<p>I flat out hate the National Honors Society at my school. Is their anyway to honorably quit without looking like I got kicked out? I want to leave the club (for more reasons then I can count) but I don't want to hurt my app. It isn't much work to stay in (even though every minute in it feels like any eternity).</p>
<p>So should I quit, or stick with it? I can bear it, but only if it hurts my app.</p>
<p>If you truly dislike something, don't continue it for the sake of an application.<br>
National Honor Society is not going to make or break your application to anywhere. Harvard (and other top schools) will simply expect that you've been inducted.</p>
<p>Wow, you sound like me at my school. I hold the same opinion of NHS at my school (it's such a sham). However, as much as I dislike it, everybody says you "have to do it for college" so, out of pure hypocricy, it pains me that I am still doing it.</p>
<p>I never joined NHS, and "some" of the top students don't either (not many). NHS is a sham at all schools (I think). I'd rather due something constructive than suck up to teachers by painting the parking lot or w/e...I also quit my presidency of Student Government/Body because of the same reasons. </p>
<p>Are you guys sure you want to live your life doing sham things? In existentialism, a person is defined by his or her actions. Committing sham actions makes the person a sham.</p>
<p>if you don't like it, then change it, or at least try. do something positive. I bet an upstanding person like you who has been elected to the honors society can totally revolutionize it and make it not a piece of crap for the students who will come after you at your hs. that's what I would say, otherwise you are just leaving the mess for someone else.</p>
<p>The thing with NHS is you can't really change the agenda since it's basically a national organization dedicated to community service and educational excellence, whatever that is. Trying to morph an existing chapter in any way would violate the bylaws of NHS.</p>
<p>so your problem is with community service and educational excellence? i thought maybe your school was pulling away from that a little bit, and thats why you didn't like it. if you were one of the officers it seems like it would be easy to change things and come up with new ideas for service projects that actually mean something and help the community, but if your problem is with the organization as a whole and you don't want to be dedicated to "community service and educational excellence" (though the latter is rather broad and doesn't have much to do with NHS except to get you in) then you should definitely quit.</p>
<p>Well said, Seempand.</p>
<p>"The thing with NHS is you can't really change the agenda since it's basically a national organization dedicated to community service and educational excellence, whatever that is."</p>
<p>Anyone who hates NHS for the above reasons would not be an appealing candidate for a place like Harvard, which values both service and educational excellence. I'm not saying that NHS will get you into Harvard. Frankly, the adcoms probably don't care whether or not applicants are NHS members. Virtually everyone who applies would qualify for NHS membership, so belonging to NHS isn't going to get anyone into Harvard. Not belonging won't keep anyone out either. </p>
<p>Now, being national president is the kind of extraordinary EC that could help get someone into Harvard.</p>
<p>I am saying, however, that if you would avoid an organization because community service and educational excellence don't reasonate with you, Harvard would not be a good match for you, no matter how spectacular your grades and scores are.</p>
<p>Just curious, why do you hate the NHS chapter at your school?</p>
<p>At my school it is a popularity contest. Just like every other club. Uhg. I ran for president and lost because the other person running was nominated by one of the most popular - and backstabbing - people in the school.</p>
<p>Dude, i DEFINITELY know what you mean. I plan on running this year, and I know I will most probably lose to a guy who will do nothing, but is popular. To be honest, this is how almost all clubs are in high school.</p>
<p>I want to recommend to you not to quit because it seriously isnt worthit.</p>
<p>NHS is very easy to stay apart of. I already did volunteer work before it was required. I already had good grades. All I really have to do is attend the meetings and I'll be fine.</p>
<p>Still, I just hate the principal of it. A club where you sit back and love how much better you are then everyone? Forced Volunteer work? I hate asking people to sign a sheet recording how long I volunteered for them. Its like I'm asking for something in return; like I just did it so I look good on a college app. The advisor is one of meanest people on the face of the planet, the officers aren't organized and its a complete waste of time. I hate everything about it. I hate it on basic moral principal.</p>
<p>If it doesn't hurt or help me, I think I will quit. From what I've heard, if I go, so will half the club.</p>
<p>What do you think?</p>
<p>Based on some of your problems with it, I think your specific club could do with some changes. At my school, the officers organize all the service projects and make-up specific services that each member can sign up to do. So NHS is actually contributing something to the community by creating projects through different needs of the community. I might have misunderstood you but it sounds like you are expected to just go out and volunteer somewhere and then prove it. I think if your influential enough to have half the club leave with you, then you could probably also turn the club around by being creative and thinking of something meaningful to do. If not, then I don't know why you haven't quit yet.</p>
<p>Being a member of NHS probably isn't an accomplishment. You anguish over quitting or staying. Do you want a reward for staying? Or an excuse for quitting?
Also, what is "honorably quitting" and how could quitting NHS hurt or improve your application to college?</p>
<p>Instead of quitting, do something about it...</p>
<p>I've heard that if a NHS member stays with NHS for one year but then discontinues it for the next, colleges assume that he or she got kicked out.</p>
<p>By "honorably quitting" I mean that I want to leave NHS without it seeming like I was forced out. I have the same grades as I had when I joined and am doing the same amount of volunteer work. If I quit however, I would have no way to prove it, unless a guidence counsler explains my situation to colleges. (No way to prove the volunteer hours anyway.)</p>
<p>At my NHS chapter we have no say in what goes on unless we are an officer, and even then our say is limited.</p>
<p>I don't think I have the influence to change anything, especially because our advisor is so rigid. (I honestly believes she yells more then she speaks.) </p>
<p>If I quit then others would follow. 90% of senior NHS members hate NHS; its a joke at my school. No one wants to be the first to quit, but if someone does, the rest will follow.</p>
<p>just quit. and write your application essay about it.</p>
<p>Or just quite and don't put NHS on your app. Perhaps form a similarly focused club with better motivation and efficiency.</p>
<p>I never joined when I recieved the offer. Our school's NHS is basically a sham organization where kids just sit around and talk while never getting anything done. Advisor always seems too busy for real dedication.
You should never join a club that violates what you believe in. Always follow your heart.</p>