Members are discussing the benefits of joining Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) at community colleges, focusing on GPA requirements, scholarships, transcript notations, and potential advantages in job applications and transfer to four-year programs. Some users have received scholarships and opportunities through PTK, while others question the value of membership and the exclusivity of the organization. Overall, opinions vary on the worthiness of joining PTK and the impact it has on academic and professional opportunities.
I was recently invited to join Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) and was wondering if anyone who has experience with this honor society has found it beneficial other than it looking nice on resumes. My thinking is that most nursing students qualify for this honor due to the grades that must be maintained/acquired for nursing school. How would this make someone stand out in the field of nursing if most nursing students probably qualify?
Has anyone found that it helped them get any new-grad positions when they graduated? Did it help with scholarships? Did it look good when you wanted to transfer to a university? Did you find it helpful in terms of networking? Did it apply to any or none of the above?
I was also wondering what the GPA cutoff is? How low can your GPA fall before they kick you out? I could always ask this at the orientation meeting, but that isn't anytime soon.
I had also heard of Sigma Theta Tau (specifically for nurses) and was wondering what one would need to do in order to be invited to join?
I haven't joined even though I've gotten the letter the last few semesters for one main reason. Will I lose my status once I'm in nursing school if my grades drop? I would hate to spend the money and have it taken away for my GPA dropping. Would this happen?
Once you are a member your GPA would have to drop below a 3.25. Additionally, from what I have been told the first step is you get put on probation and given an opportunity to bring it back up.
Also, you need to believe in yourself!:) Don't fear that your grades are going to drop as soon as you start the nursing classes. It seems that you have already set your mind on potentially getting bad grades. Hey, even if that did happen you at least have the Phi Theta Kappa stamp on your transcript and you can state on your resume that you were a member.
3.5 GPA or better to get invited and a 3.25 or better to stay in. Definitely doable! I believe in ya!
Once you are a member your GPA would have to drop below a 3.25. Additionally, from what I have been told the first step is you get put on probation and given an opportunity to bring it back up.
Also, you need to believe in yourself!:) Don't fear that your grades are going to drop as soon as you start the nursing classes. It seems that you have already set your mind on potentially getting bad grades. Hey, even if that did happen you at least have the Phi Theta Kappa stamp on your transcript and you can state on your resume that you were a member.
3.5 GPA or better to get invited and a 3.25 or better to stay in. Definitely doable! I believe in ya!
Interesting.. I got the offer to join in the mail immediately after I was accepted to the school and declared pre-nursing as my major. I hadn't even taken any classes at the school though, so I didn't accept the offer. I figured it was something that everyone got and I didn't really want to spend the money. Now that I read more about it I'm almost wishing I had joined. I complied a 3.94 my first semester here and made Deans List, but I never received another offer. Is it something you can request to join or would I just have to wait as see if they send me another? I wouldn't need it for application into the nursing program since I've already applied but I'm thinking it would look good on a resume. Thoughts?
edit: I should note that I'm a transfer student so in retrospect they probably looked at my GPA from the CC that I went to (3.71)..
Interesting.. I got the offer to join in the mail immediately after I was accepted to the school and declared pre-nursing as my major. I hadn't even taken any classes at the school though, so I didn't accept the offer. I figured it was something that everyone got and I didn't really want to spend the money. Now that I read more about it I'm almost wishing I had joined. I complied a 3.94 my first semester here and made Deans List, but I never received another offer. Is it something you can request to join or would I just have to wait as see if they send me another? I wouldn't need it for application into the nursing program since I've already applied but I'm thinking it would look good on a resume. Thoughts?
edit: I should note that I'm a transfer student so in retrospect they probably looked at my GPA from the CC that I went to (3.71)..
I would contact the advisor at your school. Your advisor should be able to help you with any info that you need.
I decided not to join. It was a lot of money and both colleges I'm applying to for nursing school don't have any additional scholarship money for PTK. Also, it's not something I'd list on a resume. I already have a steady work history and if the job cares, I can just put my GPA on the resume.
The GPA required to get in and to say in depends on the College in my experience. At my old college it was 3.8 to get in and 3.5 to stay in. It was big deal though - a lot of people joined and it was a large, active chapter. A funny memory I have is at my initiation ceremony (I think thats what its called) there were girls behind me talking about how a certain teacher was out to get them b/c he wouldn't give them anything higher than an A- even though everyone knew their writing was A worthy. I remember thinking 'so this is what its like to sit in a room full of high achievers.' lol :)
To the OP: thank you so much for posting this! I also have been asked to join and wasn't sure about it. I was thinking that it was going to be a waste of time and money, but I am so glad that others have answered your thread! Now, I am definately going to join! And as far as Ham, I believe you can do both. I'm in nursing school and was told that it (PTK) wouldn't interfere.
To me Phi Theta Kappa is a scam. I mean come on...pay someone to honor me??? Really? That's not usually how honor societies work from my experience. People don't pay to get inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame, people don't pay to get honored by the National Honor Society in high school. I was asked to join too. I was all for it until I saw I had to pay. That's a bit pretentious to me. (Not knocking anyone who joined...I'm razzing the PTK folks).
When the lady from PTK spoke to me about it looking good in my resume...I told her I would simply put PTK offered and I turned them down. She didn't speak to me anymore.
I don't disagree about PTK being a waste of cash, but I do believe that it's pretty standard to pay membership fees in most academic honor societies. (I know you do for Sigma Theta Tau....the nursing honor society).
I had been invited before and blew it off, but this year I went to the college cashier and paid the money and after reading all these posts am so glad that I did!! :)
To me Phi Theta Kappa is a scam. I mean come on...pay someone to honor me??? Really? That's not usually how honor societies work from my experience. People don't pay to get inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame, people don't pay to get honored by the National Honor Society in high school. I was asked to join too. I was all for it until I saw I had to pay. That's a bit pretentious to me. (Not knocking anyone who joined...I'm razzing the PTK folks). 
She didn't speak to me anymore.
Sand_Dollar, BSN
1,130 Posts
Staragate, I just checked out the constitution on the PTK website and yes, you can be removed from the rolls if you do not maintain your GPA.