Meredith Hammer
Prepared for Graduate School
The English Honors Program definitely helped prepare me for a future in graduate school.
Although the Honors Program seemed like a daunting set of classes when I first applied, I felt guided through the material—not only by the professors who taught the courses—but also by other English Department faculty members.
Each student could choose his or her own area of interest for the honors thesis, and faculty genuinely cared about helping us construct better papers. Having so many different professors willing to listen to my ideas, give advice, and mentor me throughout my honors thesis allowed me to have a much more in-depth and thoughtful writing experience.
The high level of learning and interaction in these courses not only allowed me to hone my writing style, but also to gain confidence in research, presentations, and analytical discussion. Now that I have studied and utilized more literary theory and methodologies and written the honors thesis, graduate school doesn't feel like a question of will I or won't I be able to succeed. I've already experienced graduate-level courses through the Honors Program, benefitted from the continued practice of literary scholarship, and feel equipped to handle the rigors of graduate school.
