Phi Beta Kappa

[jackson123]

I just recieved word that I qualified for Cornell's chapter of Phi beta Kappa. Is this honor worth the 75$ membership fee. Is it something respected within the medical establishment?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[87138]

I just recieved word that I qualified for Cornell's chapter of Phi beta Kappa. Is this honor worth the 75$ membership fee. Is it something respected within the medical establishment?

I'd save your money, but others may have other opinions. I joined, then didn't even bother putting it on my AMCAS application.

 

[pedro4199]

I just recieved word that I qualified for Cornell's chapter of Phi beta Kappa. Is this honor worth the 75$ membership fee. Is it something respected within the medical establishment?

In academia it is a big deal to some people.

 

[hra87]

DEFINITELY join. It's not one of those worthless honors society, it is a big deal, many older docs still wear their PBK pins.

 

[searun]

I just recieved word that I qualified for Cornell's chapter of Phi beta Kappa. Is this honor worth the 75$ membership fee. Is it something respected within the medical establishment?

You should definitely accept the invitation to join Phi Beta Kappa. It is the most respected undergraduate academic honor society. It definitely is worth mentioning on your applications to med schools. It is extremely selective and academic institutions such as medical schools respect it and are familiar with it.

You have to be elected to Phi Beta Kappa by members of the faculty at your college or university who are themselves members of Phi Beta Kappa. Only one percent of the nation's graduating seniors are elected to Phi Beta Kappa each year.

Phi Beta Kappa has an interesting history. It was founded at William and Mary in 1776 during the Revolutionary War. Harvard and Yale founded the second and third chapters following the Revolutionary War.

I listed Phi Beta Kappa on all of my med school applications last year and did very well. Some med schools, in their secondary, specifically ask you to list your undergraduate academic honors, and Phi Beta Kappa is a worthy honor. I definitely would spend the $75. You will be a nice meal at the induction ceremony, and the award will be helpful to you.

Do it.

 

[Genesis12]

You will be a nice meal at the induction ceremony, and the award will be helpful to you.

Do it.

yikes! how's the award going to be helpful to the OP if he's eaten? 😀

 

[TigerSoup]

You also see a lot of speakers, particularly younger ones, being introduced with "graduated magna cum laude and phi beta kappa from..." so it seems like a fairly big deal.

 

[bodonid]

yikes! how's the award going to be helpful to the OP if he's eaten? 😀

HAHA!

Honestly I tell lots of people that all honor societies are a personal/money choice, except for Phi Beta Kappa. If you aren't dirt poor, there is no reason not to join.

 

[blargh]

what criteria do they use for invitation? i've had a 3.7-3.8 since freshman year, and i haven't been invited 🙁

 

[searun]

what criteria do they use for invitation? i've had a 3.7-3.8 since freshman year, and i haven't been invited 🙁

The emphasis of Phi Beta Kappa is excellence in the liberal arts. You need to take a broad range of course work in the natural sciences, mathematics, the social sciences, and the humanities and have a very high GPA. Phi Beta Kappa chapters at some universities require at least two years of a foreign language.

 

[jdf46]

I just recieved word that I qualified for Cornell's chapter of Phi beta Kappa. Is this honor worth the 75$ membership fee. Is it something respected within the medical establishment?

Hey jackson123, I'd say it's worth it as long as you met the GPA requirement. I didn't quite make the cut...

 

[littlealex]

DEFINITELY join. It's not one of those worthless honors society, it is a big deal, many older docs still wear their PBK pins.

I paid my dues to them, and besides a damn scarf like thing for graduation, they did nothing for me.

I feel like it was vanity tax.

 

[1956Goldtop]

I'd say go for it! PBK is a big deal and sticks with you for the rest of your life.

 

[jackson123]

O.k, thanks for all of your feedback. I think that I will go for it!

 

[TigerSoup]

I'd say go for it! PBK is a big deal and sticks with you for the rest of your life.

As do their requests for more and more money. Punks.

 

[ahm28]

hey jackson123, i was invited to cornell's PBK too and also choose to accept. congrats and see you at induction

 

[jelly476]

Def do PBK. I got it and its on all my med school apps. It shows that you worked hard and were elite within your undergrad institution. Im pretty sure the reqs are that you are in the top 10% of your graduating class.

 

[Textuality]

The reqs are a little different for each school. For mine it was just being in the top 10% of your class and majoring in the arts and sciences (i.e. not an engineer major). Some other schools have more complicated requirements like taking at least a year of a foreign language or getting nominated by a certain committee. Regardless, it seems to have a good amount of prestige attached to those in the academic world.

 

[Doublecortin]

Def do PBK. I got it and its on all my med school apps. It shows that you worked hard and were elite within your undergrad institution. Im pretty sure the reqs are that you are in the top 10% of your graduating class.

more like 5% 😱

 

[nuck]

I just got an invite too.

Would you think it would be worth an update to schools that have not accepted me yet?

I mean, schools can pretty much figure out from the grades and so forth the same information right?

Also, top 5% at my school means like 300 students which is way more than the med school will take from my school anyway...

 

[premd85]

You should join! One of my M.D. interviewers actually made a positive comment about being a member of Phi Beta Kappa, so you have nothing to lose...