<p>Does anyone know the average GPA of Amherst inductees into PBK?</p>
<p>What’s PBK?</p>
<p>Methinks it is Phi Beta Kappa…</p>
<p>Ahah. While we’re on the topic (sorry, I don’t have the answer, but yet another question), what/s the GPA requirement for summa cum laude?</p>
<p>This information is all on the Amherst web site. The at being said Latin Honors are not just based on GPA alone – it is based on your thesis. The thesis must be submitted and then recommended to be reviewed by the “panel of six” —only after review andfurther recommedation can a student be given Latin Honors.</p>
<p>You’ll need at least a 3.8 judging from the people I know who got Phi Beta Kappa…</p>
<p>Absurdly high. 3.98/3.99 perhaps.</p>
<p>I believe the committee evaluates students on the 1-14 scale, so that A+s carry their weight (A+ 14, A 13, A- 12 …).</p>
<p>How many students at Amherst receive the distinction of PBK or summa cum laude?</p>
<p>PBK: No more than 10 percent of the graduating class in consideration, I believe.</p>
<p>Summa: A handful.</p>
<p>Would you say it’s harder to get PBK or summa? I know you have to submit your thesis to a board at Amherst to get summa, so is it more multi-faceted that way?</p>
<p>“Candidates eligible for the degree summa cum laude must have a minimum overall grade point average in the top 25% of their class and have received a recommendation of summa based on a thesis or comparable work from a department or program in which they have majored. In addition, the theses of candidates for the degree summa cum laude will be reviewed by the Committee of Six, who will transmit its recommendation to the Faculty. Candidates will
also have their entire records reviewed by the Dean of the Faculty and the Committee
of Six, who will transmit their recommendations to the Faculty.”</p>
<p>The relevant Amherst webpage provides disappointingly little information about eligibility for election to PBK, so to give you an idea of how competitive elections can be at other reputable institutions:</p>
<p><a href=“http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k19082&pageid=icb.page189953[/url]”>http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k19082&pageid=icb.page189953</a>
<a href=“Welcome | Yale Phi Beta Kappa”>Welcome | Yale Phi Beta Kappa;
<p>In the end, it may be simply a glorified measuring contest (Y), but I’ve always been under the impression that depth and breadth in course selection matter too (H).</p>
<p>Thanks for the info. Do you know if Amherst does class rank? Or is that just a high school thing?</p>