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How much does NHS membership really boost my college app?

Hey everyone, just wondering how much being a part of the National Honor Society (NHS) can actually help with getting into colleges? I've been putting a lot of effort into the community service and leadership roles, but I’m not sure if it’s going to be a significant factor in my application. Does anyone have experiences or insights?

9 months ago

The National Honor Society (NHS) is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to community service and leadership, but as to how much it 'boosts' your application, it's important to have some perspective.

NHS is considered a Tier 3 extracurricular activity. It shows your engagement and provides a structured way to demonstrate your service and leadership. However, since NHS is available at many high schools nationwide, membership alone is not exceptionally distinctive in the eyes of admissions officers.

To maximize the impact of your NHS involvement on your application, focus on what you've done within the organization. If you've taken on significant leadership roles or initiated impactful service projects, be sure to highlight those specific contributions and what you've learned from them in your applications. For example, if you led a tutoring program that significantly improved student grades at your school, or organized a large community service event, these are the sorts of contributions that make your application stand out.

Ensure you express the depth of your commitment and the impact of your efforts, rather than just listing your membership. Your reflections on these experiences and how they've shaped you can be particularly illuminating for admission committees and can provide the 'boost' you're looking for.

9 months ago

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