Academic honors societies are a somewhat common phenomenon, and one we’ve discussed before. These serve to promote hard working and intelligent students, to motivate giving back to the communities they are part of, and to connect them with networks and resources. While these vary a bit in quality, they can be a nice thing to have on a resume.
The National Beta Club is one such honors society, and is notable due to its age, size, and range of membership. In this article, we’re going to explore what the National Beta Club is, how it functions, and whether or not it’s the kind of opportunity you should pursue. Let’s get started!
What the National Beta Club Is
The National Beta Club is an independent honors society for students, and is the largest independent honors society for high schoolers in the US. It has more than 450,000 active members currently, which is a significant amount, and more than 9,600 clubs nationally.
Like other academic honors societies, the purpose of the National Beta Club is to promote academically gifted students, and to connect them with resources and communities. Founded in 1932, it was originally intended to emulate collegiate honors societies but for high school students.
It has grown significantly since, and is especially notable for enrolling younger students as well. It has three membership divisions:
- Elementary Beta is for students in grades 4 and 5
- Junior Beta is for students in grades 6 through 8
- Senior Beta is for students in grades 9 through 12
This is the most significant difference between the National Beta Club and other honors societies for students, as it is also accessible to younger students, which many of these organizations are not. Being a member in a younger club does not guarantee membership in a higher level one, but it is still nice for younger students to get the opportunity to participate in an honors society.
A Note on the Name
The National Beta Club was named that because the intention at founding was that most students would have grades in the A-B range. In the 1930s, B grades were more valuable than they are today, as grade inflation hadn’t impacted schools to nearly the extent it has now.
How to Join the National Beta Club
The requirements to join, and the standards for members, are set by each individual club. The national organization requires that all students be at or above grade level, but they understand that each school handles grades and grading differently, so they leave it up to individual clubs to decide which students are qualified and how.
There is a directory to help you see existing clubs; many schools have them, but they are not universal. If you are looking to join a club and your particular school doesn’t have one, then you can speak with a teacher or administrator at your school about the possibility of starting one.
For educators, they try to make the process of starting a club simple and efficient. There is no cost to the school, and they provide both resources and support at the national level to new organizations. Clubs need to be directed by a staff member at a school, but parents can help with the running of one.
There are one-time membership fees for students when they join a club. Currently, this is $16 for elementary members, $24 for junior members, and $32 for senior members. This money goes to funding the national organization. Some clubs may also assess local fees to help pay for the costs of club activities, but this is determined by individual clubs.
What do National Beta Clubs Do?
This is a reasonable question, and there is no single answer to it. Each club runs and organizes itself, so the activities each takes part in are as diverse as the clubs themselves. In general, however, these clubs are service oriented, much like the National Honors Society and other academic honors societies.
The activities this manifests as vary widely, but they have a core theme of service to communities that students are part of. This can be anything from working with a local foodbank to organizing a blood drive at your school. Older students are generally given more influence into what a club chooses to do, though younger ones are often encouraged to provide input.
One of the core themes of the organization is promoting leadership in students, which can take place in any number of ways. In general, however, these clubs are going to be low-commitment in terms of the number of hours you need to put into them. They are a very good way to connect with volunteering and service opportunities in your community however.
National Beta Club Scholarships
Of particular note are the scholarships awarded by National Beta Club annually, $300,000 in total awards. These are only available to active club members currently in the 12th grade, a limited pool, and a significant perk of membership.
Applications for these scholarships are done online, through their website. The application opens each year in early November, and is due in mid-January. You need your membership number to access the application. You will need to upload both your high school transcript and your SAT or ACT scores directly to the application.
The initial application is all demographic, no major writing required. Based on transcripts, test scores, service hours, and resume, 100 semifinalists will be chosen to contend for the larger awards. They are required to submit 2-4 letters of recommendation and two essay responses.
The scholarship is specifically looking to reward students with a strong history of community service and leadership, and those who have been active members of their clubs, upholding the organization’s ideals. The scholarship funding can go to any qualifying educational expenses at an accredited university.
Should You Join a National Beta Club?
National Beta Clubs, like all academic honors societies, are not going to be your crowning achievement in high school. These clubs often do excellent work, and membership can be an impressive thing on your resume, but they aren’t a shining jewel or capstone project.
These clubs and organizations serve primarily as a third-party confirmation of your academic prowess, that somebody at your school has recognized you are academically gifted and display these excellent traits. This is the kind of thing which goes on an honors list, and looks good there.
This club in particular is also an excellent way to get more involved with community volunteering, which is something colleges like to see and also just a good thing to take part in. If you are highly involved in volunteering through this, then that can end up on your activities list as a separate item, showcasing the effort you put into serving your community.
In general, taking part in national honors clubs like this is a good idea; they add something to your candidacy, and they can give you opportunities you wouldn’t otherwise, especially through the scholarships they offer. These should not be your only activity, but can definitely be one of the ones you take part in.
It may be worth starting one of these clubs at your school, especially if it doesn’t participate in the National Honors Society. It certainly isn’t the only way to showcase these values, but it can offer a significant number of upsides for only a small amount of additional work for you.
Final Thoughts
There are any number of activities you can take part in during high school, and academic honors societies were and remain a popular option for many students. The National Beta Club is a fine example of this, and has served students well for almost a century at this point, connecting them with both fellowship and opportunities to give back to their communities.
We hope that this article has given you insight into this organization, and whether or not it’s the kind of thing that would support your collegiate goals and ambitions. If you are looking for advice finding the right high school activities to support your educational goals, or want help with exploring your options, then Ivy Scholars is here. Our mentors specialize in helping students pursue their interests fully and deeply, creating genuine and lasting passions. To learn more about this, or to ask any questions about this or other activities, schedule a free consultation with us today. We’re always happy to hear from you!
