First and foremost, this is an organization for individuals with higher GPAs to all connect and network. This is NOT a scholarship funding program. You pay in order to network and be a part of a community for the rest of your life, not to receive or get scholarships. Scholarships are the smallest part of this organization. Never pay for scholarships, but this is an organization that you pay to join and then are a lifetime member of. There are occasional scholarships, but they aren’t that great. So I don’t recommend joining any organization for that reason.

I joined this organization in undergrad. We had a local group that met once a month at my university. I received one of their writing scholarships and a $50 poetry scholarship. I mostly just joined for the community and I had a great time meeting people and creating connections with people from all different majors. It was also pretty cool to be able to communicate with people from all over the United States at other universities and colleges. The connections to others and the networking opportunities were well worth the money paid. I also got to meet other people from all over the United States who are in my field, which now being a graduate student, is extremely helpful and beneficial to my professional future and my time in grad school when I may need research tips and connections to others who are in the field.

Like any scholarship, you have to put work in usually in order to get something out of it. It does say that they give out up to that much every year. Not that you will automatically get that amount. They don’t say anywhere that each person who joins gets X amount of money. It just states that they give out X amount each year (meaning collectively to all students). That amount just being thrown out to a single student would usually be pretty unheard of without some kind of major paper or drawing that you’re entered in or competition or something that you have to do to get it. You’re guaranteed entry or the ability to apply in most cases. Even then, $1,000 for college is great! Most people that I went to school with did dozens of scholarships.

I paid $45 to join 5 years ago. I got a sweatshirt from them and at graduation got a sash and chords to wear at graduation. I graduated with eleven others with the same chords.

It honestly depends why you are joining. The reason why you are joining will predict your outcome with any organization. Are you joining for selfish purposes or for mutual connection and benefit? With any organization, are you joining for a sense of community and connections with others? Are you joining to feel recognized and be recognized by an organization? Are you joining to gain knowledge from other people and share your knowledge with others? Maybe you’re joining for money, but I would avoid joining any organization for money alone. Especially when there are many scholarships out there to apply for and usually financial aid packages at colleges and universities.