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Introduction
Making it to the National Honor Society is an incredible privilege and opportunity that many students dream to enjoy. The prestige that it gives to a student, his or her family, and his local chapter cannot be compared with any other academic achievements.
The author provides fresh essay samples (1, and 2) and insight on how to properly write an attractive NHS essay, which is one of the toughest requirements in the application process.
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How to Write a National Honor Society Essay?
One could say that the National Honor Society is the dream organization of any academic achiever. Whether it is your personal dream to make it into this prestigious society or your parents and teachers have encouraged you to make it your goal, NHS membership can certainly open a lot of doors and opportunities for you.
Understandably, the application process is tough and many students never make it. The criteria for selection is set to an incredibly high standard and only the creme de la creme are fortunate enough to be accepted as an official member.
The NHS essay is one of the most rigorous parts of the application process. It is exciting in a sense that this is your opportunity to show the judges who you are and why you deserve to be in the organization. But it is also nerve-wracking because the way you write your essay plays a major role in the outcome of your application.
What are the key things to keep in mind when writing your essay? Here are five handy tips to get you started.
Always start and end with your unique story
What makes you different from all the other applicants is your collective experiences, background, passion, and goals. These put together create a one-of-a-kind combination that can only be attributed to you. If you dream of one day pursuing further studies in Medieval Literature, for instance, start with the story of what drew you to the subject area and even who influenced you to keep learning more about it. At the end of your essay, go back full circle and connect your future plans to the beginning of your journey.
Study the key pillars of the NHS and integrate them into your writing
Before you start writing, make sure that you are clear on the key tenets of the National Honor Society. It is known for four pillars: Service, Character, Scholarship, and Leadership. Assess your personal background and identify your life values, activities, and experiences that align with these elements. Make sure you are as specific as possible to distinguish yourself from the other applicants.
Don’t just stick to your academic background, talk about life outside of school
The NHS panel is also interested in knowing more about you when you’re not in the classroom. If you are involved in any sorts of community service activities or volunteer work, now is the time to talk about them in detail. They want to know how you apply yourself outside class and how well-integrated your passions and interests are with your extracurricular, non-school activities.
Be genuine and authentic in presenting yourself
The NHS assumes that all applicants are already academic achievers to begin with, so there is no need to try to appear perfect in your application piece. Instead, focus on mentioning your strengths and your flaws, explaining where you feel you have room for improvement. This does not only showcase honesty but also reflects high self-awareness on the part of the applicant. These scholarship essays are not really about perfection. They are really meant to help the judges get to know you deeper from your perspective.
Identify your ‘hook’ and use it to draw the reader in
There is plenty of room for creative writing in this piece. Think of a unique experience that encapsulates your entire journey and use it at the beginning of the article. Make it descriptive so that the panel is drawn into the story and feels like they are seeing what you are seeing and feeling what you are feeling.
National Honor Society Essay Examples
Why Do You Want To Be A Member Of the National Honor Society?
I clearly remember the day my older sister was accepted into the National Honor Society. My parents were so proud that they held a series of get-togethers to celebrate her. Not only was I incredibly happy for her because I know how hard she had worked to get in, but I was also inspired by her academic life and commitment to service. It is because of her beautiful example that I developed a passion for learning and giving back.
For as long as I can remember, I have always enjoyed my Music classes. Having learned the violin outside school, I have always wanted to become a world-class violinist. My passion for the violin is not only reflected in my stellar marks in Music class. I have also made it my mission to participate in as many recitals as my time would allow me, as well as join any of my community’s fundraising efforts as a performing musician.
There is a local group of young violinists in our neighborhood, of which I am the president. We meet every week to polish and refine our performance skills, as well as coach one another on best practices. We also actively seek out opportunities to perform for different groups. We have played for the elderly at nursing homes, kids with cancer in the hospital ward, even on birthdays and special occasions within our locality. I manage our club’s schedules and make sure that everyone is still able to spend time with their families and academics, given these special commitments.
I also love personal development. With the help of my parents, I have invested in the services of a transformational life coach. We meet every two weeks to talk about my goals and dreams. Being coached has added so much value to my life as she has helped me process my thoughts and identify my key priorities. She has taught me how to self-evaluate and draw out action points from my insights. It was with her help that I’ve been able to make my personal roadmap.
I am applying to become a member of the NHS because I want to continuously explore avenues where I can further my craft and use it to make a difference in other people’s lives. I understand that being a part of this organization presents relevant opportunities to make the most out of this gift.
That being said, I am most certainly not perfect. While my playing skills are top-notch, I am known to be very hard on myself and others, to the point of sometimes pushing people away. I am continuously working on this and am hoping to soon find the balance between my desire for excellence and extending grace to others and myself.
My ultimate dream is to one day become a professional musician who is not only dedicated to performing but is also using her skills to serve and support communities in need.
National Junior Honor Society Essay Example
One of my fondest high school memories thus far is the day my History teacher asked to speak to me after class. She handed back to me an essay that I had written on the Civil War and said, “The way you write about history is so compelling. I can tell that you have a passion for exploring the past. With your high academic achievements, I think you would be a shoo-in for the National Honors Society. Think about it.”
It was the first time anyone had ever told me that I had the potential to make it into an exceptional organization. I had never viewed myself as a top academic performer. To have me told that I have the qualities needed to become an NHS member was both daunting and exciting to me. My family and closest friends affirmed this when I told them about my conversation at school.
While I have relatively high marks in most of my classes, History is where I truly excel. For as long as I can remember, I have always been fascinated by events of the past and deconstructing them so that I can understand them on a deeper level. I also like to draw out relevant insights for the present and connect them to events today to see how past and present are intertwined. Finally, I like to forecast where the future is going.
I also currently volunteer at the local library on weekends, helping out in the Artifacts section. I love being in the same room as priceless books and pieces that have served their role in history. It also gives me an opportunity to see and appreciate them up-close. Being in the vicinity of precious treasures breathes life into the stories I’ve read.
I am also the Vice President of our school’s History Club. I love gathering with fellow history enthusiasts and tackling the finer details of our favorite moments in American history. We sometimes have heated yet productive debates because of our varying perspectives. I help organize fun events at school to help fellow students get interested in history.
To join the National Honor Society would be a marvelous opportunity to connect with like-minded people and collaborate with them on the vision to make history more accessible. It is my lifelong dream to be a well-known historian specializing in our own story as Americans. I want to head a non-profit organization focused on retelling the American journey in a fun, creative, and engaging way. I want to bring this into schools and even into local communities.
I believe that when given the opportunity to relearn history from fun and fresh perspective, everyone would have a deeper appreciation of what our nation has gone through. There are limitless opportunities, and I want to be able to capitalize on these so that we will see a future generation who can look back on the past with gratefulness and to the future with hope.
FAQs
How Long Should A National Honor Society Essay Be?
The typical length requirement for the society’s essay requirement is anywhere between 300 to 500 words.
How To Exemplify The Four Pillars Of The NHS?
The best way to address all four NHS pillars is to go back on your own personal and academic experiences and connect them with each of the four. Scholarship refers to your cumulative GPA, so you need to find out the specific grade requirement of your local chapter. Service focuses on any of the community work you have done without pay, as well as acts of service that you committed yourself to as a volunteer. The leadership pillar looks at your personal experiences in leading yourself and others.
It is important here to stress the leadership skills you possess and how you have creatively applied them in and outside of school. Finally, the character is a reflection of who you are and how you treat other people. Your discipline record must be clean and you must be able to speak about your specific strengths and weaknesses. It is important, to be honest and not embellish anything. As you go through these four pillars, do so strategically and creatively.
Use personal anecdotes and academic facts to support your point. Make sure you understand what each pillar means so that you can address it accurately. Remember, you are required to do so in a limited amount of words. Finally, make sure that your essay reflects your unique voice.