clusters were students live among fellow scholars, such as the Greiner Honors Living Learning Community). More notably, scholars receive access to unique funding opportunities (such as research grants, travel funds for conferences, and special scholarships), as well as priority registration for classes - giving Honors students the first pick at registering for classes, before any other students.

All Honors students must maintain a good academic record - for first-year students entering, this is typically a minimum 3.3 GPA in the first year and a 3.5 GPA thereafter - and for students entering after their first year, this includes a 3.5 GPA each semester and upon graduation. Additionally, first-year honors students must complete 21 additional credits of coursework, while students entering after must complete 16 credits.

Student Experiences

Honors College students often report the experience as a "community within a community." With roughly 500 new students each year and events such as Honors orientations, peer mentoring, and honors student council activities, the college helps a large research university give a smaller community for its higher-achieving members. Many Honors scholars receive UB's top merit awards (such as Presidential Scholarships) and go on to win national fellowships or gain admission to prestigious graduate programs.

However, the Honors College also receives some criticism. There is some debate about the actual benefits - academically, honors courses may be more engaging, but they are also quite a bit of additional work. A frequent question is whether the Honors designation is "worth it," especially due to all of the extra work required. Many respond that the priority registration and access to the Don Schack lounge (although closing at 4 PM, not providing convenient hours) is worthwhile, but others note that one can succeed at UB without being in Honors.