As of Fall 2019, NSCS had over 300 registered and active on-campus chapters, including the national chapter and 1.4 million members, including 140,000 active members and 60,000 new members each year. Chapters engage in community service, as well as scholastic and social activities. Membership is offered by invitation only to first- and second-year college students who have GPAs of at least 3.4 and are in the top 20% of their class. The NSCS Board of Directors is advised by National Leadership Council, a student advisory council consisting of selected student members.
Affiliations
NSCS is a 501 non-profit organization accredited by the Association of College Honor Societies, and is tax-exempt. 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. Other organizations of which NSCS is a member include the following:
National Collegiate Honors Council
National Association of Student Personnel Administrators
National Scholarship Providers Association
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
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.
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. 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. 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.
Scholarships
NSCS offers both undergraduate and graduate scholarships to its members. More than $1 million worth of scholarships, awards and chapter funds are given out annually by NSCS. Scholarships that are distributed include multiple recipients for each of the following: The society offers educational opportunities with organizations such as DC Internships, FutureDocsAbroad, GiftedHire, Make School, Semester at Sea, and Outward Bound Costa Rica.
Programs
NSCS has three signature programs, which are:
PACE : A mentorship program which connects selected NSCS members with local middle school students.
New Member Induction Ceremony: An event which inducts new members into the society, and recognizes Distinguished Honorary Members. NSCS chapters welcome new members into the chapter during this formal induction ceremony, which is held during the Fall of each year.
Integrity Week: An event week held annually during the second week of each February. Each year, NSCS designates an I Stand for Integrity Week. It offers its members scholarships and awards for professors who encourage integrity in their students.
Notable members
Selected NSCS Distinguished Honorary Members include:
