If you have been wondering which is the best honor society in the U.S., check out our list of best honor societies in the country.
Honor societies in colleges and universities across the U.S. have been existing for over 240 years. The oldest academic honor society in the country, Phi Beta Kappa dates back to the 18th century. Other honor societies were established in the 19th and 20th centuries as well.
Students can’t get into college without knowing or hearing a thing about honor societies. Once you are admitted to a college or university, you will be familiar with these honor societies.
The names of these honor societies can be confusing sometimes. In college, you will come across names like Sigma XI and Tau Beta Pi. These are all Greek names, and they are some of the oldest college honor societies.
But the question is, what are honor societies, and why are they important? What are the best honor societies in the U.S., and should I join an honor society in college?
We will look at the answers to these questions in this guide, and more valuable information will follow.
What Is an Honor Society?
An honor society is a unique rank organization in the U.S. that recognizes excellence among students. In the United States, honor societies recognize various circumstances and fields, and students with excellent academic achievements are invited to join.
Students who have shown impressive leadership, service, and character are also invited by these honor societies. These honor societies are highly prestigious and also beneficial for students.
In the U.S., honor societies are organizations for compatible students at colleges and universities. They are more of recognizing students who have excelled academically, or those showing outstanding leadership qualities among their peers.
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Should I Join a College Honor Society?
As a student in a college or university, joining an honor society will be beneficial to you in many ways. Honor societies promote excellence in students as well as acknowledging those with leadership abilities.
One of the benefits of becoming a member of an honor society includes winning prizes and receiving grants. In my opinion, becoming a member of an honor society will be beneficial not just for the moment, but for the future.
The truth is that you don’t need to become a member of an honor society just to get the most out of college or university. Honor societies present an opportunity for college students to connect with others in their major, as well as apply for scholarships.
An honor society can be that opportunity you need to design your resume.
List of Best Honor Societies in the US
An honor society is an organization that recognizes college students who possess excellent academic achievement and good leadership ability. But what are the best honor societies in the U.S.?
To answer that question, here is our list of best honor societies in the U.S.
#1. Phi Beta Kappa
Honor societies have been part of university education in the United States for more than 240 years and Phi Beta Kappa was the first honor society in the country.
Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1776 and it’s the oldest academic honor society in the United States. As one of the most prestigious academic honor societies in the U.S., former members of Phi Beta Kappa include 17 U.S. presidents, 38 supreme court justices, and over 130 Nobel laureates.
Becoming a member of Phi Beta Kappa is an opportunity for college students to meet and interact with top scholars. Joining this honor society allows you to meet individuals of different social classes.
As the oldest academic honor society in the country, Phi Beta Kappa is one of the best honor societies in the U.S.
#2. Honorsociety.org
Next on our list of best honor societies in the U.S., is honorsociety.org.
Honorsociety.org is one of the best academic honor societies in the United States. It’s the most inclusive academic and professional society in the U.S.
When you visit the website Honorsociety.org, you can become a member and gain access to useful resources such as test preparation tools, career guides, and scholarship opportunities.
Once you become a member, you can get your name out there by making a blog post on honorsociety.org. As a member, you can connect through the website’s social media pages.
If you don’t have a large web presence, Honorsociety.org can assist you in building your profile. This will help you prepare for the workforce after graduating from college.
#3. Golden Key
The Golden Key International Honor Society was founded in 1977 and makes it to our list of honor societies in the U.S. The academic honor society was founded at Georgia State University and it’s the largest honor society in the world with two million members.
The Golden Key International Honor Society is also the only honor society to be based on a foundation of academic service and leadership.
Members of this honor society include great scholars, leaders, and world travellers. Joining the Golden Key International Honor Society is an opportunity with great benefits. The largest honor society in the world is an organization that helps members achieve their goals through various means.
They provide scholarships and awards to students with excellent academic achievement.
Just so you know, honorary members of the Golden Key International Honor Society include former U.S. president Bill Clinton, Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
#4. Phi Kappa Phi
Phi Kappa Phi was founded in the late 19th century at the University of Maine. This is one of the best honor societies in the U.S., founded in 1897. The honor society is also one of the most selective in the country.
According to statistics, Phi Kappa Phi only accepts individuals in the top 7.5% of their second semester. Phi Kappa Phi only accepts graduate students in the top 10%.
Joining Phi Kappa Phi provides a lot of opportunities for students. Once you become a member, you are likely to receive grants, awards, and cash as well.
#5. Gamma Beta Phi Society
This honor society is a non-profit and non-secret organization that is more focused on education, friendship, and life itself. The number of active members of Gama Beta Phi is over 30,000.
Gamma Beta Phi does not accept members based on intelligence alone. They consider other factors such as motivation, good intent, as well as knowledge of the Christian faith.
With 40,000 active members, Gamma Beta Phi is one of the best honor societies in the U.S. Members of this honor society are encouraged to participate in service projects, engage in leadership roles, and other achievements.
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#6. Alpha Lambda Delta
Alpha Lambda Delta is next on our list of best honor societies in the U.S.
Alpha Lambda Delta is an honor society founded on May 31, 1924, at the University of Illinois. It’s an honor society for college students with a minimum GPA of 3.5.
The founder of Alpha Lambda Delta was the dean of women at the University of Illinois, Maria Leonard. The honor society was set up to recognize academic excellence in first-year college students.
Alpha Lambda Delta is one of the best honor societies in the U.S., with over 800,000 active members. According to statistics, Alpha Lambda Delta has over 270 chapters across the country.
#7. Omicron Delta Kappa
Omicron Delta Kappa is one of the most prestigious honor societies in the U.S. and we have included it on this list. This honor society is also known as The Circle and ODK. It has chapters at more than 300 college campuses across the country.
Omicron Delta Kappa was founded at Washington and Lee University in Lexington Virginia on December 3, 1914. Across the United States, over 300,000 students from different colleges and universities have been recognized through this honor society for their leadership and service.
#8. National Society of Collegiate Scholars
The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) is a non-profit academic honor society founded on April 30, 1994, at George Washington University. NSCS is an honor society both for first and second-year college students.
It has active chapters at more than 300 colleges and universities in the United States and Puerto Rico.
The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) provides its members with opportunities such as scholarships, connections to graduate schools and career services.
What Are Honor Societies?
In 1776, the first ever academic honor society, Phi Kappa Phi was founded. Since then, honors societies have been a part of college education in the U.S.
Honor societies are organizations that promote academic excellence in college students. Members of these organizations are college students with excellent academic achievement and those who have shown good leadership abilities.
Becoming a member of any of these honor societies is based on academic performance in college. For instance, Alpha Lambda Delta only accepts college students with a minimum GPA of 3.5, while Phi Kappa Phi only accepts graduate students in the top 10%.
Students who are members of these honor societies often have access to great opportunities like scholarships, awards, and grants. Becoming a member of an honor society will make your resume more decorative. Members of an honor society also have the opportunity to interact with other like-minded students.
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What Are the Benefits of Honor Societies?
Members of honor societies have access to opportunities and there is also more to benefit from. Besides discussing the list of the best honor societies in the U.S., let’s look at the benefits of becoming a member of an honor society.
Job Opportunity
The benefit of being a member of an honor society is the opportunity to get your dream job. Becoming a member of an honor society gives your resume a boost for employment.
Remember, some of the members of these honor societies are individuals of the upper class and their influence can be decisive in getting that dream job.
Employers will acknowledge your affiliation on your resume, which describes your academic achievements and attributes.
Network Opportunities
Besides having opportunities for great job offers, members of honor societies also have networking opportunities. Some of the members of these honor societies are influential individuals in networking.
Scholarships
We have already discussed how college students can benefit as active members of these honors societies. College students who are active members of an honor society can get scholarships and grants.
As a member of an honor society, you can get scholarships, health insurance, and textbook discounts.
What GPA Is required for Phi Beta Kappa?
Phi Beta Phi is the oldest academic honor society in the United States dating back to the 18th century.
Presently, there is no specific GPA requirement for college students to become a member of Phi Beta Phi. But an honor society that had 17 U.S. presidents as members and 38 Supreme Court Justices, and over 100 Nobel should not be that easy to join.
To join this honor society, you are expected to have a GPA that is above average. You are required to maintain at least a GPA of 3.8 and 4.0, while still in college.
How to Identify a Legit Honor Society
There are several honor societies out there that are scams but appear as the best honor society. To find out if an honor society is legitimate, visit the Association of College Honor Society (ACHS) website.
What Are the Cost of Joining an Honor Society?
In the United States, each honor society has a specific fee. Some of the most prestigious honor societies in the U.S. cost more for college students to join.
The amount to join these honor societies varies based on their standards. But not to worry, the fee to join these honor societies ranges from $20 to $125.
Before you join any honor society, do a quicck research to know what is involved in the process.
Just so you know, there are honor societies out there that charge chapter or national fees. Do your research before joining your preferred honor society.
Conclusion
Honor societies have been part of college education in the United States since the 18th century. Phi Beta Kappa was the first in the country in 1776, and there have been other honour societies since then.
Becoming a member of an honor society is an opportunity to expand your horizons. You can receive grants, scholarships, and awards by joining an honor society. It’s also beneficial to become a member if you want to have an impressive resume.
We hope our list of best honor societies in the U.S. was helpful.
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