<p>My college freshmen daughter just got "nominated" for this group. Does anyone have any idea what this is? I'm wary since they want her to pay $75 for the privilege of becoming a member.</p>
<p>MDparent:
Normally, I'd be wary about any group that asks for steep admission fees. However, a quick internet search for 'National Society of Collegiate Scholars' seemed to turn up chapters on the campuses of several well-known universities, including Dartmouth, Cornell, UC Berkeley (to name just a few). There was one hit that seems to think NSCS is a scam - do a search on 'scam Collegiate Scholars'.</p>
<p>This one's a tough call. Just what advantages do they claim membership offers?</p>
<p>My son received an invitiation/nomination as well last week and he emailed me a link to the organization with the same questions about scam vs real organization with real benefits. He also said that none of his friends had gotten one.</p>
<p>On Saturday we received a packet with a letter informing us of his "nomination" from his school's Chapter President and a copy of the letter he received as well as on campus contacts and representatives including Department Chairs,faculty and current student members. It sure looks legitimate. Board members include Maya Angelou and the former presidents of Princeton and Dartmouth among many other notables.</p>
<p>I am still investigating things as well. If anyone else knows anything more we would certainly appreciate the input.</p>
<p>It's not exactly a "scam," but it's like the Who's Who Among American HS Students -- there is no honor or prestige whatsoever attached. None. If these two organizations were scams they'd be shut down for not giving out the token scholarships, etc. so "scam" isn't the word. It's just a way to make money based on appealing to the ego. </p>
<p>The real honor society is Phi Beta Kappa.</p>
<p>There was an old thread in the "Parents" archive section of CC about this organization. Go to the archive section and do a search on "National Society of Collegiate Scholars". </p>
<p>While the organization has a lot of chapters across the country, it remains unclear about what value it has for its participants. After doing some internet searches, it seems the organization spent a great deal of money on its' recruitment efforts (i.e. marketing and mass mailings).</p>
<p>Be carefull before sending out any money...</p>
<p>DS has been nominated for this two years running. Rather than spend the $50 to join (a waste of money), we just kept the letters. The "honor" is less than an honor. Some schools have active chapters but if your kid isn't going to do anything with the chapter you are wasting your money (in my opinion).</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I am a current alumni member and I was a chapter officer for my chapter of NSCS. I can tell you from personal experience that NSCS is a legitimate organization that is well worth the membership dues. </p>
<p>I belong to four honor societies on my campus. NSCS was the first that I joined because they honor freshman and sophomores who maintain thir GPA. Of all of the honor societies that I joined, NSCS is THE SINGLE MOST active organization.</p>
<p>First, let me make it clear that it is up to your son our daughter how much they want to use NSCS. NSCS doesn't require members to complete a certain amount of activities. Instead, they provide and the members take advantage of what they want to. Each chapter gets a certain cut of the dues that new members turn in each year and it is dispersed two times per year so that chapters can budget. With that money chapters plan and implement the induction ceremony, socials, community service events, academic development events, leadership activities, and whatever else members want. The rest of the dues is used towards national scholarships, chapter grants, leadership summits, regional conferences, etc. ALL of which bennefits the members.</p>
<p>Chapters have meetings (most chapters meet once or twice per month) with members. During these meetings, members have the chance to network with other students and faculty from their school. They learn about what their chapter is doing that moth (again service, socials, leadership, academic stuff, etc) and they give ideas of what they want to see from the chapter. They also learn what the national office (located in Washington DC) has to offer them. </p>
<p>The national office offers TONS of scholarships that members apply for online. They offer study abroad and scholar at sea programs. They have a program called the distinguished scholar program which is an internship program. They have a leadership summit every summer with sessions on getting financial aid for school, law school and grad school planning, resume building, interview strategies, and much more! They also offer everyday life help like health insurance offers, car insurance, discounts on services, etc.</p>
<p>I have never been involved in an organization that cares so much about members. The national office is constantly getting feedback from officers and MEMBERS on what they want to see from the organization. In fact, you can personally meet members from the national staff at your son or daughter's induction ceremony! Furthermore, the staff visits each chapter about twice per year and once they hod a meeting with the members to get feedback!</p>
<p>In my involvement with NSCS, I have been to two leadership summits (one in Washington, DC and one in Denver, CO); two regional conferences (one in Atlanta, GA and one in Tuskaloosa, AL);service activities like a diversity fair, coastal cleanup, helping paint the rooms of disabled children, and many more; socials like karaoke, BBQ, ice cream social, movie night; and academic activities like free graduate school test prep and admissions, and study groups. Furthermore, my chapter's advisor has written letters of recommendation for countless NSCS members including myself and he is a major factor in my getting into law school. He has also helped three of our chapter's members get the outstanding senior award from our school (awarded to only one senior at each graduation ceremony), and has helped me to get a scholarship from the school.</p>
<p>I think that the one time membership fee is nothing compared to what you can get out of it. I strongly encourage you to visit the NSCS national site at <a href="http://www.nscs.org%5B/url%5D">www.nscs.org</a>. There is a phone number there that you can actually call their office and talk to a staff member any time during normal business hours.</p>
<p>I am a lifetime member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. The society, in conjunction with the college I attend, scheduled an invocation ceremony for October, 2008. The Society and the school invite the media to the event. Through the Society, I was invited to attend the 2009 Presidential Inauguration in Washington D.C. I was disappointed that the nominal fee to attend was not so "pocket-friendly," but the experience is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I do not want to throw away. The upside is you get recognition from those who know what the word "collegiate" means. Other than that, most people ask me "what's that?"</p>
<p>It's only about them separtating you from your money. See this link : National</a> Society of Collegiate Scholars</p>
<p>We just got an invite from the National Society of High School Scholars. It's 60 bucks, thought it would be more, but are considering joining. </p>
<p>Anyone joined?</p>
<p>What are the benefits?</p>
<p>What is the downside, other than a 60 dollar admission fee?</p>
<p>My DD also got an invite to the NSCS recently. It appears that there are different membership fees depending upon which school your kid goes to. My DD goes to Georgetown. Her invite says the fee is $75. Yet others get a $60 invite? Smells fishy to me. </p>
<p>It seems to me that the only way to know the value of this offer is to find out what the chapter at the school is doing and what benefits it provides.</p>
<p>My invite is also $75. Lame.</p>
<p>The CPTLA program looks interesting. Has anyone heard of this program?</p>
<p>The amount is probably different because each school sets its own chapter dues. My son got this and we tossed it. I would recommend that the individual student check in with someone at their college to find out if their school actually has an active chapter or whether it is a "name only" organization. Assuming the two posts above are legit I would say it varies from school to school.</p>
<p>My daughter got it and we tossed it also (or it is in a stack of paper somewhere). We got a zillion reminders both to her and to 'parents of'. Which made it seem even more like who's who etc and about them pushing to get the money, than any big honor.</p>
<p>The $60 dollar one was for the High School Scholars one. Not college. Just letting you know in case you missed it.</p>
<p>I just registered for this website because I was on the phone with my mom trying to figure out if I should send the 75 dollars in, because I have "two days left to reply." Thanks to the things I read here I chose not to join. I was saying the same thing; they bombard you with mail, which makes it look pretty bad and not prestigious at all. The benefits they mentioned seem cool but I don't really think this organization will help me in the future. I've been invited to other Honors Societies and they are much more credible. I remember when I was in High School, there were two boys who were part of the one for High School scholars, and they showed off about it but they only made themselves look bad because when we graduated they weren't honors graduates or anything of the like, whereas those of us who were weren't part of that. It might sound irrelevant but I'm just trying to prove my point that I don't think this is prestigious or worth it.</p>
<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>I wanted to post to assure you all that the National Society of Collegiate Scholars is not a scam. The organization offers a ton of opportunities including professional development, scholarships, internships, and community service, as well as the honor that comes with being a member. Let me preface my testimony by saying that I am the founding chapter president for the Northern Arizona University and I currently serve as the president for the National Leadership Council, which is a council of 20 NSCS members from across the nation that act as a sounding board and local presence for the national office.</p>
<p>Sadly, many people are turned off by the membership fee. To clear things up, this is a lifetime membership fee and a large portion of it goes right back to the local university chapter for activities and events. The other portions go for nationwide programs and scholarships; it should be noted that NSCS officially offers more undergraduate scholarship dollars than any other honors organization. Opportunities range from leadership positions and community service, social and professional opportunities at the local university, all the way up to positions, scholarships, and networking at a national level, as with the position I hold. The organization works really hard to find quality partnerships that the members can benefit from, like Geico (who offers not only a discount on insurance to members, but also internships and scholarships).</p>
<p>Next, first and second year students are targeted because, when NSCS was created, there were no honors and service organizations for first and second year students. As Steve Loflin, the founder and director, puts it, that's a shame that there is such a gap in acknowledging the students that do well from the start. Students are invited based on being the top 20% of their class, with at least a 3.4 GPA. The registrars from every school submit the list of eligible students. It is not random and you and your student should be proud!</p>
<p>Unlike many other organizations, this is not just a line on your resume; it is an active and very expansive organization. (Unlike Who's Who) Through NSCS, I've been able to meet some stellar undergrads from all over the nation. However, rather than just carry on about how great this organization is, I encourage you to check out the website (nscs.org), find your university's chapter page, and contact the NSCS chapter at your campus. I think that you'll find that it is far from a scam.</p>
<p>If you have any specific questions, or concerns, feel free to post or contact me, I'd be happy to talk with you.</p>
<p>As soon as anything pops up on the web about this honor society we immediately see a response form current members - I'm suspicious that someone sits googling for criticism of their society and has a boilerplate response!
(ps my son was "nominated" as a freshman and we dumped the multiple invites as most posting here have done...)</p>
<p>I just did some research on this organization since my daughter and I received an invitation a few days ago. Her university had a page on their website about ‘How to Judge an Honor Society.’ Here is the link: </p>
<p>[Ball</a> State University - How to Judge an Honor Society](<a href=“http://cms.bsu.edu/Academics/CollegesandDepartments/HonorsCollege/ActivitiesandOpportunities/HonorsOrganizations/HowtoJudgeanHonorSociety.aspx]Ball”>http://cms.bsu.edu/Academics/CollegesandDepartments/HonorsCollege/ActivitiesandOpportunities/HonorsOrganizations/HowtoJudgeanHonorSociety.aspx) </p>
<p>Apparently there is another organization called Association of College Honors Societies that determines, according to strict criteria, whether or not an honors society is legit. You can read their criteria on their website and check out which organization have been OK’d:</p>
<p>[ACHS</a> Membership Information](<a href=“http://www.achsnatl.org/membership.asp]ACHS”>http://www.achsnatl.org/membership.asp)</p>
<p>I also checked out the web page of the chapter at Ball State, and it seems to be fairly active – there are requirements for a student to be “active” in the local chapter, including meeting attendance, participation in community service events and ‘Planning for College Success’ events. There also appeared to be social events scheduled. There were lots of pics on the website of students at events.</p>
<p>Can’t remember where I read it now, but one site I researched said this organization awards more scholarship dollars than any other honors society.</p>
<p>Sounds like it could be worthwhile to me. I’m going to encourage her to go for it.</p>
<p>Just joined and saw this posting. I’d have to agree it seems like a scam at first. Didn’t even know DS had joined - had two kids in college at the time and one struggled the other excelled. </p>
<p>DS got what they call a Merit scholarship I think it was around $1,000 - really helped with tuition and books and now that I’ve got three in college I can only hope my third applies and gets a similar scholarship.</p>
<p>I trust the NSCS b/c of the $ we got back from them definitely more than what DS put into it.</p>