First, you have to keep your record clean to join NHS. We are an organization who recognizes good character and we cannot allow students who have discipline problems to join. Cheating in your academic subjects is considered a major infractions for NHS but other disciplinary issues can keep you from joining. Second, you need to be service-minded. If you need help getting community service opportunities, we have other organizations like Key club and Student Council. Both groups spend many hours each year devoted to community service. To join NHS, you need to have at least 10-hours of community service. Start keeping a log as soon as you join high school. I've had quite a few good students scrambling to get the required hours for their application packet. On the other hand, I've had students with over 300 community service hours. To count for community service, you cannot be paid for the activity and you cannot directly benefit from it. Third, you have to have an unweighted GPA of 3.24 or higher. Forth, whether you are applying for scholarships, college admissions, job applications or car loans, you often need recommendations. To be admitted into NHS, you need at least two letters of recommendation. Start cultivating relationships with your employers, previous teachers, coaches, mentors, etc. Your high school teachers will be asked to assess your character, leadership, service, and scholarship, so you should focus on non-high school teachers for your references. References should also not be your relatives or friends. It should be someone who can assess those four attributes.