<p>I was absent the day NHS was announced, and we were told to get forms and everything, and I didn't know about it so I didn't apply. In our school, NHS isn't anything that's huge. Pretty much anyone with a 3.3ish + gpa gets accepted. Will not being in NHS really hurt me?
I'm applying to good public schools (U of M, UIUC) who supposedly don't care too much about ECs if you have good academics. </p>
<p>Also, I'm sure I'll join NHS in the 12th grade and I'm 100% sure I will get accepted (not trying to brag or anything; NHS is easy to get in) so should I write on my app that I'm doing it for the 12th grade, even though I can't join until after I submit my app?</p>
<p>None of the schools will care that you’re not in NHS. The very few schools that factor ECs into admission – places like HPYS – wouldn’t be impressed by NHS unless you were a national officer.</p>
<p>every time i see “EC rankings”, NHS is always a 1 or 2 out 10 haha. </p>
<p>i won’t be in nhs myself, i’m not worried. at my school you need a 92 and a certain amount of volunteer hours… which i refuse to count up and have signed.</p>
<p>Thanks other ppls who answered, I agree noimagination. NHS is pretty much a joke at our school too (I actually think everyone who applied with a 3.0+ was accepted; no volunteer hours or anything needed), but I was still worried that just the name “NHS” is important in college admissions, and colleges look for it.</p>
<p>Interesting responses excepting Northstarmom, with whom I tend to agree 90% on this one. NHS falls into that category of “that’s nice”. It’s not a deal maker or a deal breaker.</p>
<p>But some of the other responses and the OP raise some flags:</p>
<p>OP - “I was absent that day” is the lamest excuse possible if you’re targeting a top tier school. I would advise avoiding that excuse on the application or in an interview. Thousands of students will miss significant amounts of school every year due to illness, family tragedies, sports road trips, etc., and many of them will manage to meet deadlines and not miss opportunities. The excuse makes you look like you’re not a self starter.</p>
<p>As for the other thoughts expressed - it’s a joke, or “I refuse” - understand that every school is different and that in some places, NHS really has meaning and the service component is significant (and verified). Be careful about over generalizing.</p>
<p>Yeah, I don’t plan on making excuses on any of my applications. And actually, I wasn’t absent I just said that for simplicity (since the reason I’m not in NHS is irrelevant to my question). I go to 2 high schools and a community college so I’m not at my actual high school very much. I never knew about NHS because all of the announcements and everything were made when I wasn’t around. I didn’t even know NHS existed o_O.</p>
<p>I realize this is a lame excuse too, and don’t worry I won’t use it :]</p>
<p>Ehh, I’m not in NHS either. I have the grades but I never felt the need to have all the forms for volunteering signed when NHS at my school is an organization that does next to nothing and serves to make people who don’t join anything else feel better. In my opinion, if you’re involved with lots of other organizations, a lack of NHS won’t be any huge red flag on your application.</p>
<p>My school only has like 3 clubs total, NHS, science Olympiad, and quiz bowl, and I’m not it any of them because they’re not anything I want to join, and I didn’t think it would be worth the trouble to pay $50, and drive back to my school after my other school ends…</p>