National Society of Collegiate Scholars

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The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS)
FoundedApril 30, 1994
George Washington University
TypeHonor
AffiliationACHS
MottoHonor. Inspire. Engage.
Members1.4 million collegiate
Executive DirectorScott Mobley
HeadquartersWashington, DC
Websitenscs.org Edit this at Wikidata

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) is a national non-profit academic honor society for college students in the United States. NSCS has active chapters at over 300 colleges and universities in the United States, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.[1][2]

Overview[]

As of Spring 2021, NSCS had over 300 registered and active on-campus chapters, including the national chapter and 1.4 million members, including 125,000 active members and 45,000 new members each year.[3][4]

Prior to January 2020, membership was available to first- and second-year college students with GPAs of at least 3.4.[5] As of January 2020, the GPA requirement was reduced to 3.0.[6] In either case, the GPA fulfills the requirement of being in the top 20% of their class.

The organization has been criticized for charging a membership fee for opportunities that are available for free, with one campus newspaper calling it a "scam".[7]

Affiliations[]

NSCS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization accredited by the Association of College Honor Societies,[8][9][10] and is tax-exempt.[11]

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars is a member of several organizations, which include the Association of College Honor Societies, the certifying agency for college and university honor societies in the United States.[1] Other organizations of which NSCS is a member include the following:

Because NSCS is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies, student members qualify for a two-level pay grade increase with the U.S. Federal Government.[15]

Finances[]

Notable figures from the organization's most recent (2018) Form 990 report to the IRS[16] include:

  • $4,777,294 received in membership dues
  • $417,282 paid out in scholarships
  • $1,543,128 paid out in salaries, including $290,069 to the CEO/founder
  • $2,016,946 in office expenses

History[]

NSCS was founded in 1994 at George Washington University in Washington, DC, by Steve Loflin, who, at the time, worked in Student Affairs at George Washington University.[17][18] The first NSCS Convocation Induction was held on the George Washington University campus on April 30, 1994. Loflin founded NSCS to recognize students who performed well academically during their first years in college and to provide members with an opportunity to take a leadership role in the organization.[1]

In 2017, NSCS partnered with Active Minds to help remove stigmas surrounding mental health. NSCS and Active minds emphasized that there is no correlation between GPA and mental health, and that high achievers should also not hesitate to seek mental counseling when necessary.[19][20]

In 2020, NSCS entered a second major partnership with the Alzheimer's Association. This facilitated letter writing campaigns, virtual visits, and fundraising for the organization, conducted by dozens of chapters across the country.

In 2021, NSCS went through a rebranding, releasing a new logo and color scheme. At the same time, the organization launched new programs and services for members including a new portal to allow members from all campuses to interact online, access benefits, and find mentors.

Scholarships[]

NSCS offers both undergraduate and graduate scholarships totaling over $400,000 per year.[21]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Association of College Honor Societies. 2010
  2. ^ Carter, Carol J. (July 6, 2014). "Celebrating Emerging Scholars, NSCS, and the Power of a Crazy Idea". Huffington Post. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  3. ^ "NSCS (The National Society of Collegiate Scholars)". Association of College Honor Societies. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  4. ^ "About Chapters".
  5. ^ "Nomination for the National Society of Collegiate Scholars". National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Archived from the original on 2019-12-14. Retrieved August 8, 2020.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ "Nomination for the National Society of Collegiate Scholars". National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Archived from the original on 2020-01-15. Retrieved August 8, 2020.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ Editorial Board (March 13, 2015). "Dishonor Society". Pipe Dream (Binghamton University). Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  8. ^ How Can You Tell If Your Honor Society Is Legitimate?. NSCS.
  9. ^ Wilson, Matthew (March 7, 2017). "How to tell sketchy honor societies from legitimate ones". USA Today. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  10. ^ "Honor Societies Certified by ACHS". Association of College Honor Societies. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  11. ^ "Internal Revenue Service Online Charity Search".
  12. ^ National Scholarship Providers Association
  13. ^ American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions
  14. ^ American Association of Community Colleges
  15. ^ "Federal benefits of ACHS membership". Association of College Honor Societies.
  16. ^ "IRS Form 990 for NSCS, 2018". July 15, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  17. ^ Carter, Carol J. (July 6, 2014). "Celebrating Emerging Scholars, NSCS, and the Power of a Crazy Idea". Huffington Post. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  18. ^ Lindsay, Matt (May 7, 2004). "National Society of Collegiate Scholars celebrates 10th anniversary". George Washington University. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  19. ^ Babu, Soundharjya (October 13, 2019). "Active Minds and The National Society of Collegiate Scholars prove GPA does not influence mental health". RMU Sentry Media. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  20. ^ Amy, Shirley (September 25, 2019). "National Society of Collegiate Scholars & Active MindsReport: Mental Health Does Not Discriminate By GPA". eCounseling. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  21. ^ "IRS Form 990 for NSCS, 2018". July 15, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2021.

External links[]

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