<p>Just looking for some opinions. How much weight do you think National Honor Society holds in the college admissions process?</p>
<p>none :(</p>
<p>It is one of those things which would be an expected thing for the kids applying to the "top" schools, so like certain SAT scores or GPAs, it is part of an expected package, but doesn't help you at all, as most every one else being considered has it, too.</p>
<p>What would happen if a top student didn't have it?</p>
<p>They probably wouldn't notice, especially if the applicant has other things to put int the "Honors and awards" box.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if not being in nhs means the teachers don't like your kid or there is some other deficiency, then there could be a problem.</p>
<p>He is a very top student with a slight discipline issue that occurred the beginning of the year. It has been his only issue ever. He did not get into NHS this year as a sophomore but has been assured that he will get in next year if he applies.</p>
<p>NHS can be so arbitrary--and the requirements for acceptance into nhs can vary significantly from school to school, so i don't think it means much at all</p>
<p>He is opposed to applying next year.</p>
<p>many of the kids at our school that are denied their junior year will not reapply their senior year. they feel that they are the same kid and hence won't jump through the hoops a second time. i wouldn't make him reapply if he doesn't want to.</p>
<p>A lot of schools don't even have it- especially private schools. I don't think it is a very big deal in the admissions process.</p>
<p>I'm an alum interviewer for Harvard. When it comes to top colleges, NHS does not count for very much. Indeed, unless one is, for instance, a national officer or has done major leadership with documented impact with the NHS chapter in one's school (and that means being more than NHS president with routine duties), it probably counts for virtually nothing.</p>
<p>It's of no significance if a student is not a NHS member because many schools have no NHS chapters, entrance to many NHS chapters is very arbitrary, and standards vary greatly. Of far greater importance is class rank, academic load, gpa and test scores.</p>
<p>Where, I think, NHS can count is at the colleges like Earlham that give scholarships for NHS members. </p>
<p>However, since your son has top grades (I noticed this on your other posts), he wouldn't need that kind of boost at a place like Earlham.</p>
<p>The disciplinary problem that he had earlier this year (which you described elsewhere), seems like the kind of boyish hijinks that would not keep any college from admitting him, particularly if he explains it in a short letter (and he'd only need to do this if it's mentioned by his GC or is in his transcript) and has had no other problems.</p>
<p>Thank you, Northstarmom, this is keeping him up nights with worry. I suppose that the high school had to "send a message to him". After I told him not to worry about NHS I started doubting myself.</p>