3 Reasons to Consider Joining a High School Honor Society
There are plenty of options to choose from regarding activities outside of school. College admissions staff love to see extracurricular activities like band, athletics, community service, and honors societies on your resume. But these endeavors aren’t just another bullet point to add to your resume; they’re powerful experiences that can enrich you.
Earning good grades in high school is a great accomplishment you should be proud of. Strong students should be honored for their hard work and academic achievements. This is exactly why high school honor societies like NSHSS were created: to recognize and honor high-achieving students with rewarding opportunities.
So, if you're wondering, "Should I join an honor society?" or even "Why would I want to be in a national honor society?" you may not be familiar with all the benefits. You will have three unique opportunities when joining an organization like the National Society of High School Scholars.
1. Networking Opportunities
Honor societies allow you to meet and engage with other like-minded, high-achieving students like yourself. Many clubs offer you the chance to meet new people, but an honor society helps you to meet other students with similar goals in academic achievement. It may motivate you to stay focused and work harder throughout high school, college, and beyond. Hopefully, these will be your peers at a top university someday!
Honor societies can help you form long, lasting friendships with people you are similar to, but they also provide you with networking opportunities that can help you get a head start on your career. You’ll get the chance to network with local leaders and potential future employers. The friends you make in an honor society are the leaders of tomorrow, and sometimes, getting a job is more about who you know than your academic achievement. You never know who you’ll meet at a member event that may end up as the CEO of a major company.
Honor societies also provide commonality with future employers or admissions interviewers who were members of the same community. With NSHSS members worldwide, it’s likely that you’ll run into a fellow member at some point in your career and can connect about your experience.
2. Leadership Skills
Take full advantage of any honor society you join by getting involved in their leadership opportunities. Most honor societies provide leadership training and have a student leadership group like the NSHSS ambassador program.
College admissions aren’t looking for someone with as many honor societies listed as possible; they’re looking for someone who has been actively involved in one or two organizations to gain leadership skills. Employers also want to hire well-rounded students who have pursued advanced opportunities within and excelled in their extracurricular activities.
3. Scholarships & Study Abroad
Most credible honor societies offer members several rewarding benefits, like having access to exclusive study abroad and scholarship opportunities. Honor societies like the NSHSS aim to help you realize tremendous success throughout your academic career. In doing so, they can help you pay for college and explore unique learning opportunities abroad.
NSHSS members can apply for member-exclusive high school, college, and graduate scholarships in various areas, from STEM to visual arts. These scholarships can help you pay for international study abroad, summer programs, and tuition and books.
Learn more about the scholarship opportunities available with NSHSS or explore other member benefits.
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Like any extracurricular activity, reaping the rewards depends on the time and energy you invest. Joining a high school honor society like NSHSS is no different, as the experience is ultimately what you make of it. Proactively applying for scholarships, networking with peers, and attending events - the value of these opportunities lies in your involvement and actions. For students who are actively engaged in their endeavors, there is much to gain from joining a high school honor society.
Honor societies benefit you for your entire future, not just on a college application. Receiving an invitation is an honor, so make your membership meaningful once you join and pursue as many opportunities as you can. Once you find an honor society that is right for you and your academic needs, make the most out of your membership by choosing to be an active member and role model for the society. You won’t regret the many opportunities afforded to you with membership in an honor society like NSHSS.