Phi Beta Kappa

<p>

</p>

<p>No one was patronizing her in the least. It’s an odd thing for a grown person to prominently display, though, IMO - whether said person is at home with children or tearing up the corporate ladder. I mean, I’m fortysomething and I wouldn’t wear my key around my neck, any more than I’d wear my sorority pin on my sweater. I have the honor, it’s on my resume, quiet satisfaction is enough.</p>

<p>Like Donna, I have no recollection that it required anything other than having such-and-such level of grades. </p>

<p>H got into Mortar Board (a different honor society) and I got into PBK, and even to this day we have a running joke, if one of us does something stupid, “Well, that’s why YOU weren’t (Mortar Board) / (PBK).” That’s about the only context in which PBK comes up in conversation, though. I don’t think I receive anything from the organization or that it “meant” anything to me other than an induction ceremony in college.</p>

<p>Not quite what I meant, Pizzagirl (#41). Maybe our age difference is just enough that your mother’s experience was different from my mother’s experience. Just to give one example: My mother was shut out of high school physics, because girls were not allowed in the class (by the teacher). She took bookkeeping instead–and placed first in the state in a bookkeeping competition, but that wasn’t exactly compensation for not being able to enroll in physics. She was a very, very smart woman, but was hampered by the conventions of her era. I am certain that she was patronized plenty! My mother-in-law’s experience was similar. I didn’t mean that you, your room-mate, or your college-age friends might be patronizing your room-mate’s mother. I had in mind the adult men who were bringing their children to college, and perhaps some of the college officials who might have been around. </p>

<p>I wouldn’t begrudge anyone’s wearing a Phi Beta Kappa key in those circumstances.</p>

<p>On the other hand, I have never worn the key. I think I bought one, and I think it’s in a box in a closet, but I’d have to look to be sure. On the other hand ( . . . sorry, that must be the third hand), I was very grateful to the faculty member who (I know) pushed for my election, even though my college curriculum was heavy in science and math–which are still part of the liberal arts in my view.</p>

<p>My D was surprised last year (as a junior) by an invitation to PBK membership and almost discarded it assuming it was similar to the other honors society solicitations received. Her school paid the membership fee I think.<br>
Because of the extensive distribution requirements (in addition to high grades) required by the school we tease her that she was elected to membership due to her extreme indecision about what to major in. Membership at that chapter gets limited by foreign language, science, math, social studies and humanities requirements significantly beyond those needed for graduation and most students don’t have all of these unless they pursue a very broad range of classes.</p>

<p>Phi Beta Kappa has long emphasized the importance of mathematics and foreign language in a liberal education. In keeping with this tradition, the chapter requires prospective members to demonstrate proficiency in these areas beyond the AXLE graduation requirements. Foreign language proficiency is typically demonstrated by taking a course in a language at a level at least one semester beyond the AXLE requirements. Mathematics proficiency may be demonstrated by taking calculus and a second mathematics, statistics, or formal logic course which has calculus as a prerequisite. Non-calculus based statistics or introductory logics courses (e.g., MATH 127a – b, SOC 127, PHIL 102) do not satisfy this stipulation.</p>

<hr>

<p>This is from D’s PBK requirement description. She has a 3.8+ GPA and would surely receive excellent recommendations, but she is a bit of a rebel in that she won’t take a class purely to be elected to an honor society. It won’t hurt her in the long run, as she is going into a field where such honors will not be an issue. Others may really want the honor, though, and will have to scramble to get the classes done by spring of junior year once they are asked to allow a review of their transcripts (the registrar gives PBK a list of students with the necessary GPA & PBK then asks those students for permission to review their transcripts). Of course, if they aren’t eligible until senior year, it’s too late to do the classes (they must be completed by spring of junior year).</p>

<p>Any parent of a strong student has likely, quite rightly, become used to throwing most of these “Congratulations! Pay us some money and well give you this award / put you in our book / induct you into our society…” letters right in the recycle bin long ago. However PBK is one of the few that is widely considered to be quite prestigious and legitimate and is probably worth doing.</p>

<p>That said it’s unlikely to do much for one in the longer term. Some have mentioned that there is long term CV value… honestly there isn’t. In my experience I have never seen someone say, “Well otherwise this person doesn’t really make the cut but they’re in PBK so lets invite them in for a chat.” Maybe it happens and I’ve never seen it, but I kind of doubt it. </p>

<p>If you’ve been invited congrats and certainly take up the offer as this is legit… just don’t have false illusions that it’s something bigger than it really is. The vast majority of members are like myself and have the certificate and pin in a box somewhere.</p>

<p>Gee, I could get a new key in my correct name for as little as $29-$34, depending on whether I wanted small, medium, or large: [Phi</a> Beta Kappa](<a href=“http://www.pbkkey.com/Pages/PBKkeysOrder.html]Phi”>http://www.pbkkey.com/Pages/PBKkeysOrder.html)</p>

<p>I notice they sell a chain to go with it, but I can’t say I’ve ever seen anyone wear one like that in my life. I’d be embarrassed.</p>

<p>Like many things at the U. of Chicago, the qualifications for Phi Beta Kappa seem to be rather opaque. I did a google search and found nothing except a couple of old threads on CC, none of which was particularly illuminating.</p>

<p>Never mind; I found a thread from last month that indicates that it does seem to be selected at the U of Chicago by taking people with grades in the top 10% of the class:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-chicago/1085898-phi-beta-kappa.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-chicago/1085898-phi-beta-kappa.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I don’t think the idea of finding out what PBK requires and taking classes to fill that EVER entered S’s head. He just took what he wanted and needed to take. Last winter H began asking him about PBK, and S said he hadn’t been invited and didn’t really know much about it. H told him to look into it, and S said, “I don’t think you apply - I think they just invite you.” So when his invitation arrived he was very pleasantly surprised. (He shouldn’t have been surprised, though - with a 3.8 GPA, a major in Econ which requires some math, a minor in International Gov, and having taken several Spanish Lit & Culture Classes - thank you, AP Spanish in hs - and his college’s core requirements that included a lab science, he ended up with a broad liberal education and a high GPA, which is what they really want).</p>

<p>As far as he’s concerned the “big deal” is the ability to put this on his resume. He’s job hunting with virtually no results. He didn’t get a relevant internship (one downfall of studying abroad 2nd semester junior year, it made it a lot harder to apply for internships although he did submit applications and even had one very awkward phone interview) so he needs SOMETHING to make him stand out. His GPA is good, when he graduates he can add the magna cum laude, but PBK is a nice point on the resume to hopefully help him stand out.</p>

<p>Apparently at NU there’s more to it than just a GPA of x.x:

</p>

<p>It’s supposed to be “secret”? </p>

<p>(I wasn’t able to attend my d’s induction or initiation ceremony or whatever they call it because of the short notice – I did ask her afterward whether she learned a secret handshake or went through some elaborate hazing ritual – no such luck. )</p>

<p>Never mind “secret,” I don’t remember any initiation ceremony at all. Somebody walked around handing out envelopes in the courtyard of Ezra Stiles College either right before or right after graduation. That’s how I found out. It was kind of embarrassing, because a friend of mine standing next to me was expecting one and didn’t get it. He just missed, I guess.</p>

<p>My d’s school had some sort of afternoon reception. She said that about 40 students were there and almost everyone dressed up nicely. Someone made a rather boring and hackneyed speech. There were no photos taken. The experience was summed up in the following fashion: “mom, you didn’t miss much.”</p>

<p>calmom, that was my experience, as well. Of course, it was all very secret and hush-hush, so I can’t tell you the rest :-). No, really, it was some afternoon reception, maybe an hour or two, hands shaken, over and out. I didn’t even think to invite my parents, and I think that was the full extent of my involvement with PBK. I don’t even remember making friends with or getting to know any of the other PBK inductees beyond those I already knew.</p>

<p>My friend, mentioned in the original post, tells me her son accepted the invitation to join PBK. There is an afternoon reception in a couple of weeks that she is hoping to attend. He was also encouraged to invite professors who had been particularly influential in their college experience. He was hesitant to invite professors, but finally mentioned to one prof from his major department. Predictably, the prof readily accepted the invite. She was looking online for the key and thought her son would be ‘underwhelmed’ by the tie tac! Appartently the necklace and charm bracelet are gender specific! </p>

<p>Thanks for all the PBK info. She is so proud of her son! (This is a quiet, hard-working family, not at all prone to braggadocio. I’m surprised she even mentioned it to me!) Guess the reception is a bit of a foretaste of their graduation weekend!</p>

<p>Concerning election criteria, here’s Brown’s.</p>

<p>

[quote]
To be considered for election as a junior, a student must have completed a minimum of twenty courses over five semesters at Brown University. Two-fifths of these courses must have been taken in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and/or pure mathematics. The record must also show a total of at least eighteen grades of “A” or “S with distinction.” An additional “A” or “S with distinction” will be expected in compensation for every grade of “C”.<a href=“For%20all%20intents%20and%20purposes,%20one%20can%20read%20an%20%22S%20with%20distinction%22%20as%20an%20A,%20as%20they%20are%20internally%20equivalent.”>/quote</a>

</p>

<p>The past year’s junior elected members vote on all qualified candidates (without names, seeing the full transcript), and a unanimous vote is needed for election.</p>

<p>Re: the key - where can one see this key that costs less than $30 people are talking about? Mine was over $300!</p>

<p>At my kid’s school, the “tapping” done student to student was the fun part. The ceremony was really just for the audience IMO. </p>

<p>BTW, in keeping with Rhodes College attitude to all things “honors” (very limited - for example - 3.95 Summa?), junior acceptance to PBK is only available to those with a 4.0. In my kid’s year, that was 2 kids. lol. Each chapter is free to tighten the national rules.</p>

<p>Um- hate to be a naysayer. Got the invite back in the day, had it on my resume at one time, dropped it off same many moons ago. I don’t think I ever heard anyone else mention that they were PBK and I certainly never was asked. To me it is totally unimportant and I never think of it from year to year or decade to decade. I did not go on in academia so maybe that is the difference. I say do what you want, if you enjoy it then pursue it, if not then no worries.</p>

<p>I’m trying to understand the selection process for PBK: do you apply or are you secretly nominated (presumably by a faculty member) and invited to join? How does this work?</p>

<p>PBK is definitely the real deal, and anyone nominated should follow through. </p>

<p>As I think is mentioned above, you don’t apply–typically you are nominated (without your knowledge) by a faculty member. Different schools have different requirements, usually involving both GPA and a distribution of courses.</p>

<p>Mine was a long time ago (from W&M, the originating chapter!), but it did get mentioned in job interviews. I doubt it was a deciding factor, though.</p>

<p>As an aside–a friend in publishing told me that when she quit her grueling first job, her boss said, “No problem. I can get more Phi Beta Kappas where you came from.”</p>

<p>D1 did not tell me about her invitation, the school sent a lovely letter inviting us to the induction and reception following. When I asked, she said her usual–No big deal but you can come if you want. They made a very nice little event of it the evening before graduation.</p>

<p>D2 will be inducted this weekend. No word from the school. She received an invitation and unlike her sister, told us. We will attend but I’m not expecting much. She was told by her school to let her parents know because it’s a great photo op. I kind of cringed when she told me that. D1’s school had the book that they signed on the table in the front, so the photo op was the backside of our daughter as she bent over the book. Yes, that is the backside I love dearly but I wish someone had realized how it looked.</p>