FAQ's

The Nauset Chapter of the National Honor Society inducts new members in the fall of each school year. Prior to induction, prospective members are required to submit a membership application and a teacher recommendation to the faculty sponsors of the NHS chapter. Each application is reviewed, the teacher recommendation is considered, and a decision on membership is made by a committee of faculty members called the Faculty Council. Those students whose membership is accepted are installed at an induction ceremony in November or December of the school year. 

Here are some frequently asked questions that may help you understand what is required of prospective members and the application process.

1. Who may apply for membership in NHS?

Any junior may apply for membership in NHS in the fall of their junior year provided he/she first meets the minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) requirement of a 3.8  Other criteria for membership include: teacher recommendation, participation in extracurricular and community activities, and a commitment to community service. Rising seniors who have previously applied but were not accepted for membership in NHS are highly encouraged to submit a new application in the fall of their senior year.

2. What is the minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) requirement for membership in NHS?

Prospective members in the classes of 2024 and beyond must have a minimum weighted GPA of a 3.8. Current members whose GPA falls below 3.8 are put on probation for one semester, ending with a review of the student’s GPA after the probationary period. Members on probation who do not raise their GPA after the probationary period are subject to faculty review and probable revocation of the student’s membership in NHS. 

3. How do I apply for membership in NHS?

Juniors who meet the minimum GPA of 3.8 after the completion of their sophomore year will receive an email invitation to apply. Students who are interested in applying for membership in are required to complete a membership application that consists of multiple parts. These include information on extracurricular activities, leadership positions, community involvement, service activities, and a personal essay on character. 

4. When do I apply for membership in NHS?

Any junior who meets the GPA requirement may apply for membership in NHS. Applications are available on the NHS website (and on Google Classroom for eligible applicants). A specific and final deadline date for applying is listed on the application. This deadline will NOT be extended; therefore, all applications must be turned in on or before this deadline date, or the application will not be accepted. NO EXCEPTIONS! In addition, students who are invited and choose to apply for membership in NHS are not automatically accepted into NHS. The application is used by the Faculty Council as one of the criteria for membership, along with the student’s GPA, disciplinary record, attendance record, and comments provided to the Faculty Council by teachers.

5. When will I know if I’ve been accepted for membership in NHS?

Invitations to join the National Honor Society will be emailed to the applicant’s school email address approximately two weeks prior to the induction ceremony. Those students who are not offered membership will receive a letter via email explaining the reason(s) for the applicant not being extended an invitation for membership into NHS. 

6. Besides scholarship, what are the other criteria for membership in NHS?

The National Honor Society requires members to demonstrate leadership in and outside of school, perform service to their school and community, possess a character of high morals and ethics, and demonstrate citizenship by their membership in school and community organizations. The Nauset Chapter requires prospective members to list and describe their extracurricular activities, their leadership positions in these activities, their involvement in school and community activities, and the types and number of service hours performed in each of their high school years.

7. What are extracurricular activities?

Extracurricular activities include membership in school or community sports teams, band, chorus, orchestra, clubs, internships, part-time jobs, etc. 

8. What is considered a leadership position?

A leadership position is any position in which the student had to manage, motivate, and oversee other people. These leadership positions can be elected or appointed positions in student government, clubs, or community organizations. Leadership positions can be associated with a particular service or community project. Work-related leadership positions (such as store manager, assistant manager, team leader, etc.) are also acceptable.

9. What part does character play in the application process?

The Nauset Chapter of NHS holds in high esteem the character of its members. Therefore, students who have been subject to disciplinary measures by Nauset High School will most likely NOT be accepted for membership in NHS. While the likelihood of a student being granted membership in NHS for these types of infractions is slim, the student may still decide to submit his/her application. Students who choose to do so are highly encouraged to also submit a detailed explanation of the circumstances of the infraction as well as what the student learned from being involved in this infraction.

10. What are community activities?

Membership in NHS requires active participation in the community outside of school. Community organizations include: Boy and Girl Scouts, community sports leagues (as a volunteer and not as a participant), service oriented clubs like the Key Club or Interact Club, service organizations like the Rotary Club, environmental groups like Cape Cod Bay Sea Turtle Rescue, local chapters of national charity organizations such as the American Cancer Society or American Red Cross, local food banks, religious organizations, assisting an elderly neighbor, etc. Many of the activities of these types of volunteer organizations would fall under the “Service Hours” heading of the membership application. For instance, if you volunteered with the Red Cross two hours per week, you may list your involvement with the Red Cross in the “Community Activities” part of the application and the service hours performed as a Red Cross volunteer would be listed in the “Service Hours” section of the membership application.

11. What are service hours?

Service hours are the amount of time a student is involved in activities for which he or she receives no compensation. The student participates in these activities as a volunteer and with a “positive, courteous, and enthusiastic spirit.” Compensation does not only mean a monetary reward. Service hours that are performed in order to receive or boost a grade or to satisfy the requirements of a course may not be used as part of a student’s application to NHS. In addition, service hours performed so a student may be rewarded with a trip, prize, or other non-monetary reward may not be included in the student’s application to NHS. The exception to this is any service activity associated with the Boy/Girl Scouts or similar organization whereby the student is recognized with a badge or similar type of award or recognition. 

12. How many service hours do I need for membership in NHS?

 For prospective members to NHS, there is no magic number of service hours needed for admission to NHS. However, in reviewing the application of prospective members, the Faculty Council takes into consideration some factors concerning service hours. First, the Faculty Council looks at the overall commitment to service on the part of the student. In doing so, the Council considers whether or not the student participates in a number of different service projects and activities. Second, the Faculty Council considers if the student demonstrates a consistent commitment to community service. In doing so, the Council looks at frequency of the service activity i.e. once a week, once a month, or once a year. Students who have participated in a number of service projects on a consistent basis throughout their high school career are looked upon more favorably than those students who have never participated in service activities or who participate on an infrequent basis.

If accepted for membership in NHS, a student is required to perform 20 community service hours the first year and 20 service hours in the second year in order to retain membership in NHS. For juniors, community service hours must be completed by the start of school in September of their senior year. For seniors, community service hours must be completed by April of their senior years.

13. What should I include on my application?

In short: EVERYTHING! Leaving something out because there is not enough room on the application, you are too lazy, you are rushing through the application, you forgot, or you did not feel the information is significant might hurt your chances for acceptance into NHS. Typically, the Faculty Council is looking for a well-rounded student focused on academic success and who has a deep commitment in service to the community. Leaving important areas on the application blank will only diminish the chances of admission. This is not to say if you don’t have, for example, any leadership positions listed you will not get into NHS, but it certainly means the rest of your activities have to be that much stronger. While omitting relevant information on your application that would help the Faculty Council consider you for admission to NHS is not wise, fabricating or making up information on your application is much worse. The members of the Faculty Council are experienced teachers who are highly involved in their communities and generally know what sort of volunteer activities are available to young people. All volunteer activities listed on the student’s application must also include a contact name and telephone number or email address in order to verify the applicant’s service hours and activities. The best way to document community service is by using the Nauset Community Service log sheets.

14. I’m a freshman or sophomore. Why should I care now about membership in NHS?

If you think you might want to apply for membership in NHS in your junior or senior years, the NHS faculty sponsors advise you to start preparing now. What this means is you should become involved with school clubs and activities, research and start participating in volunteer organizations or service activities, maintain your GPA, and ensure you maintain a clean disciplinary record. The standards for membership are very high and, therefore, you will want to start getting involved now. The personal benefits of volunteering and community involvement surpass just NHS membership or even admission to college. Giving of yourself to the community fosters personal satisfaction and contentment as well as good citizenship. Your freshman or sophomore years are not too early to start a lifelong commitment to volunteerism.

15. Who should I speak to if I need more information on membership to NHS?

The faculty advisers are Ms. Kelly Terrenzi and Mrs. Wendy Spampinato. They can answer most questions you may have; however, it doesn’t hurt to speak to a current officer or member of NHS. They will probably be able to give you advice on what service opportunities are out there for high school students. You may also Visit the National Honor Society website at www.nhs.us if you would like to get information on the national organization of NHS.