Phi Theta Kappa - Haven't we all been invited?

Nurses New Nurse Nursing Q/A

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?

Thanks for reading.

Specializes in geriatrics.

I joined my local chapter and it does look good on resumes, etc, because they only take those with a 4.0 GPA, and you have to keep your GPA above 3.5 to stay in. It also offer scholarships, etc. I think it's a good idea.

Yes it's a great idea to join. I joined my local chapter and it has definitely helped. The can provide as an acknowledgement of your achievements and will write you letters of recommendation when it comes time to apply for jobs :)

Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.
I joined my local chapter and it does look good on resumes, etc, because they only take those with a 4.0 GPA, and you have to keep your GPA above 3.5 to stay in. It also offer scholarships, etc. I think it's a good idea.

Correction: you need a 3.5 to join and must maintain a 3.2 to remain a member.

It was a great opportunity for transfer scholarships and it definitely looks good on a resume. I made some great connections when I was an active officer :)

Specializes in critical care.

I joined when I did my general studies AA thinking I'd get scholarships. I also got to wear a pretty thing over my graduation gown. Didn't get the scholarships, but I did get the pretty thing. lol Honestly, though, you earned it. Be proud! It is an honor!

Specializes in Critical Care Nurse.

Hi. I was asked to join the honors society at my community college. I don't have an answer to your questions (sorry). However, i'll like to know a little background information about honors societies (pros and cons). What are the benefits of being in the honors society? And I do understand that every honor society is different. With that being said, I am inquiring about a more general and personal perspective. I plan to set an appointment to meet with someone at my school to get a clearer understanding.

I'm a Phi Theta Kappa member and I too was invited! I turned it down because I honestly need all the money I have saved for nursing school, but if I had the extra funds I'd totally go for it and between the two countries offered, I'd definitely choose Africa. I think it be a great learning experience so if you can do this, go for it!

So a question to PTK members -

Has the membership been worth it for you?

How tough was it to get grants through them?

I have been debating getting the membership but having a hard time shaking the feeling that it's just a giant cash grab, especially since you don't exactly have to maintain a high GPA to get in/stay in. I feel like such a snot saying that haha, but it doesn't feel terribly exclusive.

Thanks for your time guys

I haven't actually applied for any grants or scholarships yet, they offer a lot more for four year programs than two year. So I'll be using the resources more in the coming year. I decided to join because it allowed me to graduate with double honors and I'm a sucker for stuff like that. I never attend the meetings or any of that stuff - I'm sure there's a lot more to offer if you get more involved.

Specializes in Pediatrics.

I joined when invited this semester. Being a member makes me eligible for more scholarships offered by local organizations through my college, plus it's one extra thing to set me apart from an otherwise similar candidate for a scholarship, BSN program, job, etc. Before joining I searched through reviews and found mixed opinions. Some thought it wasn't worth the money because they didn't think there would be any real benefits to membership. Others felt it gave them an advantage in the areas I mentioned before. Ultimately, the cost is very low spread across the 2 years I have left before I graduate, so I decided to take the chance that I'd see no benefits in return for my money.

In terms of the scholarships actually offered via PTK, I am not eligible for any of the 2 year opportunities because I went to college 15 years ago and those credits put me over their maximum of 36 credits to apply. I do think that this is unfair, as those credits are not benefitting me in any way now- they don't apply to my program and therefore haven't been transferred in. I think the policy really hurts most non-traditional students, but it is what it is. I will definitely be taking advantage of the 4 year scholarships once I'm nearing graduation though.

Thank you!

I was looking at their scholarships but they only seem to offer a handful which was disheartening - things like 10x of x_scholarship, some you have to be nominated for by faculty to apply... It just seems highly unlikely that I'd even get one, even with my 4.0 D:

To top it off - you're supposed to get the PTK diploma; my mother in law graduated from college as a member of PTK and it doesn't even show on her diploma :/

I'm new to the American college system, so I'm super skeptical of organizations, especially when their emails to me have revolved more around the membership fee than what they can actually do for me.

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