<p>I’m wondering how students get nominated for the National Honor Society. D’s HS had 47 (senior) inductees from a class of 167. D has been in the top ten in her class since her sophomore year and her SAT scores put her near the top also, but she was not nominated. The “honor” isn’t important to her – at least she says it isn’t. And I have no intention of making a federal case about it. Still, I’m curious.</p>
<p>It’s based on four criteria: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. I think there is a minimum GPA requirement but the honor really doesn’t mean much because it isn’t standardized. Some schools induct a lot of their schools while others only induct a handful.</p>
<p>I recommend you contact the counselor if you think your D was unfairly skipped. I’ve seen some top students get skipped and much lower ranked students get nominated - even when their ECs are about the same although the school won’t know about ECs outside of school. Ask the counselor if she was purposely skipped or if it was an oversight.</p>
<p>Our HS had a limit of 15%. In a class of 650 there were 12 NMFs. Two of them, (both belonging to the same minority ethnic group) were not admitted–though they had ECs and were ranked well in the top 10% of class. Maybe one of the parents complained or someone noticed they were not included and they were “let in” AFTER graduation (gee, thanks). Personally, I think that it had to do with how well-known and popular the students were with the teachers. Anyway, if you think your kid was overlooked, you should ask about it.</p>
<p>Our high school sends every Jr with a GPA above a certain level (roughly the top 25%) notice to come pick up a self-nomination/application. It’s pretty daunting to fill out - good practice for college applications - and includes a place for all current teachers to sign off that they recommend you. After that I think there is some kind of faculty advisor screening. Unless you have really caused a problem somewhere you are in. I’m surprised to hear that other schools use faculty nominations… there are too many kids in D’s high school to think that would be fair. Beyond a few standouts that every teacher would nominate it would become very random.</p>
<p>Our school has NHS for seniors only. Anyone with a certain GPA (don’t know what it is) is invited to complete a PITA application and get signed off by a teacher. Some committee reviews the apps. Pretty much everyone who completes the app gets admitted. Once admitted you have to attend a certain number of the meetings and have a certain number of verifiable volunteer hours. NHS kids get to wear a gold tassel at graduation.</p>
<p>Our school gives students who fit the GPA requirements an application, which goes to a faculty review committee. Students must have fulfilled their required annual community service hours (our school requires students to do a certain number of CS annually), and cannot have been in trouble (suspensions, over a certain number of detentions or having unsatisfactory conduct grades) within the past year. There might be other stuff too, like not having too many tardies or absenses- not sure.</p>
<p>One time my son’s name was “accidentally” left of the list of people with acceptable GPAs. He wasn’t given an application. When I asked one of his teachers about it, she was puzzled and looked into the matter. He was given an application and all was well (matter of fact, he ended up being elected the president of NHS the next year!). You should at least ask because you never know if your daughter was overlooked accidentally.</p>
<p>In our school, about 10 people are chosen per grade. Each core teacher (usually 4-5 teachers) nominates 5 students. From the approximately 20-25 students nominated (sometimes more), the board and the advising teacher read through the applications (which includes two essays, GPA, etc. information) and choose the final 10 or less individuals. The board can be biased towards individuals they are friends with, but, ultimately, a great group of people are put together.</p>
<p>At my d’s school, everyone who has above a certain gpa is invited to pick up an application packet. It requires several essays. I can’t remember if teacher recs are required. I do know they look at the whole student–scholarship and leadership are two of the things I can remember seeing on the application. </p>
<p>I remember a problem some years back at another school in our district where a student who was first or second in his class and had a very good ACT score was not inducted into NHS. I think it had something to do with his attitude. His parents complained, but nothing changed. Well, maybe something changed because I remember my d’s application stated that the committee’s decision was final and was not subject to review.</p>
<p>At my school students with a minimum GPA are given applications. The application includes personal information, an essay, and sections on leadership roles, community service, and other in and out of school activities. The applications go to a faculty committee for review. Probably 1/2 of the students who apply are accepted the first year and 3/4 of the students who apply are accepted the following year.</p>
<p>I would definitely inquire of the guidance office as to why your daughter didn’t receive the application. There are minimum standards set by the parent organization, the Nat’l Assoc of Secondary Principals, but individual schools are at liberty to set a higher standard. NHS prides iteself on fairness and objectivity, so I’d think you’d be given an explanation. If you aren’t satisfied by the response you get from the GC, I’d take it to the principal–just so that you can understand their reasoning. </p>
<p>The national office sets very strict guidelines for NHS members. There are specific standards by which a student can be removed from NHS. Due process is an important factor. I am familiar with a chapter that didn’t remove a student for confirmed under-age drinking because it felt that the student couldn’t get an objective due process hearing from the faculty council. Under-age drinking, at least in the mind of some, is most certainly a reflection of the young man’s character. Some might say that is taking the idea of due process a bit too far!</p>
<p>NHS is more than grades. Son’s HS has an annual recognition organization for maintaining high cumulative grades which honors those maintaining gradepoints higher than required for NHS, a student can be in both or only one. Extracurricular activities and volunteer hours far surpassing the hours required to graduate are involved in NHS. The 4 aspects as outlined in the first reply indicate that scholarship isn’t the only criteria. The local school district has the specifics detailed and the information is given to students when they start. The requirements aren’t horrendous, but they do require more than an average amount of involvement. It is an honor, not just an automatic entitlement, for high gpa students to be in NHS.</p>
<p>At our school, everyone above a certain gpa gets a letter inviting them to apply. Then a group of teachers goes over all the apps. and decides who gets in. It is based on grades, leadership, community service and school involvment. SAT scores are not required nor considered in the app. process here.<br>
A friend’s D who was in the top 5% in the class did not get in because she didn’t have enough “leadership” exemplified on her app. She was a quiet girl who had great grades but just didn’t get involved in many things. Her Mom was incensed that kids ranked much lower than her were admitted. </p>
<p>Also at our school, you must be a member of NHS to be a Junior Class Marshall at graduation. So this girl who was ranked #12 in her class was passed over for class marshall while her friend who was ranked #33 but was in NHS was selected for class marshall. </p>
<p>Another friend’s S NHS app. was rejected while his older sister who had attended a different h.s (same school system) and was a much weaker student was accepted at her sch. </p>
<pre><code>My S got fed up with our NHS (mostly the teacher/sponsor) and quit it halfway through senior year. It did not bother him one bit that he didn’t have that monogrammed thing to wear around his neck at graduation. He was so “past” all that by then.
</code></pre>
<p>Thanks to all who responded. Your information was very helpful. It may be true that D was overlooked because most of her ECs and community service were outside of school (which is located in another town). It would perhaps explain GC’s cryptic comment last year that D might have to “sell herself” a little more.</p>
<p>NewHope:</p>
<p>It’s these outside of school ECs that need to be related to whoever is making the NHS decisions. For example, someone working many hours on a GS Gold or BS Eagle award IMO should be given at least as much weight as someone who’s P or VP in a club or two since the former typically involves far more leadership and community service hours. </p>
<p>Given all of this, I don’t know that being an NHS member actually did anything for my D’s other than wearing something for it at graduation.</p>
<p>I really think way too much emphasis is placed on NHS. I have nothing against NHS and think it’s a great organization for students to be part of, but there is no reason for a kid who isn’t selected to feel bad about themselves.</p>
<p>Ten years from now noone and I mean noone is going to care who was in NHS and who wasn’t. The same is true of valedictorian.</p>
<p>At our school, we follow the national NHS constutition but also our own. For instance, the top 15% of students in the junior and senior class who have a GPA of 3.5 or above are invited to apply (this follows the scholarship pillar) </p>
<p>Seniors who were eligible to apply their junior year but did not get in and are still eligible can apply again, but they must have a GPA of 3.75</p>
<p>Those who turn in applications are considered by an anonymous panel on the basis of the pillars: scholarship, leadership, service, and character</p>
<p>Students can be rejected for lack of character, insufficient service experience, and lack of leadership roles (both in the community and at school)</p>
<p>Of course, two years ago we had a girl rejected for lack of character…but her parents called the school (I live in a small town) and the administrator overruled the panel’s decision because her parents are very influential. So the process isn’t always successful…</p>
<p>There seems to be a split somewhere deep within a school’s traditions. Is NHS really a special, active club or is it a rubber stamp that all elible students can include on their resumes… OUrs is the later. Many officers in the NHS over the years have tried to make it more active but most members just want to be inducted and then never be bothered again.</p>
<p>Ours is open nomination for all students above a certain GPA (3.5 or 3.6 I think). There is a long application, with essay, and teacher recommendation, required, which eliminates some kids from the get go. A panel of faculty members chooses the potential members. Juniors have to complete 20 hours of NHS sponsored community service events that year (in addition to those required for graduation) in order to be inducted, and again the next year to maintain their membership.</p>
<p>Seniors get another chance, but must go through the same process. There are also 20 required service hours of seniors, whether they were accepted as juniors or as seniors.</p>
<p>Some kids are never inducted because they haven’t been able to fulfill the NHS sponsored service requirement over the course of the year.</p>
<p>Our school sets the NHS criteria as a 3.75 and approximately the top quater qualify. My daughter just missed the cut off and frankly I don’t understand why a school would set a higher criteria for NHS membership than the NHS sets. Isn’t it beneficial to the student for financial aid opportunities and college admissions to accept as many students into the NHS as possible? Wondering how others where it is teacher recommended or other higher standard feel about this.</p>