As much as I love being a college student in certain regards, I can’t deny that college really stretches your time and your dollar.
It’s not easy maintaining multiple jobs, going to class, finding a modicum of relief, and keeping up with friends and family, so I’m thankful when my efforts are recognized with invitations to join honor societies. It’s quite the ego boost to get that fateful email that I’ve been accepted to one that relates to my majors, minors, or other aspects of my academic persona.
Here’s the catch, though: you’re expected to pay dues to join a society you’ve been invited to, and best believe, the costs add up.
I don’t want to be cynical or default to the “college is a scam” mindset when it comes to honor society requiring dues for memberships … but it really does feel like just another way to snatch more dollars from students.
Realistically, do I really need to pay $80 for an honor society that offers minimal resources aside from maybe one or two hard-to-get scholarships?
It feels like I’m just paying for a title at that point. For certain societies, you’re expected to pay not just membership dues but also for graduation cords and pins, which end up being DOUBLE the amount of the original dues!
As a college student who works minimal hours at my retail job, I’m not exactly living lavishly. I can’t afford to be spending over $40 on honor society dues when I need groceries, need to fill up my tank, or, God forbid, have a pressing car emergency I need to deal with immediately.
I know this is the reality for many college students; maybe $40 may not seem like a huge amount, but for some of us, $40 can be the difference between having food for the week or praying that your friends swipe you into the dining hall.
Adding some nuance to the topic, I know there are honor societies that try to keep a reasonable price when it comes to membership dues.
When I was invited to join the Tri-Iota (WGSS) honor society, the dues were only $25, which was fairly reasonable. Sometimes, those higher costs may go towards regalia and pins or to just keep the society funded as a whole.
The cost may even be justified through the perks or events that the society provides. Even though $150 to join ODK, the leadership honor society, is an insane price, they at least give you access to special discounts and scholarships, not to mention that ODK holds monthly events and their well-known ODK awards.
Is it still worth forking over what is essentially the same amount I pay for a wheel alignment? The jury is still out on that one, I fear.
At other schools, this is a problem that remains relevant. Students at the University of Missouri, for instance, questioned whether being a member of an honor society is a mark of prestige or just something you should pay to “get ahead.”
The Association of College Honor Societies defends the legitimacy and cost of joining an honor society through career development, networking, or perks that you wouldn’t get anywhere else. I will say that I do see some merit in this, but this is not the idyllic reality for ALL honor societies.
Sometimes, you join an honor society and are not given much information about resources or how to best utilize your membership privileges.
Just like campus organizations, honor societies may go through stagnant or inactive periods, so you may not be getting the most out of your membership. I don’t blame professors who are in charge of running the honor societies because I’m sure, if they could, they would make the costs much more affordable. But it is a frustrating cycle that I’ve had to deal with throughout my college career.
Of course, I could’ve just said no to each offer and not joined any of the societies I’m currently in.
But I can’t help but feel pride in the hard work I’ve put into my academics; is it a crime to just want something to show for it? I just hope that in the future, there can be ways to implement more active resources to rationalize stiff prices so college students aren’t paying an arm and a leg for a title on their resume or LinkedIn.
