Is NHS Better than NSHSS?

Has a teacher advised you that you should join the National Honor Society (NHS) instead of the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS)? Then you’re not alone. Some students have wondered whether one of these honor societies is better than the other. We hope to answer that question for you in detail.

What Membership in the National Honor Society Means for You

The NHS is a prestigious organization with stringent membership requirements. Any student who qualifies to join should be exceptionally proud of themselves. Some wonderful perks come with being a member. These include:

• The opportunity to take part in National Student Leadership Week

• College planning assistance

• Mandated community service hours (great for college applications)

• Participation in Leadership Experience and Development (LEAD) conferences

• Attendance at statewide summits and networking events

• A potential edge in college admissions

• Assistance with financial aid planning

• The opportunity to earn scholarships

In short, all of these are worthwhile benefits.

Are You a Good Fit for the NHS?

There are some things to consider when pursuing membership in this honor society. First, your school’s NHS charter is responsible for establishing many of the admission and continued membership standards. It’s wise to learn what their requirements are. 

Further, you will be expected to complete service hours. Be certain that your schedule will allow for that. If it does, and you believe that you will fit in well with your school’s chapter, ask a teacher to nominate you for membership. You will develop great leadership skills and access some amazing opportunities.

The Benefits of Joining the National Society of High School Scholars

Like the NHS, NSHSS is selective. We seek to honor the best students and give them opportunities they may not otherwise be able to access. 

To do this in an inclusive way, we focus on academic performance. And because we believe that students can be academically talented in many different ways, our society offers several options for students to earn entry into our program:

• A cumulative GPA exceeding 3.5 (on a 4.0 Scale) or equivalent, such as 88 on a 100-point scale

• SAT score of 1280 or higher

• PSAT score of 1150 or higher

• ACT score exceeding 26

• A score of 4 or above on any AP exam

• Total IB test scores of 36 or higher combined

• IGCSE Grade A or higher

• In the top 10% rank of their class

Once a student joins, they can enjoy a wonderful number of benefits, including a lifetime membership in the NSHSS, access to some of the most lucrative scholarship opportunities, and even assistance with college admissions. On top of those resources, you can also find access to online and in-person events thrown by NSHSS, helpful network opportunities at these events, and even some more unique experiences offered by partners and other reputable organizations. We proudly offer these exclusive opportunities to more than two million members from 26,000 schools and more than 170 countries. 

Are You a Good Fit for the NSHSS?

While we happily welcome high-achieving students, you must research your options before you decide to join the NSHSS. Please start by reviewing the information on our website. 

We also encourage you to read NSHSS reviews. Many of them contain very useful information. Also, please review the information concerning some of the allegations—particularly scam buster #5. This provides some counterpoints to a few untrue statements you might hear about our relationship with NHS.

Next, please compare the details of our organization with your own needs and preferences. Many students appreciate that we offer memberships entirely independent of schools or other local organizations. This is helpful to students who may change schools frequently or who do not attend traditional K-12 schools. 

At the same time, this also means students must be self-motivated to get the most out of their membership. We offer wonderful opportunities, but it is up to you to pursue them. 

There will be no teacher or guidance counselor reminding you to sign up for our events or stay in contact with your NSHSS peers. Fortunately, we have found that many students thrive with this independence and learn to take ownership of their academic futures. Many students choose to join both organizations, and we believe this is also a valid choice. If you decide you want more information about becoming a member of NSHSS, just contact us. 

We are happy to help you!