July 17, 2002 -- Many Long Island high school students aspire to attending the Ivy Leagues, but only a small percentage is accepted. Those who are not can take advantage of a just-as-rewarding option: Honors Programs and Honors Colleges. These programs offer an attractive alternative for highly motivated undergraduates who demonstrate outstanding intellectual potential and are looking for an outlet to nurture their intellectual curiosity.

Here on Long Island, college-bound students might do well to consider the nationally renowned Honors Program at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University in Brookville, which was one of the first such programs established in the country. The C.W. Post program is highlighted in the recently released third edition of "Peterson's Honors Programs & Colleges," which is edited by Dr. Joan Digby, a past president of the National Collegiate Honors Council and a resident of Oyster Bay.

"Honors Programs and Colleges are a wonderful way to maximize your education," says Dr. Digby, who also serves as director of the 29-year-old Honors Program at C.W. Post. "They offer many of the same benefits of the Ivy Leagues: small, discussion-oriented seminars; individual attention; and the benefit of studying with top professors."

The expanded edition of "Honors Programs & Colleges" describes honors options and merit-based scholarships offered by more than 450 two- and four-year U.S. colleges and universities. The application process and participation requirements for each college are spelled out in detail.

The C.W. Post Honors Program offers honors scholarships that can be linked to other university scholarships offering as much as $6,000-$13,000 per year toward tuition. Students take 30 Honors credits designed to cultivate open-mindedness, adventure and a progressive deepening of purpose. C.W. Post professors encourage writing and oral presentations in classes that range from the Great Pharaohs of Egypt to the Psychology of Creativity. Travel-study opportunities are available through the Long Island University Friends World program.

As Dr. Digby’s book describes, most honors curricula are incorporated into the credit load required of every student. Rarely are honors students required to take additional credits. Some honors classes may even satisfy requirements for their major; others can be taken as electives.

Like earlier editions, this third edition includes a comprehensive look at how honors components fit into the "Campus Context" of each school. There are also profiles of honors graduates who have gone on to successful careers in business, education, medicine and more. Perhaps most importantly, they talk about how honors helped them become independent, creative, self-confident learners. And it helped them develop the ability to think critically. That skill, they say, has served them well in their post-college lives.

"Time and time again, I have had students tell me that participating in honors had a profound impact on their lives," says Dr. Digby. "My colleagues and I have been privileged to watch the transformation of so many students into critical thinkers. They emerge from honors well equipped to make their mark in the world." Dr. Digby welcomes the opportunity to talk to interested parents, students and high school guidance counselors.

Other Long Island colleges also have honors options, which are outlined in the new book "Peterson’s Honors Programs & Colleges." The book can be purchased directly from the publisher by calling 1-800-338-3282 or online at http://e-catalog.thomsonlearning.com/326.