The Honors College provides a stimulating education for high-ability students from all of the university’s academic disciplines, rewarding and recognizing excellence through scholarship and other awards, and preparing undergraduates for entry to the most prestigious national and international graduate schools. From their freshman year, students are taught in small classes by experienced professors and are introduced to the practical applications of knowledge as well as to its theoretical bases. In their junior and senior years, Honors College students focus on research projects, working closely with their professors, and are strongly encouraged to participate in study-abroad programs in order to widen their cultural horizons and experience environments outside the United States.