It's a self-assessment device for prospective honors students. You score it this way:
* agree strongly - 5 pts
* agree - 4 pts
* indifferent or can't decide - 3 pts
* disagree - 2 pts
* disagree strongly - 1 pts
If you score 70 or higher you will enjoy your career in Honors. He also says "no one will score a 100 on this (at least not without multiple personalities)."
Respond to the following statements:
1. I like to read for fun.
2. I can stall on schoolwork but still make an A with a last-minute push.
3. I am goal-oriented and hate to be distracted from achieving what I've set my sights on.
4. My strongest motivations are intrinsic. Some things are worth doing for their own sake.
5. Sometimes I enjoy being alone with my thoughts.
6. Discussing ideas with other people is exciting.
7. I find myself thinking differently from those around me.
8. I am already gathering information about postgraduate education (law schools, med schools, graduate school, etc.).
9. I solve problems more quickly than most people.
10. I enjoy being with friends who are as smart as I am.
11. I can tolerate living with "loose ends" -- unanswered questions, unsolved problems.
12. I would rather take all the classes I'm interested in than graduate early.
13. I want to take classes that challenge me, even if it doesn't mean more money when I graduate.
14. I expect to meet interesting people and be exposed to new ideas in college.
15. I would like to go abroad for study or travel.
16. I enjoy doing projects or research on my own.
17. A good course is one that is an adventure in thinking and that tackles big issues. I would take it even if I weren't guaranteed an A.
18. I'm pretty sure of who I am, even if I haven't chosen a career.
19. Even though I expect to make new friends and participate in extracurricular activities, my top priority in college is learning.
20. I pay attention to current events.
It is really interesting to see this list and think about our current students and myself as an undergrad. Until recently, our honors college admitted student based solely on ACT. Good test scores do not reflect any of these interests. In fact, some of these interests will probably work against a good GPA. I know that many of the honors colleges and programs around the country continue to use GPA/ACT/SAT for their only admittance criteria. I don't fault them for it, because I realize how difficult it is to be objective and fair when trying to admit students. I was part of our honors interview process last year as we started a program deemphasizing ACT scores and I've seen the issues that can arise when trying to determine if one student is 'better' than another. On the other side of the system is the students who are planning on being judged by their GPAs and ACTs. That is how they've been told they can earn all of the things mentioned in the above list, and this does not include parent's expectations. It is a really tough situation, and I'm proud of UCA's honors college for trying to change the system.
I scored high on this test, but I spent most of my time in honors questioning whether or not I belonged there. I've been strongly considering working with honors students, because there are so many ways in which I can relate to them. I understand the concept that any grade other than an A is failing. I've dealt with the desire to find or form the perfect argument. I've struggled with the transition from conversational honors classes to general education courses where current issues are avoided. At the same time, there are still a lot of ways that I don't relate. As an undergrad I was in love with the program, but not all the people it attracted. Then it made me like an outcast, as a professional I worry it will make me feel unappreciated. Fortunately, I think the opportunity to work with people who believe in those honorsesque ideals will outweigh the mistakes students make as they work on maturing.
+321.jpg)
