Think Honor Society Is a Scam? 10 Things You May Be Missing
Nov 16,2021At first glance, it might seem too good to be true. An Honor Society membership can help you pursue your academic goals, find valuable networking opportunities, and take your career to the next level.
In a world where so much that glitters isn't gold, you might think it's an Honor Society scam. These doubts may even be exacerbated by new reports covering other, unscrupulous societies that make vapid promises but fail to actually deliver.
Today, we're here to set the record straight. Read on to discover 10 incredible real treats you can enjoy as an Honor Society member, no tricks included.
1. Professional Networking Opportunities
Did you know that around 70% of job openings today never make it to a publically available career site? Instead, they're filled through personal and professional connections.
At Honor Society, we know the value of networking. We also know it can be difficult to break the ice, especially if you're new to the industry.
That's why we make it easy for members to connect with others in their space.
You can start on our Career Resources page, where you'll find informative articles dedicated to helping you learn the art of reaching out.
Here, you'll also learn helpful tips that cover:
- Resume writing
- Interview preparation
- Career planning
In addition to these job resources, we also provide exciting, educational networking opportunities through the Honor Society Foundation.
From Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., our members have traveled across the country touring historic sites, learning from industry leaders, and connecting with other students and young professionals. You can learn more about these trips on our Benefits page!
2. Academic Scholarships
Honor Society is proud to offer exclusive academic scholarships to student members. In addition, you'll also enjoy access to our extensive database of partner scholarships.
This is one distinction that sets us apart from other honor societies that only claim to empower your education. We're dedicated to providing our members with the financial support they need to dream bigger and reach for their goals.
Our Scholarships page is a great place to learn more about each opportunity.
Here, you can also read real-life stories from recent scholarship recipients. There are even videos and images of Honor Society members sharing their scholarship stories! This is a great way to learn more about how these opportunities can truly make a difference in your education.
3. Incredible, Cost-Saving Benefits
In your quest to verify the authenticity of Honor Society, you may wonder why we charge membership dues.
These start at $65 annually, which equals just over $10 per month. However, you'll earn back so much more, and then some.
In short, all credible honor societies cost money, and it's more concerning when one over-promises and under-delivers without a fee structure in place.
What can you get when you pay to join us? In short, you'll enjoy valuable savings that enable you to double or even triple that investment throughout the year.
Consider our members-only discounts, for instance. As a member, you'll enjoy exclusive savings in many retail categories, including:
- Apparel
- Test prep courses
- Dining
- Flowers
- Health services
- Career guides
- Recreational activities
- Textbooks
- Travel
These best-in-class benefits are designed to help our members succeed today and tomorrow. You can even apply for an Honor Society Rewards Mastercard and start building your credit as you enjoy 1% cash-back on all purchases!
The dues we charge enable Honor Society to fund the vast array of benefits that our members currently enjoy. We also use them to license exclusive services at no extra cost to our members, as well as fund select scholarship opportunities.
4. Special Honors Regalia
There's no denying that your graduation day is one to cherish and remember. Thanks to the proliferation of social media, you can easily store and look back on the memory for years to come!
From turning the tassel to receiving your diploma, you want to look your best. On their own, a cap and gown are striking. However, our Honor Society Regalia takes the look to the next level.
Members can access our online store to shop for all of the gear they need to shine on their big day. A few highlights include:
- Membership certificates
- Honor cords
- Graduation stoles
- Symbolic medallions
- Baseball caps
You can shop for each item individually, and enjoy browsing the wide selection. Or, get everything you need with our exclusive Grad Pack. This is a great way to showcase your Honor Society membership in style!
5. Insider Career Insight
When you join Honor Society, we'll immediately connect you to thousands of career-related resources.
We realize how overwhelming and elusive the job hunt might feel, and our mission is to pull back the curtain. With our Career Insider Premium Access, you can find the following data with just a few clicks:
- More than 100 extensive industry profiles
- 780 professional profiles
- 5,000 company profiles
- 480 internship profiles
Provided by our partnership with Vault, this is a great way to learn more about the top leaders in your industry. Whether you're a seasoned professional or you're just entering the job field, this insider access is an invaluable resource.
6. Career-Growing Internships
Want to land your dream internship?
According to one recent survey, paid internships turn into full-time job offers roughly 65% of the time, and unpaid ones produce job offers almost 40% of the time!
When you want to learn more about a particular field and expand your network, an internship can get you there. However, it can be challenging to access one unless you have a way in.
To make the process easier, we wrote a thorough, 10-step guide to help you secure the perfect internship, available through Kindle and paperback on Amazon.
However, we didn't stop there. Through our Honor Society Career Center, members can also find helpful articles on how to find and score an internship you love. You can also use our online job board to search for available openings in your area!
7. Extensive Job Board
Speaking of our job board, are you on it?
If not, you could be missing out on tens of thousands of job openings available across the country. Easy to navigate, you can filter the opportunities by keyword, title, industry, or location.
On this platform, you can clearly see the key details you need to know about each position. These include:
- Location
- Position title
- Company name
- Industry
- Job function
- Job type
- Annual salary
You could spend your time and spin your wheels clicking back and forth on various other job sites. Or, you could go straight to the source with our comprehensive search tool that gets you closer to the job you love.
Does your resume need a little more polish? We also help with that. Members can upload their documents for a free expert review.
8. Give Back to Your Community
At Honor Society, we're dedicated to helping you fuel your personal growth. However, we also realize the deep importance of giving back.
That's why we offer powerful volunteer opportunities to help you support your community and pursue your passions.
In fact, service and philanthropy are cornerstones of our mission. From large-scale, national fundraisers to local drives, we make these goals part of our daily efforts.
Through our campus charter program, members spearhead various volunteer and community service events around the country. From building projects to clean-up days, you can always find a way to get involved and reach out.
9. Valuable Professional Recognition
Research shows that more than 90% of IT employers head to LinkedIn when they need to fill a new position.
When they land on your profile, what will they find?
In addition to your educational and professional experience, they'll also look for special distinctions, certifications, and recognitions that speak to your expertise.
An Honor Society membership can help you stand out from your competitors. It's a great way to showcase your commitment to pursuing excellence beyond the traditional realm.
In addition to your LinkedIn profile, you can also add your membership details to your paper resume or digital portfolio. Whether you're applying for a full-time position, a part-time gig, or a freelance internship, your membership is tangible proof that you're committed to excellence.
In other words, it's a simple way to grab their attention from the start.
10. Invest in and Acknowledge Your Success
The road to your Honor Society membership may have been paved with challenges. Or, it might have been a straight shot to success.
Either way, you're here and that's something to celebrate! When you join our society, you're not just paying for a notation on your resume or a talking point in interviews.
Rather, you're investing in your long-term academic and professional success. You're taking the first step in one of the most important journeys of your life, and accessing all the resources that can get you where you want to go.
In addition to the exciting events and opportunities you'll find in our society, you can also access around-the-clock insights via our esteemed Elevate Magazine.
From career finance and internships to education and technology, there's so much to see. You'll also discover fascinating updates from prolific leaders and distinguished student members!
Understanding Our Membership Requirements
The Honor Society requirement and recognition levels are another feature that gives our program credence and credibility.
In your research, you may notice that some other, competing societies do not have a threshold for membership. Anyone can join for free, and there's no distinction between members.
While this ease of entry might sound enticing, we believe in recognizing and rewarding the hard work of our students.
Our recognition tiers are in place to identify and honor high achievers. At the same time, our door is open to anyone who seeks to reach their goals, both now and in the future.
For that reason, we've established four tiers to recognize our students who have excelled in the classroom. These include:
- Highest Honors: 3.8 to 4.0 GPA
- High Honors: 3.5 to 3.79 GPA
- Honors: 3.2 to 3.49 GPA
Placing into one of these categories allows you to qualify for special advantages, such as Honor Society scholarships. However, we're also dedicated to extending inclusivity and opportunity to anyone who wishes to join our society.
For this reason, interested students whose GPA does not meet the honorific qualifications can apply to join as Strength & Honor members. These members enjoy most of the same perks as our other members, including access to our broad career resources.
Industry References and Reviews
While the 10 benefits above are evidence of Honor Society's credibility, we understand that you may want more reassurance before signing up.
To this end, we encourage you to check out our professional references, including our excellent BBB Accreditation Rating, acclaimed reviews, and internet security certification.
You can find all of these details on our home page, as well as an informative FAQ section and customer support information.
Debunking the Honor Society Scam Claims
We know that our student members are astute, detail-oriented goal chasers. We also realize that you want to do your due diligence before joining any sort of professional or academic affiliation.
When you read about any honor society scam, take the time to research the details and learn more about the organization under the spotlight.
What kinds of perks can members expect? Is there a threshold for joining or any sort of qualification procedures in place? What is the foundation's mission?
Read online reviews as you look for red flags and feedback, and take note of anything that doesn't add up. Then, head over to our page to see what an authentic, credible Honor Society looks like.
When you're ready to take your career and education further, apply to join us today!