so, i am eligible to apply for the nhs. for my application, i have to write a short essay as to why i want to be in it. i am good in the ‘scholarship’ area since i am rank 12 out of 200 and have a cumulative gpa of 3.97. on the other hand, i lack participation in sports/clubs/jobs/volunteer work. i don’t know if i will make it. i really want to be in it.
Do you have a specific prompt to right about?
If not, this would be a good one to use as a basis:
“Selection for membership into NHS is based on Scholarship, Character, Leadership, and Service. Explain how your dedication to these four principles have helped you during high school and how you will use these principles in the future to achieve the goals you have set for yourself after high school.”
I’m actually in your exact same boat. I have extracurriculars and good grades, but not a lot of volunteer work or job experience. I wouldn’t apply this year. I’m doing this stuff in the summer, and applying next year.
How hard is it to get into NHS at your school? Is it 30 kids out of a graduating class of like 800? Or 70 members out of a graduating class of 150 (like my school)? If the latter, it’s easier.
If the former, then there’s not much you can do about not having any substantive community service/ECs. Can’t exactly make that stuff up. Don’t try to.
You really should get involved in some extracurriculars. I’m assuming you’re a junior, and considering the fact that you’re on CC, would it be a stretch to say you’re planning on applying to selective schools? They don’t just want to see a good GPA. A lot of them don’t even consider class rank, and more and more high schools aren’t telling them students’ ranks anymore.
Get involved. NHS is the least of your worries.
What do you lose by applying? The worst that can happen is that you don’t get in. The application doesn’t take much time, just submit and see what happens.