honors or volunteer

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Hey guys,

You may be tired of me asking for this kind of advice but I just need your input one last time before I finalize my schedule!!!

Ok I have some options for Sept please let me know the best?

I was accepted into the University Honors program. This is different from an honors society I'm told. I was told I'd need 6 honors classes and I'd graduate with honors. It gives chances of better scholarships but afaik not guaranteed (although I am calling the financial aid office on Monday to be sure, but the school doesn't just give money for honors students like some other schools do).

It's just I have a 3.9 gpa and I know students with a 3.4 or less who get a lot of scholarship money for academics (not sports or clubs). I want some extra money!! I also wasn't sure if it would be helpful for a resume? My feedback for honors societies were that it wouldn't really be helpful for a job.

If I do the honors program, I will drop my second major (biology). I couldn't start nursing for 2 years, so I wanted something else to show for it, so that's why I was doing this 2nd degree besides that I love science classes. I was almost done with the requirements.

Another option is: No honors program, keep the biology degree, but volunteer at a children's hospital and work as a peer tutor. I don't think I could do the honors plus that plus my other job (just dog walking..but still it takes up time)

I guess the bottom line of what I'm asking is what will help job chances more: Volunteer and peer tutoring, or graduating with university honors?

Thank you

P.S. I got a reply to volunteer at a children's hospital, with a minimum commitment of only 2-3 hours a week. I think I would benefit from it more than honors but I want to think about what would give me a better resume and maybe scholarship money?

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Specializes in Post Acute, Med/Surg, ED, Nurse Manager.

I will be honest, ten years from now do you employers will look at your resume and say this person did one thing with honnors or wow they have 2 degrees? Also how would a second degree help you...with a bachlors degree already many universities offer an accelerated BSN of nursing. I know the U of W does. Could having already obtained 1 degree prevent you from more FAFSA funding for nursing? Does having 2 degrees open more future possibilities for you?

It sounds like honnor offers scholarships, but a lot of work also. Is there enough return to justify your time investment? Can you meet others honnors students or an advisor and get help weighing it out?

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

Double majoring is not the same as having two degrees. You have one degree, two majors, when you double major.

My advice is to drop the bio major because it will not mean anything, take the honors classes for scholarship money, and volunteer at the children's hospital for work experience, networking, and also potential scholarship money. Volunteering 2-3 hours per week will not interfere with your studies. If you have a particularly bad week with many tests or something, you can always call out and even make up the time on a slow week if necessary. Good luck direwolf!

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Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

Where I went to school, and also where I taught, a person could be in an honors program AND could graduate with honors whether in the honors program or not. Being in the honors program meant honors courses were different than non-honors courses (often more challenging). Students were also treated as if they were ahead of the generic students, but maybe that's just a mind-game in those who are in the program?? The diploma and transcript each had a little notation that the person was in the honors program, but it wasn't very obvious. The honors degree (with honors, magna cum laude or summa cum laude) was more obvious on the diploma and transcript.

I don't see where a degree in biology will benefit you alongside a degree in nursing, in future job-searches. If it's a matter of personal satisfaction, go for it! Volunteering might be more important for networking and experience. Along the way you could get a job as a CNA too.

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Thank you just I am short on time at this moment but wanted to say thanks. Also the biology is purely for my own interest I really enjoy it just like anyone's hobby in anything some people do environmental education I like this. Also I have said before on here but I didn't care anything about my high school subjects so now it's really like I'm interested in learning. So I know bio won't help nursing besides maybe epidemiology. Also if gaining a nursing job proved to be very hard (as in a year search) I could get a lab job while I waited. I hope that won't be the case though.

Well Whispera's suggestion is what I like the best lol. Volunteer and cna work (I can work as a student nurse after this year). The honors program is different from a society which I didn't qualify for. For the society you don't need the harder classes but you need to have come to my school as a freshman or already holding an associate degree. Unfortunately I'm neither.

I hate these posts I make if I sound arrogant. How I feel is more grateful and blessed that I have education opportunities.

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Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

There's an international honor society of nursing you might qualify for, eventually...it's for BSN and above nursing students (you get into it toward the end of your degree and can stay in it for your lifetime)...

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Thanks again. I decided to give up my bio major. Time to grow up and get a better job, maybe a pca in a hospital. I just can't make roughly more than $6,200/year or my financial aid is penalized. That shouldn't be a problem there.

Dropping neurobiology frees Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. (In school all day on Tues and Thurs back to back classes). I'll still be a FT student. I just hate not taking all advantage of it, and filling up all the credits I can take, but I don't see anything else that will really help me for nursing.

My Job chances are just bad though. I've only worked in daycare and dog services so I don't know who will want me. I got cna/pca certified but I in no way feel competent it was a fast program with little clinical experience.

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All I found for no experience was a job for housekeeping in a hospital. Applied. Maybe it will help me get an aid job there if I do well.

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Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

You'll have your foot in the door if you get the housekeeping job. That's a good thing.

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You'll have your foot in the door if you get the housekeeping job. That's a good thing.

True!!! My mom has forbidden me to get a job as a "janitor" (I've already applied, didn't know she'd feel that way) but I think I can talk her into it.

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