<p>Do colleges want to see that you're a NHS member, especially the highly selective universities? I'm debating whether or not I should be a NHS member especially since I will be taking 6 AP classes next year (senior year) and will be doing extracurricular activities. Because NHS is binding a member to do tutoring and participating in all of their activities, I'm not sure if being an NHS member is worth giving up the little leisure time I will have left.</p>
<p>Will not being an NHS member really hinder me? I will have 2250+ SAT, 34 ACT, 11 APs, and about 200hrs of volunteering with a few clubs by the end of my senior year. I'm planning to go to a highly selective college (Cornell, Case, Rice, etc...)</p>
<p>I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to be. At my school, it doesn’t even take that much time away from other things if you are in it. I think you only need like 20 hours of community service or something.</p>
<p>It won’t hurt, but if it’s a little something that you can add, then why not?</p>
<p>Most people don’t even bother to apply to the Ivy league if they are not in NHS. besides, you graduate with distinction i believe, don’t you want your hard work to be shown on your last big day of HS?</p>
<p>It will not hinder you… NHS is so common among top school applicants. </p>
<p>If you believe that NHS will be a serious commitment, consider not joining. </p>
<p>I didn’t put stuff like CSF (California Scholarship Federation) or even club positions like secretary as I ran out of room on my Common App lines.</p>
<p>I’m sure it wouldn’t hinder you if you didn’t join. Being a member of NHS means different things at different schools, and the adcoms know this; it’s common to see at top universities but by all means not required. Don’t join if it will cause you a headache next year.</p>
<p>It doesn’t make you stand out, but it doesn’t look “bad” if you don’t have it. However, if other kids from your school are applying to the same Ivy and they do have NHS on their resumes, then adcoms might question why you weren’t in NHS.</p>
<p>I can’t see that it matters. NHS is based primarily on grades (at least at schools I know about), and the college sees your grades. If they see that you have lots of other ECs, they will probably not wonder why you aren’t in NHS, or even notice. Has anybody actually heard of anybody being asked why they weren’t in NHS? I certainly haven’t.</p>
<p>Actually, I wasn’t allowed in at the NHS at my school because I didn’t have enough volunteer hours. I work 20-30 hours a week and I don’t have a car, so volunteering isn’t an easy option for me. I think some schools can add a volunteer hour requisite for joining. I thought it was unfair. Oh well. Every school is different.</p>
<p>I would reccomend it, but keep in mind colleges want solid EC’s, not laundry lists. They want to see the EC’s which matter most to you. I’d say focus on whatever EC’s you enjoy the most, and as long as you have a good bunch that reflect what you’re interests are you should be fine.</p>