Is it worth it to join Phi Theta Kappa in my last semester of community college?

Transfer Students
1

<p>I have been attending community college part-time since 2007 and have maintained near perfect grades for my entire academic career to date. I was invited to join Phi Theta Kappa in the Spring of 2009. At the time, as I understood the letter they sent me, I’d have been required to attend a meeting on the first Saturday of each month. As this was during peak season at my job and I was at that time required to be on call on Saturdays, I had to decline. That summer I contacted PTK asking them if I could still join now that the busy season was over and my Saturdays were no longer restricted, and the response I got was that I had to be invited again or go through this whole jumping of hoops process which I for whatever reason didn’t feel like going through. And so I begrudgingly forgot about it, stewing over the scholarship opportunities I had missed because of having to turn them down. </p>

<p>I proceeded to be on the President’s list for several consecutive semesters and currently hold a GPA of 3.88. I will get my AA in the Spring and hopefully start at UNF in the Fall. UNF is the only school to which I have applied, and the program to which I applied is neither limited access nor particularly selective in terms of GPA (minimum 2.5 entry). I do not have any extracurriculars making my application significantly competitive, but my GPA is relatively high and I am a full grown working adult with over ten years of experience in the working world. </p>

<p>To my surprise, I was recently invited to join PTK again. This time the terms of membership were that I attend one single meeting, and I confirmed that no further action or participation (aside from the fee of course) was necessary. I am supposed to go to that meeting this weekend and fork over the $70, but I am starting to wonder if it is worth it at all. According to correspondence with UNF regarding PTK, it would not have much effect on my being accepted or not. According to the website, UNF is not a school who participates in PTK transfer scholarships. And since I am in my last two terms at community college and financial aid has already been awarded, I will not be eligible for any scholarships at the CC level through PTK. So I guess what I’m wondering is whether there is any point to my joining at this late stage in the game if the only “benefit” is that my membership is reflected on my transcipt/diploma/graduation regalia. It seems to me that my GPA and multiple terms on the Pres List would speak for themselves without me wasting $70 and a Sunday afternoon.</p>

<p>So can anyone here give me a valid reason why joining PTK would be worthwhile at this point and under these circumstances? Much appreciated. Thank you.</p>

2

<p>yes it gives u scholarship to certain schools , i did the same.</p>

3

<p>For $70 you get to decide later on in your life whether or not it is useful to be PTK. Maybe it will be. Maybe it won’t. Think of it as a one-time insurance policy payment.</p>

4

<p>No, in my case, if you read the post, I would not have access to scholarships because I am about to leave Community College and the university to which I am transferring doesn’t participate in PTK scholarships.</p>

5

<p>Seeing how I don’t have $70 to spare and I won’t be getting any scholarships from joining, and seeing how that answer is not a definite reason why it IS useful, then I am not going to factor this into my decision. I already know it “may or may not be” but according to many “probably not”. I’m looking for some insight as to how it IS DEFINITELY of use, seeing that I won’t get any scholarships out of it. Thanks anyway.</p>

6

<p>The folks who could tell you if it is “definitely” worth it to you, would be someone who was PTK at a community college about 6 to 10 years ago. That person can give you useful information about whether or not any particular doors were opened by the letters PTK on a resume. For example, is there a national network of members that you can tap into for the rest of your life in much the same way as you would tap into a college alumni network? Would you have to keep paying annual dues for a certain number of years in order to be on the mailing list for an association magazine/newsletter/website, or is this a one-time payment?</p>

7

<p>I don’t know if this is parrallel or not, but just in case.</p>

<p>Years ago, I was awarded Phi Beta Kappa and inducted into it in a ceremony at my college. I have put it on my resume from that day forward. However, I did not pay a fee to receive my gold key, the magazine etc. </p>

<p>Years later, I thought I might like to receive the magazine and joined then.</p>

<p>So the questions that you might consider:

  1. Have you been “awarded” PTK status and thus can list it on your resume, whether you “join” to get the other benefits or not?
  2. Can you join later, if you so desire (as I could) if you later determine that the benefits to your career would be there?</p>

<p>Because it doesn’t seem like there is any immediate benefit - from what you posted - in terms of admission to your 4-year institution.</p>