<p>I was just wondering what the GPA cutoff typically is for PBK? Also, when would students be notified if they got in?</p>
<p>I heard that cutoff is >3.94 for juniors</p>
is that what it is for this year as well? Thanks!
It’s given to the top 3% of juniors, as well as top 10% of seniors and recent alumni. Whether you’re a junior or senior is defined by the number of credit hours (back when I was at Emory you needed 108 credit hours to be considered a senior for PBK initiation purposes). In Fall 2012, the cutoffs were around 3.97 for juniors and 3.89 for seniors, but I’m guessing they’re a bit higher now (they have tended to go up a bit each year due to the general trend in grade inflation). However, you only need to make the cutoff once since they check after every semester (so if you’re GPA nosedives afterwards it won’t be a problem for PBK membership since once you’re in, you’re in permanently).
Wow, that’s sad that GPAs have to be that high and are weighted that heavily in that organization. I feel like earning some Emory’s internal prizes (like McMullen) are much more meaningful achievements as often those students showed much more profound engagement w/EC’s and were also academically excellent. Also so sad that Emory’s grades are so high that 10% are basically 3.9+ by senior year. It would be nice if Emory designed some prizes for undergraduates in earlier years like many other selective( but mainly the really selective ones like Princeton) institutions do. As in Emory, not things like the freshman honor society, but other things where the institution essentially rewards talent beyond just having the traditional means of academic excellence (which seem more like high school when it comes to that freshman society).
When do you normally receive an invitation?
The earliest would be some time in fall of junior year. If you don’t make it they’ll re-check your GPA every semester until you graduate or make the cutoff. Also, the junior vs senior cutoff is based on Credits; back in 2012 you needed 108 credits (including transfer credits) to be considered a senior for PBK, so it’s possible that juniors with these higher credits be inducted when they’re only in the 10% and not top 3%.
Does anyone know whether Emory’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter includes certain curricular requirements?
Other than credit hours, no…also, to have curricular requirements would bias it toward a certain group of people who’ve met them when they really just want whoever they deem to be the highest achievers by their criteria regardless of what classes they took. You mainly just need the recommendations/nominations and the grades.
My son was just invited to Phi Eta Sigma - which we had never had never heard off until his invite. He got a 4.0 first semester of Freshman year. The lowest accepted GPA would have been a 3.9. Phi Beta Kappa requires that you have taken a college level math course. I only know this as we got curious as to what it would take to Phi Beta Kappa. I don’t know what the GPA cut of is. But I do remember wondering if HS AP Calc will count. So, just to add one last point it’s Phi Eta Sigma for Freshman, another one for Sophomores but I can’t remember the name and then Phi Beta Kappa for Juniors and Seniors. Good Luck!!
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@EmoryMom2019 Ask your son how the Phi Eta Sigma event is, man its a complete joke. As a freshman at Emory (like your son) man is it underwhelming.
@thecoolboy1234 What is it like?
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