So You Want To Join The National Honor Society?
The National Honor Society was first started in 1921, with the goal of enforcing four exemplary characteristics in school communities across the United States; scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Applicants were to be required to exhibit each of these traits in their daily lives in order to be accepted into the organization and be a part of the rather selective society.
Recently, Bacon Academy held their own National Honor Society induction, in which 11 new members were invited to join. Being one of those lucky 11, I figured I’d try my best to provide the aspiring members of the Bacon Academy NHS Chapter with some advice as to how to elevate their application. Make sure to take everything I say with a grain of salt, though, seeing as I can’t say for a fact what the council does and does not want to see.
The GPA Requirement
In order to apply for the National Honor Society, one must be invited to do so. This decision is based off of one’s Grade Point Average, with the exact cutoff varying from school to school. At Bacon Academy, those with a 4.0 or higher receive a letter letting them know that they’ve been selected. Although your GPA may be higher due to taking AP and honors classes, it is important to remember while selecting classes what you can and can’t handle. Many people tend to forget the workload that comes with an AP class, and soon realize they’re in over their head. Try picking classes that you know will challenge you, but also courses that you’ll be able to manage on top of potential extracurriculars and out of school activities.
The Resume
The first part of your actual application is to compile a resume of sorts in which you list all of the activities you participate in, both in and out of school, along with a brief description and an advisor signature. Joining as many organizations as you can early on shows commitment throughout your four years here at Bacon, along with giving you a stronger chance of having a leadership position as an upperclassman. I would make sure that when picking extracurriculars to join you choose clubs that you care about, rather than something you’re just using to show you were active in the community. Being passionate about the organizations you’re in will definitely show in your application, and your advisors will be able to recognize that if you select them as a faculty recommendation. You’ll be required to give a small summary (probably 1 to 3 sentences) of what you do in this program, if you have or have had any special positions (president, vice president, etc.), and approximately how much time you spend outside of school at meetings, events, and all that good stuff.
Faculty Recommendations
Now that you’ve got your resume done, you’ll have to find some faculty recommendations. On your application, you’re required to list 5 teachers who can speak to your character and dedication to helping others. Although it may not seem like that big of a deal, the teachers who you select make a huge impact on how the admissions council views you and your application. Try selecting faculty members who are also advisors to clubs you’re a part of, considering they can more often speak to your attitude outside of school. However, teachers who can vouch for your work ethic in class and your devotion to extracurriculars are perfect choices. Think of these teacher selections as you would asking someone for a letter of recommendation.
The Essay
The final part of your application is finally here; now, you need to write a 3 paragraph essay describing how you exhibit leadership, service, and character through your daily life and specifically in the activities you listed in your resume. Personally, I struggled a lot with this section of the application. The fact that I hate boasting about myself (when I’m not trying to be funny) mixed with my chronic procrastination turned out to be a deadly duo. At the same time, I think that spending time away from my application to think about what I would write allowed me to produce a final product that was creative and fairly different from the (rather basic, I thought) example provided, which I felt accurately reflected me and my work. Of course, that’s by no means saying that you shouldn’t follow the guidelines given, it’s merely a suggestion to follow your gut. This essay is practically your reasoning to the council as to why you should join the National Honor Society, so make sure that your voice can be heard. Feel free to talk more in depth of the activities and clubs you participate in, and even mention things about you that you weren’t able to in your resume; whether it be awards you’ve received, personal experiences that have shaped your character, or challenges you’ve faced throughout your life. Be sure to have a friend or family member read it over, and try reading it out loud to yourself so you can make sure that the people seeing your essay truly understand who you are.
You’re Done!
After this, you should be all set and ready to go! Turn in your application on the National Honor Society advisor’s desk (here at Bacon it’s Mrs. Hale) and hope for the best! Make sure you’re proud of the final product. If you don’t make it, then try joining some extracurriculars or activities that you’re interested in. Try talking to the advisor about why you weren’t accepted, and make sure to work on improving in those areas. Seniors who don’t make it shouldn’t be too hard on themselves, you’ve got colleges to apply to and even more essays to write! But if you do get in, take advantage of this opportunity! Be involved, attend meetings, and volunteer! Not only will it boost your applications for colleges and future jobs, but you’ll feel good doing it, too.
