Opinion: National Honor Society

Jarhead713

Jarhead713

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IMHO, NHS shouldn't be used as a basis for admission. Largely due to the fact that requirements for admission change unproportionately between every school in America. (i.e. School A could have a requirement of a 3.5 weighted GPA, and school B could have a requirement of an 97 average.) To me (personally) this seems unfair. I understand the point of NHS is to recognize students for academic achievement and other factors, but ultimately academic achievement is defined differently for everyone.

SA's and ROTC programs love to use it as a factor for basis of admission, but honestly I believe it creates an uneven playing field.

Other opinions are always welcome :)
 
NHS is another activity like any other. The least valuable one my son was in. I suspect some NHS are valuable at other schools.

I assume most candidates that are 3q are in NHS ... maybe a bad assumption on my part.
 
I wouldn't say it created an uneven playing field for SA admissions. If you are just a member it won't add much to your application, but if you are doing activities and getting involved with NHS it could be another important point to notice on your packet.
 
I’m the NHS adviser at the high school where I teach. I see the OP’s point. HOWEVER, there are FOUR PILLARS to the selection of NHS members: Scholarship, Leadership, Character, and Service. If the school does the selection by the book, scholarship is only the gatekeeper to be considered. After that, the student must be solid, or at least have redeeming qualities, in the other pillars. If you’ve cheated, you’re not getting in (at least the year). If you’ve done no leadership or service? Same. See ya next year. If you’re caught cheating and we’re already a member, a Faculty Council meeting is called, and bye bye. Does do your Individual Service Project? See ya. It’s clear to see how the pillars mirror, to a certain degree, what SAs are looking for. So, I’d say it’s an indicator if an exceptional student is NOT in NHS, ie is s/he is a schmuck, cheater, etc?
 
NHS is also not offered in all schools. DD attended a highly regarded private high school, with school profile and college admissions to match, but NHS simply wasn’t available. Fortunately, it wasn’t a hindrance to SA appointment.
 
THmom said:
I’m the NHS adviser at the high school where I teach. I see the OP’s point. HOWEVER, there are FOUR PILLARS to the selection of NHS members: Scholarship, Leadership, Character, and Service. If the school does the selection by the book, scholarship is only the gatekeeper to be considered. After that, the student must be solid, or at least have redeeming qualities, in the other pillars. If you’ve cheated, you’re not getting in (at least the year). If you’ve done no leadership or service? Same. See ya next year. If you’re caught cheating and we’re already a member, a Faculty Council meeting is called, and bye bye. Does do your Individual Service Project? See ya. It’s clear to see how the pillars mirror, to a certain degree, what SAs are looking for. So, I’d say it’s an indicator if an exceptional student is NOT in NHS, ie is s/he is a schmuck, cheater, etc?
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Pretty much what I was going to comment, as a mom of 4 kiddos who received it at 3 different schools (2 public and one private)....it’s not only academic, which is the piece OP is focused on comparing between schools. I completely agree with that through my experience (lower academic requirement, easier to attain that minimum at the public schools my kiddos attended than the private school, which was way more competitive).

However...and this is the big piece....the student has to be worthy of receiving the honor. It shows they are the students that the selection committee sees possessing those traits. Personally, imo, since all SA candidates will have stellar academics, I believe the value is in the remaining pillars as discussed, more than the academic piece: Leadership, Character and Service. And that’s huge imo because that means these kiddos are the ones that best exemplify those attributes and are the students xxx school wants to put their name on. I’m not sure if the application process is standard, but my current high schooler had to obtain 3 teacher LOR’s, complete an activities/leadership resume, and provide volunteer service hours and contacts. Additionally, an email goes out to the entire school staff/teachers, with the candidates listed, and all are invited to opine on the list. So it’s not “nothing” to receive this honor, and it’s beyond the GPA piece.

To me, is similar to the SA’s doing a ‘whole person concept’. An appointment is more that academics. Same with NHS. More than academics. It’s also only one box to check, of many.
 
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Jarhead713 said:
NHS shouldn't be used as a basis for admission
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I don't have an opinion on this statement but agree with its premise. I've been an NHS application reader four of the last five years and each year the method of selection has been different. The four pillars that @THmom mentioned were covered some years and some not. This year, administrative errors in the rubric for grading essays were made. I'm frustrated but keep volunteering to read because I believe in the program. It would be nice though if all schools met the same standard and method for selection.
 
Absolutely true that selection can vary school to school and year to year. And, absolutely true that everyone on staff chimes in, even the secretary. I wonder how much of a bump it gets in the app process. They’ve got to know all these variables. Perhaps it’s just a matter of adding to the picture if it’s there but not detracting from it if it’s not?
 
THmom said:
Absolutely true that selection can vary school to school and year to year. And, absolutely true that everyone on staff chimes in, even the secretary. I wonder how much of a bump it gets in the app process. They’ve got to know all these variables. Perhaps it’s just a matter of adding to the picture if it’s there but not detracting from it if it’s not?
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I agree. I believe NOT having it is more important than having it. My daughter had a huge resume including NHS but softball got her into a Virginia Ivy (UVA, William & Mary, etc). My son wasn't NHS and didn't get into USNA. But that isn't he reason. He dropped off the football recruiting slate but otherwise would have been admitted.

So, I hope that wise admissions people see that applicants are as different as the applications they submit while holding us hostage the mysteries of their process.
 
I'm not entirely certain of the "value" of having it, but my son did say that he was asked during all MOC interviews if he was a member of NHS. He is, so they just went on to the next question.
Following that query, the next question was have you/are you taking Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, etc. Likely more important in the scheme of things.
 
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