<p>Has anyone joined this honor society, and is it worth the $70 lifetime fee in terms of scholarship help, social activities, or other benefits provided?</p>
<p>Thanks for any info!</p>
<p>I joined and paid the membership fee. The main event last semester was a lunch banquet thing with professors, and you could invite a faculty member to attend. I think the event conflicted with a class, and I didn't feel close enough to any one professor at that point, so I skipped it.</p>
<p>I think there is supposed to be some kind of induction ceremony and members receive an ALD plaque, but I haven't heard any more about this.</p>
<p>Other than that, I guess the honor looks good on your resume.</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback. Would appreciate it if anyone else has comments on this. Have to decide whether to spend the $ in the next few days. :) Sounds like it might be worth a try just to see what happens. At least, as you say, it can go on a resume...</p>
<p>If you need the resume filler, go for it, if not save your $$. I was invited but did not choose to join (partly because I was informed approx. 2 days before the money was due which I felt was VERY unprofessional), and have felt no adverse affects.</p>
<p>I joined ions ago (in the 70s). There was also Phi Eta Sigma, which was another honor society I joined. Both organizations had several social events, including an out island weekend trip. It was a nice way to meet other "studious" kids at the commuter school I attended & a much better fit for me than the sorority I had joined & tried for 1st semester.</p>
<p>I appreciate the additional responses, they're helpful!</p>
<p>My mom got this in the mail yesterday. Seems a little weird to me.... One semester in college, and already they want me to join the honor society? Also, I am an engineer - not even in the College of Arts & Sciences. And the "must reply" by Feb. 2nd seems fishy to me, too. Sounds like the "Who's Who" thing - pay your money, put it on a resume, but other than that, not of much use.</p>
<p>That's what we're trying to figure out, if it's "Who's Who"-ish (grin) or something that would be a nice/beneficial thing to be in while at USC.</p>
<p>Thanks --</p>
<p>Wonder why my S never got an invitation also? He's in engineering, finished his 1st semester & did well. I'd encourage him to join if he's interested. I'd at least call them & find out more if I were you. It was a good organization & I helped reactivate it when I transferred to University of Oregon (their chapter was inactive & I had a work-study job for the Associate Provost & made it my job to re-activate dormant honor societies). You have nothing to lose with a little follow-up. It ISN'T just a vanity "Who's Who." The HI chapter had some nice social gatherings, tho I transferred after my freshman year so didn't get to do anything with them after that 2nd semester of my freshman year (that's when we were invited, got sworn in & did the social activities).</p>
<p>It looks nice on the resume, no question. The only way to find out how active the group is is by contacting the USC chapter & asking them. There is huge variability among chapters as to level of activity. Some places I'm sure it's a mere honorific, while I know it can be active in other campuses. Also, how busy is the student already with activities?</p>
<p>HIMom- I believe the threshold is a 3.5 or above (dean's list) for your first semester in college. So there's a lot of room for 'doing well' but not making that particular cut.</p>
<p>pac10baby- it's a campuswide organization, not limited to CLAS. I was in the School of Architecture and got invited.</p>
<p>I've been checking out the website for the USC chapter. It looks as though there are some merit scholarship opportunities and a smattering of social events (i.e., a dinner at El Cholo, helping to host the Learning Communities luncheon last summer, etc.). I think we'll go ahead and send her the check and she can see what happens...</p>
<p><a href="http://www-scf.usc.edu/%7Eald/%5B/url%5D">http://www-scf.usc.edu/~ald/</a></p>
<p>The responses have all been very helpful!</p>
<p>My son's GPA was north of 3.7 for 1st semester, so he should still qualify. I sent them an e-mail & will see if I get any response.</p>
<p>Well, guess mail is slower over the ocean--got a letter from ALD today. Will give S a call & see what he thinks.</p>
<p>Congrats to your son. Be fun if our kids met up at some ALD function. :)</p>
<p>Thanks--congrats to your child too. I will of course encourage my son to learn more about this chapter & also encourage him to join. :)</p>