Tau Beta Pi

<p>Is it worth joining? I went to their candidate meeting tonight and it seemed pretty interesting (and I met some cool people), but is it worth the time commitment (i.e. "pledge process")?</p>

<p>For the amount of time it would take to join, not really worth it. Your GPA screens you already. If you need to fill a resume, it's ok, I guess.</p>

<p>There might be some networking benefits and scholarship opportunities associated with it. Isn't this sort of like the Phi Beta Kappa of the engineering world? If it is prestigeous, maybe it would be worth it.</p>

<p>"For the amount of time it would take to join, not really worth it"</p>

<p>Do you mean its not worth sitting through a 1 hour initiation and getting a free dinner isn't worth it? The networking benefits are certainly worth it in my mind.</p>

<p>
[quote]
"For the amount of time it would take to join, not really worth it"</p>

<p>Do you mean its not worth sitting through a 1 hour initiation and getting a free dinner isn't worth it? The networking benefits are certainly worth it in my mind.

[/quote]
At my school it looked like 20 hours of total time investment just to get membership.</p>

<p>Wow, what's involved in those 20 hours?</p>

<p>have to make a bent. have to get signatures. have to do community service (lesson plan for elementary school class and teach them about engineering). have to do fund raiser. other stuff i forget at the moment.</p>

<p>None of those things are very difficult to do....and it makes the membership mean something other than a name on a certificate.</p>

<p>Some would also wildly ascertain that those things are "worth it" EVEN if it has NOTHING TO DO with becoming a member of Tau Beta Pi.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Some would also wildly ascertain that those things are "worth it" EVEN if it has NOTHING TO DO with becoming a member of Tau Beta Pi.

[/quote]
I think that'd be a rather rare quality. But then again, I am a bad person.</p>

<p>No, not rare at all. I know LOTS of people who volunteer and do good things for their communities just because it is the right thing to do. In life, you have your "givers" and your "takers". </p>

<p>If any of you are takers, then by all means contribute nothing to this planet unless it benefits you directly. I just hope you are never in a needy position.</p>

<p>We could have a long philosophical discussion on this - but I really don't think this is the right place.</p>

<p>In spite of what Mr. Payne says, Saxonthebeach, I think it might be worthwhile to join TBP for several reasons. You thought it seemed pretty interesting and they had some cool people there. Making a bent, writing a lesson plan and joining in a fundraiser are not massively time consuming, maybe ten to fifteen hours altogether. Why not try it? If you pass it up now and change your mind, can you join later?</p>

<p>Thank you all for your responses. After looking into TBP some more I've decided to give it a shot =P</p>