Many times students and parents will come to us with a letter they've received from an organization claiming that a student "has been recognized as <fill in the blank>." While we love when our students are recognized for their achievements, so do outside for-profit organizations. One of these organizations that our students have received letters of recognition is the National Society of High School Scholars. While the organization is legit, the claim that they make is not necessarily what the student is always anticipating. Within West Mifflin Area High School we have a National Honor Society as many other high schools are also affiliated. These two organizations are very different from each other. The NHS is an organization in which the students apply and are accepted based upon certain achievements. See Mrs. Shields for details.
The NSHSS randomly selects students based upon different websites in which they are registered. For instance, if a student signs up with a national scholarship search such as FastWeb or Scholarships.com, they can elect to release their information to third parties thus having their names selected for the NSHSS. The NSHSS may also claim to be able to acquire scholarships for students by paying a nominal fee. Scholarships are just that...scholarships. Free money. No strings attached. If you are asked to pay to find scholarships (for-profit organizations,) it is most likely not a good idea.
Again, while we appreciate the accomplishments of our students, this particular honors society is a bit of a farce. Read more here and here.
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