Did you know that some honor society foundations maintain an active alumni network of over one million people?
How much easier do you think it would be to find the perfect job for you when you could reach out to any of these individuals with your foot already in the door?
This is just one of the many perks included in membership to an honor society.
There are many reasons people join these exclusive societies. Students who are hard workers and have proven a track record of success are poised to reap the benefits of this type of membership.
In this article, we will walk you through everything you need to know about the benefits of joining the best honor society.
What Is An Honor Society?
Different types of honor society membership allow for different roles. Some honor societies will be like an active alumni network for individuals with shared goals. They may have similar career or professional interests and be looking to expand with others in their field.
Some honor societies also allow for camaraderie between people of shared interests who have academic success. The educational benefits of joining these exclusive clubs are vast and varied. It allows for lifelong learning in the company of others who want to steer their career and study goals in the same direction.
The way that honors societies are built allows for space to grow leadership skills. You can also work to advance your career by developing expertise in related niches. Honor society members often share common interests with potential business partners.
Some honor societies are invitation-only. You will not be able to apply for membership to some societies.
Active members of honor societies recognize that much of their career success has been about who they know. Investing in an honor society membership allows for substantial educational and career benefits through networking.
How to Join An Honor Society
As mentioned above, most honor societies will require an invitation. Usually, they will ask for a small fee in the $100-$200 range. You do not want to join honor societies that do not put forth this fee, since anyone can join.
This dilutes the overall talent pool in the society and essentially makes membership worthless.
You want there to be some exclusivity. This way, there will be useful benefits and educational resources that legitimize the purpose of the club.
Before joining an honor society, make sure to scrutinize the website. You want to know that they have a physical location with a headquarters. You also should look to see if they display their full list of administrators and officers.
A true honor society will explain its policies upfront with specific information about benefits and fees. You should be able to find information about their active programs and educational resources online.
Depending on the society, you may be asked to pay a one-time lifetime membership fee or a renewing annual set of dues. Either way, our experience suggests that both types of fees signify legitimate membership. It isn’t better or worse to pay a one-time fee.
There is some concern online about the one-time fee being associated with scam networks. Make sure to do your due diligence before joining.
If it is not clear to you what the membership conditions state, stay away. You can also call the headquarters to get a better sense of the society’s legitimacy.
Once you feel comfortable with the society, you can pay the fee and complete their application process. They may have one or more members contact you to ensure that you are who you state you are. This provides an added layer of vetting and ensures quality.
What Are the Educational and Other Benefits of Joining The Best Honor Society?
For smart students, joining an honor society is one of the foremost college essentials to maximize your education. Going to college allows for access to worlds of knowledge right at your fingertips.
If you’re in your first college semester or your first year of college, joining an honor society early can help you maximize your benefits while being on campus.
Here are just a few of the main benefits you get when you join an honor Society during your college years.
Community Service and Leadership Opportunities
When you join an honor society, you will instantly have access to a variety of community service opportunities. There will be ways to network in your local community with your local chapter to serve those around you.
This is not only a great thing to do, but you will be able to demonstrate to future employers that you care about giving back. These activities can go on to your resume to show that you believe in helping those around you.
Additionally, you will get access to upcoming leadership seminars that teach you how to lift your presence head and shoulders above competitors. When you are just starting college, these leadership seminars can teach you skills to help you find positions of influence for the next four years. This way, you can practice and hone your leadership skills to improve organizations on campus and beyond.
Leadership skills help our society members throughout the rest of their life. When the foundation is built successfully during the college years, you can reap the benefits for years to come.
Academic Excellence
Usually, to be considered for an honor society you will need to have a great GPA. For example, The Honor Society provides honors to its members in three categories: highest honors, high honors, and honors.
Each of these helps to categorize a standard for your efforts in school. It provides you with a great target to aim for in your coursework.
When you have a defined standard that you need to meet, school becomes a more important priority.
Also, maintaining a good GPA is part of staying in the honor society. This helps to motivate you to continue to excel in your classes and unlock academic honors that continue to pay dividends throughout your life on your resume and CV.
External Funding
Part of these benefits includes external funding. This comes in the form of scholarships and grants. Most honor societies will include special scholarships for motivated students who are exceeding their peers’ standards in special ways.
Because the cost of college continues to increase every year, these scholarships or grants can be a lifesaver. You don’t need to be in an honor society to know that loans aren’t always the best option for students since they come with significant interest fees over time.
There are many societies including Phi Beta Kappa that dole out only a few scholarships every year. These can be significant scholarships, however, they are only granted to a handful of people.
On the other hand, The Honor Society provides dozens of scholarships to motivate you to do your best. The Honor Society provides an extensive list of financial aid grants available in the scholarship directory. This is made clear for all members who wish to use their membership to help to pay part of their tuition costs.
Being in Good Company
This benefit is perhaps the most important in terms of educational value. When you become involved in your local honor society chapter and its culture, you will be surrounded by individuals who are headed in the same direction as you. By developing friendships and motivating each other over time, you encourage each other to seek out your potential.
Even between like-minded students in college, sharing your passion for your academics or your major together allows you to partner in ways that maximize your learning. You may be able to find study buddies or group partners through this membership.
However, the bottom line is that honor societies are filled with people who are driven toward success. Being in such good company keeps you accountable toward your goals.
Networking and Mentorship
Yes, honor society membership allows for finding great jobs at the end of your schooling.
But there is another educational benefit at play here. What if you want to go on to graduate learning?
Networking and mentorship allow you to take more control of your educational path. When you can speak to honor society alumni who have a few more years under your belt along your chosen path, you can reach out to them for advice and help make calls to get you where you want to go.
Most Honor Society active members love to sponsor young students. They want to help students with an initiative to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to drive their own careers.
An Example
Phi Beta Kappa is one of the most recognizable student honor societies in the world. In previous articles, we have discussed why entrance into Phi Beta Kappa matters in today’s world. You can read about Phi Beta Kappa membership here.
There are many benefits of this prestigious membership including a variety of famous past and present members.
For example, 17 presidents have been members of this exclusive organization, along with dozens more notable politicians and Nobel laureates.
Phi Beta Kappa provides ongoing educational opportunities for its members online and in person. Local chapters of Phi Beta Kappa regularly host lectures at major universities to advance learning and improve educational camaraderie.
You can choose to attend exclusive events and destination conferences in person every year. Phi Beta Kappa displays these on the organization’s calendar of events.
Phi Beta Kappa also produces The American Scholar, which is its quarterly publication. It includes various poetry works and essays from thought leaders in several fields. Simply having this magazine sent to you is a fantastic educational bonus of membership.
Participation in The Honor Society helps students prepare for membership to Phi Beta Kappa. The Honor Society can motivate and keep students on track throughout their college years.
Why You Should Join The Honor Society
The Honor Society is an excellent option for students with a broader membership. Our members want to maximize education during their college years and beyond.
In addition to the benefits discussed above, Honor Society members can access other benefits. These range from exclusive discounts on health and dental insurance, course texts, and plenty more. They can apply for exclusive scholarships and awards.
There are silver and gold tier memberships that allow for exclusive and powerful benefits including free career guides, hidden job listings, and special lecture series.
A Special Guarantee
The Honor Society does provide an active refund policy for individuals.
The purpose of our society membership is to add value to your education and professional career. If you feel that the honor society membership benefits do not add the value you are looking for, you can contact us and we will be happy to refund you within the first 90 days following your dues payment.
The Honor Society provides a membership satisfaction guarantee that can be found on its website.
Boosting Your Education with The Honor Society
At the end of the day, honor societies offer incredible value to students. For a small fee, students can have unlimited access to networking opportunities, educational seminars, and leadership skills series. For a student willing to take initiative on these opportunities, there is no limit to where you can go.
The Honor Society aims to be the best honor society in the world and intends to serve its members in pursuing lifelong education. If you enjoyed this article about continuing education, check out our other articles for high-achievers on buzzblogbox.com!