First Year Honors RAP: Contemporary Topics

text reading: UMass Amherst, Commonwealth Honors College, Residential Academic Programs

Welcome to the First Year Honors RAP: Contemporary Topics

Your First-Year Experience Starts Here

The First Year Honors RAP: Contemporary Topics is an exclusive program for first-year students in Commonwealth Honors College (CHC). Designed to combine academic excellence with a supportive living and learning community, this RAP gives you the best of both worlds—a small-college experience within a large university.

Why Join the First Year Honors RAP?

A group of students play a card game in a residence hall in Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community at the University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Live in a Close-Knit Community 

    All RAP participants live in the CHC Residential Complex (CHCRC), fostering friendships and connections from day one. Living and learning alongside peers makes it easy to build lasting relationships.

    A group of students talk in a classroom in Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts

  • Engage with Timely, Relevant Topics

    The academic foundation of the RAP is HONORS 191FP: Contemporary Topics, a one-credit course where you’ll explore today’s most pressing state, national, and global issues. Class discussions focus on topics like immigration, mental health, and climate change, helping you develop critical thinking and communication skills.

    Students chatting and using a laptop at the Roots Cafe

  • Thrive Academically and Socially

    The program supports your transition to college by providing academic guidance, social activities, and co-curricular opportunities. You’ll build a foundation for academic success while forming lifelong friendships.

About the Seminar: HONORS 191FP

This engaging course focuses on critical analysis and discussion of headline stories from the New York Times and Boston Globe. You’ll gain insights into current events, learn to present and defend your views, and refine skills like public speaking and critical thinking.

Course highlights:

  • Small class sizes with fewer than 18 students.
  • Dynamic discussions with expert faculty and distinguished guest speakers.
  • Focus on developing skills for interviews, graduate school, and professional life.

How to Apply

The deadline to apply for the First Year Honors RAP: Contemporary Topics has passed. Unfilled spaces will open to eligible first-year students on a first-come, first-serve basis on June 1.

  • "The RAP allowed me to immediately make a connection with a professor and feel like I could express my opinions freely in classroom settings. It made me feel more comfortable seeing familiar faces in my classes and on my floor." — Honors RAP Participant
     
  • "Mostly everyone in my class lived on my floor, so we’d walk to and from class together and share ideas on class discussions. This helped me connect with not only Honors students but also my next-door neighbors!" — Honors RAP Participant
     
  • "I appreciated the discussions with my peers about current events. These topics weren’t covered in many of our other classes, and it gave me a chance to process breaking news in a meaningful way." — Honors RAP Participant
     
  • "During the last class, we took a field trip to the UMass Herbarium. It was so interesting to wrap up our climate change discussions with an experience in real-life preservation." — Honors RAP Participant

Who is eligible to join?

The First Year Honors RAP is open to all incoming first-year students in the Commonwealth Honors College.

Where will I live?

All RAP students live in Oak or Sycamore Hall, part of the CHC Residential Community, ensuring a seamless living and learning experience.

What if I’m undecided about attending UMass?

You can still apply! Submitting your application form doesn’t commit you to UMass, but it reserves your opportunity to join the program if you enroll.