In this dissertation, I examined the how honors programs and colleges serve as a tool for public universities to compete with private universities in the rankings game, as well as examining how that contributes to stratification processes. By building on the existing literatures within the organization of higher education, student experiences in higher education, and the K-12 tracking literatures, my dissertation research considers the purpose that honors colleges and programs serve for public universities and the consequences that honors colleges and programs have for students and schools. Honors programs and colleges are an interesting case to examine to understand stratification in higher education because of their potential to serve as a strategy that public colleges and universities use to compete for high-achieving students interested in an elite educational experience. These honors programs and colleges offer benefits to students like smaller classes and greater intellectual challenges, creating a niche within larger public institutions that can attract high-achieving students who might otherwise choose private or more prestigious public schools. By conceptualizing honors as a form of tracking, I contributed to several gaps within the areas of organizations, stratification, and higher education. Additionally, by examining honors student experiences, I contributed to the literature on the inequalities of student experiences within and across colleges. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]