Phi Eta Sigma is a national honor society for college freshmen. Our goal is to encourage and reward academic excellence among freshmen in institutions of higher learning.

The oldest and largest freshman honor society, Phi Eta Sigma was founded at the University of Illinois on March 22, 1923. We now have more than 260 chapters throughout the United States and more than 485,000 members.

Phi Eta Sigma was voted membership into the Association of College Honor Societies in 1937. Only three societies have had longer continuous membership.

On campuses with a chapter of Phi Eta Sigma, all freshman men and women are eligible to join who have a cumulative gradepoint average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale at the close of any curricular period during their first year.

Although you will prefer to be inducted with your classmates, you do not lose eligibility by missing an induction. You may be inducted later or privately.

Although some chapters have social events, we are not a social fraternity. There is a dignified induction ceremony to which your parents and friends may be invited. Most chapters have projects and activities promoting academic excellence, but your participation is optional.

No, life-time membership is conferred upon induction.

The national membership fee is $15, payable once, the lowest of any major honor society. Local chapters assess an additional fee, also payable once.

Your national fee of $15 pays for your key or tie tac, your engraved membership certificate, and your copy of the FORUM. It pays expenses of chapter delegates to the national convention and pays for a study pamphlet provided free to campuses with a chapter of Phi Eta Sigma for distribution to all new students.

A portion of the $15 goes to the Founders Fund, which provides up to ten $2000 graduate scholarships and more than twenty $1000 awards to undergraduates.

Cash graduate scholarships of $2000 and undergraduate awards of $1000 are given to members of Phi Eta Sigma selected by the national scholarship committee. Any graduating member may apply for the graduate scholarships, which are for the first year only of graduate school. Members applying for the undergraduate awards must be nominated by their chapters.

Your local chapter adviser has the application forms; national deadline is March 1. Many local chapters also award scholarships.

Phi Eta Sigma is an outward recognition of personal accomplishment and serves as an incentive for continued high scholarship. It provides you the opportunity to meet freshman scholars from all academic disciplines on your campus and to join them in promoting academic excellence. Also, you may apply for scholarships provided by national and by some local chapters.

Membership in Phi Eta Sigma identifies you to employers, professional and graduate schools as a person of superior academic ability and performance.