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When are applications available each school year?
The application process can't begin until the adviser is able to obtain a list of eligible students from administration. Because of this fact, we appreciate your patience at the start of the year. Once the GPA list has been obtained, the adviser will send out an invitation to apply or reapply to all eligible students.
How do I apply?
Check the Apply page of this website.
Is everyone who applies accepted as a member?
No. Not everyone is accepted as a member. As our membership has grown, competition has grown as well, and all admitted members must meet the eligibility requirements AND show ample evidence of experience with the four pillars of NHS: scholarship (GPA will suffice), service, character, and leadership. On the application, students will be given an opportunity to showcase their previous experience with things like co-curricular activities, sports, work experience, leadership roles, personal achievements, service to the community, involvement outside of school, and so on. Showing evidence of these types of involvement will show that you are a strong candidate—beyond just having an unweighted, cumulative GPA of 3.8+. This, in addition to teacher and character recommendations, will be the basis of membership. The majority of students who apply have participated outside of the classroom, and membership in NHS highlights that involvement.
My mom or dad thinks I qualify because they remember my GPA being strong. Or I think I am eligible because I had straight As last trimester. Why didn't I get invited to join as a member?
You must have a 3.8+ GPA, unweighted, cumulative at the time of the membership drive each fall. We use the list generated by the school principal to contact eligible students. If you disagree with your GPA, please contact your counselor or your administrator. The NHS Adviser must use the school-generated list.
Why don't you announce applications or meetings over the loudspeaker at school? Why doesn't NHS participate in the GHS club rush?
NHS isn't a club; it's an honors organization. Therefore, it's not open to all students, and that is one of the requirements of club rush week. All communication about our organization will be conducted over email, so please watch for those messages in your school inbox.
When are club meetings? And are they required?
You can find out our club meeting dates at the Important Dates page. They are typically held on the 2nd and 4th Friday of every month; however, some months are filled with holidays and other events, so please check the calendar frequently. Meetings are not required since there are so many students now with alternative academic schedules, such as ROP or Middle College, and it's not equitable to require mandatory attendance if there are so many students who can't make the meetings on a regular basis. We will aim to make the meetings fun and informative, however, so please join us when you can! Also, a few times a year our meetings include opportunities to earn service hours; for instance, we have put together toiletry packets for the homeless refuge before and written letters to Ukrainian refugees. Join us!
Do I have to reapply every year?
The short answer is: Yes. The longer answer is that you simply need to reaffirm your intention to remain a member at the start of each school year once you've been inducted. If you don't reapply every year, you will not be considered a member that year. You will also pay your annual $20 dues to help keep the organization running and to provide for things like our induction ceremony and graduation regalia and community service donations.
Oops. I was a member last year but either no longer have the required GPA or I didn't complete my service hours last year...or, I violated the school's behavior policies. Now I've been told by the adviser that I'm a member with "probationary" status. What does that mean and what should I do?
First, life happens. Second, make a plan to get back on track. You still have a shot at staying in NHS:
If your GPA dipped below 3.8 cumulative since last year but you work hard to raise it this trimester, you can submit transcripts to the adviser after this year's Trimester 1 grades have posted. This will return you to full membership status for this school year. If your grades at that time no longer qualify you, the Faculty Council will vote to either give you another chance or dismiss you. You may not reapply to our chapter once you are dismissed.
If you didn't complete the required service hours last year, you can complete and submit hours for 1/3 of this year's total. That means you must serve 6-7 hours of community service in the first trimester and submit those hours to the chapter adviser no later than two weeks after the end of Trimester 1.
Finally, if you no longer meet the requirements for membership, the Faculty Council may vote to dismiss you. That means you will not receive special recognition or get to wear the NHS regalia at graduation, and you will not be able to attend the induction ceremony. Additionally, you can no longer list that you are an NHS member on your brag sheet or resume or indicate as such for college/scholarship applications.
What if I can't get a signature from one of my recommendations?
You are required to have a recommendation from one GHS teacher and one adult (as a character recommendation). Neither of them can be a family member. The easiest way to obtain these recommendations is to send them the form and have them return it to you completed. For signatures, an e-signature will be accepted as will a photograph of a signature. Most important, however, is that you provide an email address for your recommenders so that the adviser can contact them for confirmation.
Should I submit my service hours as I complete them or wait until I've accumulated all 20 required hours to submit?
Good question. It's much easier for both of us if you submit all the hours together; however, if you know you may not be able to get in touch with the coordinator or director months later after you've completed a project with that organization, you can have them sign the form at that time and then submit later.
I'm not great at finding service organizations on my own, or I'm introverted and would prefer something not terribly social. Are there opportunities for me to complete the service hours?
Of course! Check our Service Ideas page for more information. There are some online organizations that you can partner with to do things like write letters to people overseas in war-torn countries or government or corporate websites that are always looking for people to help them with their cataloging efforts.
If I don't qualify this year, can I apply next year?
Of course! Please reapply if your application is denied for some reason or if your GPA makes you ineligible. The application period happens only once per year, however, so wait until the following school year to reapply.
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