<p>Honestly National Honors Society is just too frustrating. Don't get me wrong, getting the hours done is no problem, and I actually already have my 12 for junior year. But the teacher in charge of NHS refuses to have meetings announced (and yes, I have asked adamantly, along with a group of people who missed a meeting because we were given no prior warning that it was going to even happen). So, basically, are colleges even going to care if I don't have this one EC on my application? I'll still have tons of volunteer hours listed, and I'm in quite a few clubs, so I really am not thinking that it'll be extremely detrimental. But, of course, I was interested in getting a second opinion.</p>
<p>It’s incredibly important. Thousands of other applicants have this EC, so if you don’t, it tells the adcoms that something is wrong.</p>
<p>Can’t tell if Kongo is serious.</p>
<p>The purpose of NHS is to honor you for things you’ve done without NHS, and the only real reason I can see to be in it is if it gives you access to leadership/service opportunities you wouldn’t have otherwise. Colleges say they value people who are unique (in extracurriculars, at least) and know enough not to waste their own time with things everyone else does despite their lack of actual value.
I seriously can’t imagine a college saying “We’re rejecting this kid because they don’t have this one EC that everyone else has.” It just doesn’t fit with anything else I’ve ever heard about ECs and college admissions.</p>
<p>@preamble1776 Yeah, me neither… </p>
<p>NHS could be running a tutoring program, mentoring elementary school children, running canned food drives, and participating in health awareness walks. Or it could be going to the annual BBQ. There are so many nuances on criteria to get in or to be a member between schools that no one, including colleges, will check whether the school even <em>has</em> an NHS program. So unless you are an involved leader, NHS is just an empty phrase.</p>
<p>My opinion is that it still has a lot of brand value especially for the second & third tier colleges whose applicants don’t always have a stellar GPA.</p>
<p>NHS has been discussed a lot here.
There will always be a wide range of opinions.</p>
<p>And yes, I believe that was The K`s attempt at sarcasm.</p>
<p>Too subtle?</p>
<p>Too subtle for me. I don’t even sarcasm.</p>
<p>I have had that too. They did that with math honor society (Mu Alpha Theta). I got kicked out as a result, because I did not know when the meetings are! Then the NHS sponsors were nasty. They always have been. I will see how NHS goes. I already was delayed to be inducted by a year because of them. They claimed I did not turn in my paperwork, but I did. My mom was with me. But when we met with the principal, they put up this fake act. This year, I used my cell phone to record everything. They still tried to keep me out. So, we had to complain and I got in anyway, because I had proof this time. The SPONSORS of the National HONOR Society at my school have no honor, clearly.</p>
<p>Don’t worry, Kongo. I got you.</p>
<p>Thanks guys, and I totally had no idea that Kongo was being sarcastic until I read replies, haha!
I decided to just drop the program. The most they do is occasional standalone projects, nothing lasting, and if you’re not elected, you have 0 leadership opportunities (and I’m not even kidding myself that I might get elected). I figure, it’d be better to spend time organizing something service-related and being the sole leader of the project and trying to actually have a long-term deal than going to meetings (or not, as it would seem) where I have no leadership opportunities.</p>
<p>C’est la vie.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about not having NHS, I never bothered with it and got into Cornell, so you’re fine! :)</p>
<p>I was curious about this too. I applied for NHS this year but was rejected because one of my teachers “forgot” to email a recommendation letter. I’m thinking of trying again next year to see what happens.</p>
<p>Thanks Sophia7X!
Cornell is my dream school, so that’s great to know!</p>