Is Phi Beta Kappa worth it?

[Anonymous]

I went to a highly ranked school and only managed to graduate cum laude when a lot of other students in my department graduated magna cum laude or summa cum laude. But I did get elected to Phi Beta Kappa for overall academic achievement, and I'm sure that stood out on a resume much more than a degree cum laude. It's understood that you must have been in the top 10%.

I have no memory of forking over money or being asked to pay to join. As best I can recall, we were just notified that we'd been recognized. Looking back, it would have been worth $100 (or whatever the monetary equivalent was at the time).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s only $95 for a recognizable signal of academic achievement. I don’t know whether it’s worth it, but would you really skip it to save $95, given all the other costs of college?

“Only” $95? Check yourself.

Are you kidding me? College is like $75,000 a year. So $95 is nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s only $95 for a recognizable signal of academic achievement. I don’t know whether it’s worth it, but would you really skip it to save $95, given all the other costs of college?

“Only” $95? Check yourself.

Are you kidding me? College is like $75,000 a year. So $95 is nothing.

Comparatively, there are very few colleges in the US that cost $75k year, and an even smaller number of students who actually pay that.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Definitely didn’t pay $75k year for college!!

[Anonymous]

If there's a chance she wants to be a faculty member, she should do it. The people who vote on Phi Beta Kappa admittees at your daughter's school are faculty who were Phi Beta Kappa at their own undergraduate colleges. A fun thing to be able to do.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Plus, when you’re inducted there’s a small secret part they share only with inductees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If there's a chance she wants to be a faculty member, she should do it. The people who vote on Phi Beta Kappa admittees at your daughter's school are faculty who were Phi Beta Kappa at their own undergraduate colleges. A fun thing to be able to do.

Good to know! She’s not interested in academia, but the more research I do I realize that it’s a pretty great honor.

Thanks, everyone!

[Anonymous]

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Yes. At most schools, PBK is much harder to earn than any of the Latin honors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s only $95 for a recognizable signal of academic achievement. I don’t know whether it’s worth it, but would you really skip it to save $95, given all the other costs of college?

“Only” $95? Check yourself.

Are you kidding me? College is like $75,000 a year. So $95 is nothing.

Comparatively, there are very few colleges in the US that cost $75k year, and an even smaller number of students who actually pay that.

75K, 40K, 25K whatever. 95 bucks is trivial compared to any colleges costs.

[Anonymous]

OP, are you serious? Do you have any idea what you're asking? OF COURSE PHI BETA KAPPA IS WORTH $95. It's worth $950,000. Minimum. No exaggeration.

Come on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, are you serious? Do you have any idea what you're asking? OF COURSE PHI BETA KAPPA IS WORTH $95. It's worth $950,000. Minimum. No exaggeration.

Come on.

Lmao you’re crazy.

[Anonymous]

It's legit and difficult to get. It's a decent resume booster, however, it’s just based off your GPA and the classes you’ve taken — which would be seen on your transcript anyway. If she’s got $95 to spare then there’s no downside at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. At most schools, PBK is much harder to earn than any of the Latin honors.

The Latin honors are usually based on how you do in your major/department. PBK is for overall academic course work as an undergraduate.

[Anonymous]

I was in it. Entry requirements may vary from institution to institution, but at least my college, all PBK really signified was that I got good grades across a relatively wide range of courses--something that was readily apparent in my transcripts already. PBK membership isn't an achievement in-and-of-itself, it is simply recognition of prior achievements. By all means if she wants to join and has $95 to spare she should go for it (and be proud of her awesome grades!) and she can list it under "Awards and Honors" in a CV or resume. That’s what I did, but I’m not positive it added anything to my CV that my Latin honors, GPA, and the classes/grades on my transcript didn’t.