Everything You Need to Know About Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society

In today's tough job market, having just a high GPA is no longer enough.

To get a relevant job out of college, you need to make sure you have the right combination of grades, work experience, and extracurriculars. 

But did you know that being a part of an honor society can give your resume a significant boost? And if you're a business student, membership in Beta Gamma Sigma could be what you need to start your job search with confidence, no matter when you graduate.

If you've been thinking of joining an honor society, keep reading. Our guide has everything you need to know about the benefits of Beta Gamma Sigma, how to join, and more.

What Is Beta Gamma Sigma?

Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) is an honor society for business students. American universities have been recognizing honor societies for nearly 200 years.

These days, honor societies recognize their members' academic achievements. They also offer members many benefits, including scholarship opportunities and career networks.

The initials in Beta Gamma Sigma each have their own significance for the honor society's mission and come from the Greek alphabet. These initials stand for honor (B), wisdom (Γ), and earnestness (Σ).

Since then, BGS has honored the top students in AACSB accredited colleges. AACSB stands for The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

BGS also aims to give its members lifetime value through its programs, benefits, and opportunities.

Some notable members of BGS include Bengt Holmstrom, the 2016 Nobel Prize winner in Economics. They also include Ann-Marie Campbell, the Executive Vice-President of Home Depot.

History

BGS was founded in 1913 by combining three pre-existing college societies. Beta Gamma Sigma existed in 1907 at the University of Wisconsin only, where it encouraged achievement in its business students.

At the same time, two other similar societies existed at other universities. The first of these was Delta Kappa Chi at the University of Illinois, founded in 1910. The second of these was The Economics Club, founded in 1906 at the University of California.

All three of these societies existed to support business students and recognize and reward their achievements.

When these three societies found out about each other, they merged together in 1913. They created a larger Beta Gamma Sigma that became a national society.

Since the three original societies were for men, BGS only consisted of men until 1933. Before then, the women's honor society was Gamma Epsilon Pi. In 1933, women who were members of this society were admitted to BGS retroactively.

Over the years, BGS has celebrated its milestones with new honors and awards for its members. One of these is the Medallion for Entrepreneurship, which the society introduced in 1987. This medallion is given to individuals who combine innovation in business with service to humanity.

And in 1988, on the society's 75th anniversary, BGS created a scholarship program to reward its most outstanding students.

Chapters

BGS has over 900,000 members worldwide from over 600 collegiate chapters. These members are in more than 190 countries today.

The first BGS chapter outside of the US came about in 1989 at the University of Calgary. And in 2017, BGS established its first chapter in Japan. This makes BGS a truly global society.

Once you graduate, you can still be a part of the honor society. This is because BGS has 32 alumni chapters across the world. 

These alumni chapters let members meet each other and network with other members. All you need to do is use the map on your website to find the chapter near you, or contact your nearest chapter's president.

Membership

BGS is made up of the top 10% of business undergraduate students, as well as the top 20% of business graduate students.

All doctoral students who have successfully defended their dissertation can also join. They just have to have done so at an AACSB-accredited business school.

Since AACSB accredits only 5% of business schools worldwide, membership in BGS makes you stand out from the crowd. Not only do you get the support of the society, but this is a distinction you definitely want on your resume. 

The Mission of Beta Gamma Sigma

The mission of BGS is to honor and encourage academic achievement in business. BGS also strives to celebrate professional excellence and leadership, all while serving its members and helping them become better leaders.

BGS aims to do this in 4 ways. The first is by encouraging achievement for students of business and management through its chapters. The second is to develop the leadership qualities of BGS students.

The third is to encourage members to commit to the core principles BGS was founded on: honor, wisdom, earnestness, and service. 

And finally, BGS wants to connect its members and alumni for professional opportunities.

Beta Gamma Sigma Requirements

First of all, make sure that your school is AACSB accredited. Then, make sure your college campus has its own BGS chapter.

To join BGS, you don't apply—instead, an invite gets sent to you if you are eligible. To be eligible, you have to fit into one of five categories.

The first is for undergraduates in the top 10% of their class. Note that you have to be in the second semester of your sophomore year or up to be eligible.

Next, you can join if you're a master's student in the top 20% of your class. You have to have finished half of your program to be eligible.

If you're a doctoral candidate and have successfully defended your dissertation, you are also eligible to join.

And if you're a transfer student, you can still be eligible. First, you must meet the criteria above. You also must have completed one year of coursework at the college where your chapter is located.

Finally, invites can also be sent to certain faculty members at schools that are AACSB accredited.

Remember that your college can extend an invitation to eligible students. Keep in mind that some chapters may have stricter criteria. If you need more information, be sure to check with the Advisor of your campus Chapter.

You can also look at Beta Gamma Sigma reviews to see if students have any tips for how to get an invite and join the society.

How To Join Beta Gamma Sigma

To join BGS, you'll get an invitation email. This email lets you know the honor society's membership fees and where to join. It also includes a link to your member profile. 

When you click on the link to your profile, you'll fill in your information. Be sure to include your contact information and write down what name you would like printed on your membership certificate.

Once you pay your membership dues and complete your member profile, you'll attend your chapter's annual membership ceremony. There, you'll receive your membership certificate, new member materials, and a lapel pin.

Each chapter decides on its own membership ceremony dates and times, so contact your local Chapter Advisor to get all the details.

Benefits of Beta Gamma Sigma

Members of BGS get both educational benefits and professional benefits. 

Since BGS is passionate about learning, they believe that education doesn't stop once you get your first degree. This is why members get educational resources throughout their entire society membership.

They also allow you to email the Global Headquarters if there are any additional educational resources you'd like to see.

BGS also offers many professional benefits to members, whether they're current students or working professionals.

Educational Benefits

One of the top benefits of being a part of an honor society is that you can apply to scholarships you may not have been able to find on your own.

This is because many honor societies also have scholarship directories exclusive for their members. 

And every student knows that adding internships and volunteer experience to your resume is a huge boost to help you stand out from other candidates.

This is why BGS offers its own internship and volunteer opportunities, as well as special pricing that's exclusive to members.

Some colleges also waive GMAT and/or application fees for BGS members. For example, the University of San Francisco's School of Management will waive GMAT/GRE costs as well as application fees for BGS members.

Other educational benefits of being a part of BGS include special discounts for test prep services, including The Princeton Review and Kaplan.

BGS members also get access to graduate scholarship opportunities exclusive to lifetime members of BGS.

Career and Professional Benefits

Not only do honor society members get access to scholarships, but they also have amazing career resources to help guide members on their post-graduation journey.

The professional benefits of being a part of BGS include special rates for motor vehicle insurance in the US. You can also get discounts on technology and even tech support through Dell and Lenovo.

To continue their business education, BGS members also get discounts on the most popular business publications. These include Forbes, Inc., and Fortune.

Other members-only discounts include car rental, travel, discounts on professional clothing, and professional development.

ConnectBGS

One helpful feature of BGS as a society is its ConnectBGS feature. This is a discussion board exclusive to members.

Here, you can access different communities, including ones for alumni, and any communities that fit your interests. 

One of these communities is the Job Seeker's Café, where you can find job postings.

You can also use ConnectBGS to see the member directory, network, and view any upcoming events. 

Global Leadership Summit

One of the most unique and helpful events that BGS offers is its yearly Global Leadership Summit, which started in 2015. 

This yearly leadership summit brings together the highest achieving students from the top 5% of AACSB business schools worldwide. This is a unique experience where members can learn and network.

The learning part of the summit includes opportunities for professional development. It also includes team events and meetings with graduate school and corporate recruiters.

There are also speakers at the event every year to inspire you. These include expert panelists, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. 

And if you're considering graduate school, there are plenty of graduate program recruiters on-site to talk to you and answer any questions you might have about their program.

Although the 2021 summit had to be canceled due to the pandemic, BGS hopes to continue its yearly summit in 2022.

Ethical Leadership Certification

While business is often associated with corrupt practices and ethical dilemmas, this doesn't have to be the case. Through its partnership with the NASBA Center for the Public Trust, BGS offers a new certification.

This Ethical Leadership Certification helps BGS members navigate any social or ethical dilemmas they might face in the workplace. 

This online course has six modules that are self-guided, so you can finish them on your own time. The modules feature the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.

These CEOs present on various topics, including conflict management, conflict prevention, ethical decision-making, and supporting your organization. 

After each section, you will have to complete a test. Once you successfully complete all the modules, you'll get the certificate. 

Not only is the Ethical Leadership Certificate a great boost to your resume, but it helps pave the way for more ethical decision-making in the business world at large.

Get All the Benefits of an Honor Society

No matter where you are in your college journey, joining Beta Gamma Sigma can help you take your business education to the next level.

Whether that's accessing invaluable scholarship databases or networking for your next job opportunity, BGS has helpful perks for every business student.

At Honor Society, we also strive to help our members get the most out of their education with nationally recognized distinction, exclusive scholarships, career guides, discounts, and more.

Ready to join like-minded achievers and take advantage of our exclusive member benefits? Fill out our new member application form today.