College application deadlines are approaching soon and transfer program deadlines are around the corner, so students who would like help in going forward are encouraged to seek the El Camino’s Honors Transfer Program.
The Honors Transfer Program (HTP) is a top-tier program that started about 25 years ago around the same time honors programs began nationwide, started by faculty, not counselors, Co-Director of HTP Joe Holliday said.
It is one of the original founding programs in the whole state and one of the original Transfer Alliance Program (TAP) schools with UCLA, making it an even more unique program, Holliday said.
The main goal of the program “is to prepare the students for the increase academic depth of classes, so that when they get to the UCs or privates they have that way of thinking and can look into the subject in a greater depth so its not just a GE but a whole discipline,” Holliday said.
Even though the program consists of only 600 students, there is no problems with transferring.
“We are one of the top three honors program in the state in size but we feel that we are the No. 1 in quality,” Holliday said. “Our number of students that got into UCLA was the highest out of the 110 community colleges and 93 percent of the UCLA applicants got in. That beats all the other schools.”
“We’re the only community college that participated in all three honor student research conferences last year and all over the state, It takes a lot of effort and budget to make this happen,” Holliday said.
The program encourages students to apply as soon as possible so that it increases their chance of getting into a top university.
For UCLA prospects, Holliday highly recommends them to apply because “through this program along with TAP allows UCLA applicants to list two majors on their application and this in turn doubles their chance of being accepted to UCLA.”
“The HTP played a significant contribution to my overall experience at EC and the transfer process to UCLA,” former student Alex Cabrera, 20, sociology major said. “From the challenging honors curriculum courses, to the UC Irvine research conference, each service enhanced my academic abilities and interests in research and education.”
The program has outreach programs that help identify and reach out to first generation students and other students from underrepresented populations.
“We try harder than most honor programs, for students who may feel that they aren’t qualified, but we know they are,” Holliday said.
Stephanie Pedrahita, 20, psychology major said that the program has helped her a lot.
“Not only has the program been helpful to me,” Pedrahita said. “But it has also opened doors to a lot of other programs, such as the ambassador program. Also (I’ve become) ASO Vice President because of the HTP program and its workshops.”
El Camino’s HTP will remain open for spring 2016 enrollment until Oct. 31. Students with interest are encouraged to apply.
