<p>So basically I was completely ignorant and unaware of college and high school and school itself for freshman and sophomore year, and I have 0 hours in service and clubs. I'm a junior now and I'll be applying for NHS later this year. Now, is it possible to exaggerate/fake hours and not get caught, and is it possible for me to get those hours I need (200 for service and clubs) in the allotted time I have. Is NHS a big deal to colleges, as in, if you're not in it, they won't care for you or your application? Or they'll see that you're lazy and take you in slight? Would it take me out of the running for some top universities? I hear of the stories of how it's basically a joke and anyone can get in, but it would still be a big emptiness on my app if I don't get in, right?</p>
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<p>Not necessarily, because all the forms I’ve seen required you to get signatures from the people who supervised your volunteering.
(And obviously it’s unethical, but the notion of right vs. wrong tends to be lost on CCers, so I won’t bother with that lecture.)</p>
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<p>No, no, no, and no. You’re probably already out of the running at certain universities, but if you get rejected it certainly won’t be for the lack of NHS. Colleges can make their own decisions about you without relying on the results of a popularity contest held by your school.
NHS rejection can sometimes be correlated with college rejection if the college rejected you for the same reason as NHS did, but colleges won’t reject you for not being in some honor society that doesn’t do anything. They’re not that stupid…they know NHS at a lot of schools doesn’t really do anything.</p>
<p>“No, no, no, and no. You’re probably already out of the running at certain universities”</p>
<p>Like which? If I make it into NHS though would that put me at least in consideration or maybe even contention? Or is it too late?</p>
<p>One of the benefits of doing community service is what you personally get out of it. This can be reflected when you are writing essays or short answers or interviews regarding your participation in ECs and/or NHS. You could lie I guess but I don’t see how it would really benefit you if you can’t talk about your experience. I don’t see why you need to anyway. You still have plenty of time to rack up hours as a junior if you don’t have other commitments like work or other clubs you’re more dedicated to. NHS won’t make or break your app.</p>
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<p>Hmmmm…</p>
<p>“Hmmmm…”</p>
<p>Don’t give me that. There are plenty of people who fake their hours or double them, I’m just not playing coy or naive. Anyway, from what I hear the easiness of getting into NHS certainly isn’t “honorable”. But I reckon if you do get caught faking your hours you’re in big trouble. But hey, I shouldn’t be talking since I don’t even have any hours to get into it.</p>
<p>I didn’t say you were any worse than anyone else who faked hours, just that it doesn’t really seem right. </p>
<p>Anyhow, NHS won’t really make or break your application.</p>
<p>NHS isn’t a big deal. If you can get in, sure. If not, don’t worry about it.</p>
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<p>My comment about you already being out of the running had nothing to do with NHS. I was referring to universities that are essentially so selective that most people don’t really have a chance anyway. NHS will not impress HYPSM (or similar) in the least…in fact, you’d probably be better off leaving it out of your applications entirely if you had something better you could write down instead.</p>
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<p>It’s very honorable to live an ethical life, even if every single person in the world does it.</p>
<p>@halcyonheather wait, I should leave it off my app if I apply to, say, UCLA (I have minimal ECs)?</p>
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<p>If you don’t have anything else to write down in that space (the Common App limits you…I’m not sure about the UC application), then it’s fine to put down NHS.</p>
<p>If you did have something better to write down in its place, then obviously it would be better to write down the better thing, because NHS isn’t especially impressive.</p>
<p>NHS is overrated. There are far better ECs that are both more unique and more fun for you to participate in. Colleges will not reject or accept you because you are a member of NHS…</p>