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how to start my nhs essay

How to Write the National Honor Society Essay + Example

how to start my nhs essay

What’s Covered:

National honor society: four pillars and essay, five tips for writing your nhs essay, nhs essay example, time well spent.

What do former first lady Michelle Obama, actor Chadwick Boseman, singer-songwriters Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood, and baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr. have in common?  They were all members of the National Honor Society (NHS).

As you apply for membership in this national organization, remember NHS membership is based on meeting criteria in four areas that the NHS calls its four pillars: Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character .  

Scholarship 

The first pillar, scholarship , requires that a student earns a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or equivalent. Many high schools set a higher GPA bar for their school’s chapter. If you meet your school’s academic requirement, congratulations, you’ve passed the first hurdle. 

Now it’s important that you carefully complete the application and write a compelling essay.  Most high schools require students to write a 300-500 word essay that showcases their commitment and accomplishments in the other three pillars.

Service refers to the contributions you make to your school and or community on a volunteer basis, without receiving any compensation. For your most significant service activities, be sure to explain why you choose to support certain organizations and why you chose specific roles. 

Showcase your leadership in your school and or community while working with or for others. Remember, stating that you are the captain of a team, president of a club, or supervisor of a shift does not prove that you are a leader. A leader makes things happen, sets a good example, and inspires others to give their personal best. Clearly state why you were selected to hold a leadership position and how you effectively lead. There are many successful leadership styles. Communicate your unique brand of leadership. 

Character is how you conduct yourself with high standards of honesty, reliability, and respect for others. Many attributes define good character, and they all reflect a personal commitment to ethical and compassionate interactions with others as well as how you treat yourself. Results are only part of the story.  How you achieved them is critically important to communicate.

Think about how many NHS applications your school counselor reviews each year. Not every student who completes an application is selected for the honor. So how do you make your essay stand out?  Here are five strategies:

1. Make it Personal and Individual  

Your application form provides the facts about the scope and range of your involvement and contributions to your communities. Be sure that you write your essay in a way that brings this data to life. A compelling essay enables the reader to feel a strong connection to you. Express your unique values, aspirations, and priorities. State the motivation behind your choices and the trade-offs you’ve made. Be honest about challenges and what you have learned through your mistakes. And be sure the tone of the essay sounds like you and nobody else. 

2. Share Your Stories

People love to hear and remember stories, not simply facts and figures. Express themes and points that you want to share by relaying stories that bring these concepts to life. Stories can be poignant, funny, suspenseful, or surprising. Any approach that makes a reader want to continue reading is a great one.

3. Be Humble and Bold

Many students find it hard to express their hard-earned accomplishments without sounding boastful. Proudly stating your achievements without sounding brash is possible and important. Clearly state your motivations, your challenges, your vulnerabilities, and your mistakes to mitigate any concerns.  

4. Follow Tried and True Essay Guidelines

Channel all the advice you’ve received over the years about how to write a great essay. Do you have a clear thesis around which you have organized your thoughts? Compelling topic sentences to hook your reader? Strong supporting sentences to back up your reasoning? Have you avoided clichés? Do you vary your sentence structure and word choice? Does the text flow and keep the reader engaged? Last, but not least, have you checked and double-checked your grammar, punctuation, and spelling?

5. Draft, Edit, Edit, Edit, Polish

Writing is an iterative process so give yourself the time necessary to land on the best approach for explaining why you are deserving of the NHS honor. There are many ways to tackle an essay. Try a few to determine which is the most effective. Then, when you determine the best approach and are satisfied with your latest draft, share it with someone whose opinion you value. 

Looking for someone to read over your essay? Check out Collegevine’s free essay help ! Our peer review system will help you get feedback from other students so that you can improve your NHS essay and college essays.

While there is not a single template for a strong essay, here is an example of an NHS essay written by an 11th-grade student who was accepted into NHS.

Success is not only about improving yourself, but also about improving life for others. While my GPA shows my commitment to academics, how I spend my time and conduct myself outside of school reveal my commitment to making the world a better place, consistent with the values of the National Honor Society. 

For the two years my grandfather lived in a nursing home, each weekend I took my dog EJ to visit him. I witnessed first-hand the healing power of animals as EJ lifted his and the other residents’ spirits. Because of this experience and because monkeys are my favorite animal, when I heard about Helping Hands (HH), the only organization in the world that raises capuchin monkeys to be live-in assistants to people with spinal cord injuries, I reached out to volunteer. 

Both in the summer and during the school year, I assist the trainers. Monkeys begin training when they are teenagers. It typically takes three to five years until they are ready to be placed with a person. My first job is to clean the cages of 60 monkeys. (Not my favorite responsibility.) I also prepare meals and construct and distribute dexterity “toys.” 

While not glamorous, my work is critical to the success of the initiative. The physical support the monkeys provide is unbelievable. They turn pages of books, scratch itches, pour water, and retrieve dropped items… Most importantly, I have seen the life-changing impact a monkey’s companionship has on a partner, including a college-age student confined to a wheelchair after a spinal cord injury from hockey. 

In the spring, summer, and fall I also volunteer at Gaining Ground (GG), a non-profit that grows organic produce to donate to food pantries, shelters, and meal programs. When I volunteered at a local food pantry, it struck me that recipients receive mostly canned and packaged food. I think it is important that people in need receive fresh fruits and vegetables, and I enjoy the physical work of weeding, harvesting, cleaning, and packing produce.

Soon after I began volunteering at GG, my rabbi gave a sermon about the working conditions of tomato farmers in Florida. (It reminded me of Grapes of Wrath, and I couldn’t believe inhumane practices continue.) Her sermon motivated me to support the Coalition of Immokalee Workers by distributing postcards urging Trader Joe’s and Stop & Shop to only buy tomatoes from farms that agree to fair wages and human rights. Both chains have now agreed, showing that a little effort by many people makes a difference.

Last, I believe a story is the best way to explain my “behind-the-scenes” leadership. At the annual nighttime football game, one of my soccer teammates (not someone I hang with) was drunk. When our principal came over to the bleachers, my teammate’s friends fled. Concerned that my teammate would fall and hurt herself, I brought her outside the stadium, called her parents, and waited with her until they came — without worrying about social retribution. Despite getting grounded, she thanked me for my help.

I would be honored to be recognized by NHS for my service, leadership, and character. Thank you for your consideration.

The time you invest in composing an effective NHS essay will help you when you’re ready to write your college essays! Essays are important components of applications to selective colleges. Getting into NHS is also an honor that may boost your application at some schools. Remember, you can estimate your chance for acceptance using Collegevine’s free chancing calculator . This tool will factor in your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and more to calculate your odds of admission at hundreds of schools across the country.

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National Honor Society (NHS) Essay Examples & Expert Advice

July 8, 2023

Every year, high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors write National Honor Society essays in the hopes of becoming a member. It’s certainly an admirable recognition. Joining the ranks means partaking in an interscholastic tradition alongside future movers and shakers. Past National Honor Society (NHS) members have consisted of Olympians, astronauts, senators, neurosurgeons, Nobel prize winners, Navy admirals, and more. Some of the more celebrity-famous NHS-ers include journalist Katie Couric, writer, and comedian Tina Fey, and poet Robert Warren Penn. Former first lady Michelle Obama, of course. Even Taylor Swift joined the NHS in high school. You can bet her songwriting skills came in handy for the National Honor Society essay. Intimidated? Don’t be. View our NHS essay example below as well as our more general advice for the National Honor Society essay.

Before composing your own NHS essay, you may want to ask yourself, “Why should I join NHS ?” Your answer to this question will help determine if, and how, you should craft a relevant NHS essay.

The NHS in Brief

It all began with a high school principal in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who founded the National Honor Society in 1921. Today, this hundred-and-two-year-old society boasts local chapters in all 50 U.S. states and territories. It also has chapters in American and international schools abroad. Membership, open to select high school students, can open doors to interesting service and leadership opportunities. In fact, service and leadership form the cornerstone of NHS.

The one million plus students who participate in the NHS yearly have service and leadership in common. That’s because the NHS requires demonstrated community service, and demonstrated leadership. It also requires a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (though this number varies depending on the chapter) and demonstrated good character. You’ll want to check your local chapter’s specific guidelines when beginning the NHS application.

Other reasons to join the NHS include gaining access to the NHS network, an array of college planning tools, and the chance to apply for hefty scholarships. These perks naturally make for a competitive acceptance rate. So, the best way to make your application stand out involves crafting a stunning NHS essay. Here’s how.

Quick Tips for Drafting the National Honor Society Essay

1) Structure your NHS essay around the NHS Pillars: Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character. A high GPA acts as an indicator of your “scholarship”, or dedication to academia. This pillar must appear in your essay as well, in the form of impeccable writing skills. Demonstrate your service and leadership through the content of your essay. In other words, service and leadership form the action, or plot, of your essay. Finally, infuse your character throughout your essay, by showing how your behavior indicates your values and integrity.

2) Write from your heart, and make your NHS essay personal. The most memorable essays rely on a sincere writing voice and contain personal details. But note that by “personal,” I don’t mean you must share your deepest secrets. Rather, ground an event in your own experience by incorporating your emotions, thoughts, and sensations. This will make your essay unique to you.

3) Weave together a story; don’t make a list. As you tell your story, pull from your strongest experiences. Perhaps you have a handful of leadership and service roles. Pick only a few that say something about your interests and personality, and develop your story by threading these ideas together. While a list might look impressive, a story will come across as better crafted and more captivating. If, however, none of your service activities seem significant enough to single out and describe on their own, weave these activities together through a theme. For example, the theme could be how you overcame shyness to lead.

Quick Tips for Drafting the National Honor Society Essay, Continued

4) Mind your audience. In this case, your audience is your school’s faculty member who’s taken on the role of chapter adviser. You may want to meet with them ahead of time to let them know you’re applying. This initiative on your part will look impressive. Moreover, you can ask in person what they look for in an NHS essay. Certainly, they’ll want to know how you stand out from the other applicants. So, you’ll also want to keep your competition in mind. As with college application essays, the tone of your NHS essay should be polite, formal, and charismatic.

5) Brainstorm, draft, edit, and repeat. A National Honor Society essay isn’t written overnight. Once you have your initial ideas down on paper, return to the page for a round of editing. Ask yourself where you can expand and where you sound redundant. Look for common threads and themes to enhance. Create transition sentences between paragraphs. Revise your conclusion. Next, show your essay to someone you trust. Their feedback will indicate where your essay excels and where you need to improve.

NHS Essay Example

My grandmother, or Ma-Maw , was the kind of generous busybody who made six different pies for her granddaughters’ birthdays. She invited everyone on the block, so nothing went to waste. Once, when we both went to shovel up the last slice of pie, she laughed, and said, “ noblesse oblige .” She often spoke French, a Louisiana French foreign yet familiar to me. I didn’t think to ask what she’d meant. Did she think I was noble? Was that why I got to scarf down the last of the cherry pie?

Ma-Maw died the summer before I entered high school. I missed her terribly, long after my parents sold her house. Receiving her redirected mail felt like a blow. So many newsletters from Friends of the New Orleans Public Library! Since I loved books as much as Ma-Maw, I opened these up. Inside, I read about a partnership program, Start the Adventure in Reading (STAIR). They needed in-person volunteers to tutor second- and third-graders in reading.

Before I knew it, I was cracking open vocabulary books twice a week with a kid named Harper. When I wasn’t tutoring, I was lesson planning, going over Harper’s writing journal, and scouring shelves for more early reader books. This got me thinking about literacy in New Orleans. 39% of high school students my age have the reading level of a 5 th grader—or worse. Harper lived in a part of town that didn’t even have bookstores. Would she keep up her reading once the tutoring was over, despite the odds? I also thought about representation and accessibility. If Harper had more books about people like her, and if those books were all over the place, and easy to take home, would things change?

NHS Essay Example, Continued

Due to this newfound interest in advocating for literacy, I decided to build a Free Little Library (FLL). To do so, I needed help. That spring, I founded a school club, Reading the World, and convinced 8 members to join. Together, we dismantled one of Ma-Maw’s kitchen cabinets and incorporated other used materials to build an upcycled stand that could fit 20 books.

Next, we got in touch with the program Read for Color, which helps make BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other diverse and marginalized voices heard. I believe their initiative parallels our own, which is to provide a diversity of voices through language itself. Our FLL features books in Cajun French and Creole and works in translation. With permission, we installed the FLL outside Ma-Maw’s old home. For its inauguration, our club invited the local organizations Youth Empowerment Project, One Book One New Orleans, and Read in Color. We plan to collaborate with these groups next year.

Now a sophomore, I’ve continued literacy advocacy by volunteering at Alliance Française events. This has given me new ideas about how to run Reading the World. I’ve added monthly book club events. Furthermore, every club member tutors a STAIR student. Finally, we’ll visit local senior homes at Thanksgiving and Christmas and read to the residents.

Ma-Maw would be happy to hear I won the L’Union Française’s Prix d’Excellence this year. She’d be even more thrilled to see how I’ve shared her love of reading with my community. Now I understand noblesse oblige : if you believe you are someone of noble character, then you must act accordingly. This NHS motto was easy for Ma-Maw to follow. She gave everything and led by example. I plan to follow in her footsteps. It would be an immense honor to do so through the National Honor Society.

NHS Essay Example, Dissected

This National Honor Society essay succeeds for many reasons. First, the student structures her essay around the theme of language and literacy. (Perhaps she also captains her softball team and volunteers for the Red Cross. But the student has correctly judged that these elements would distract from her story.) Rather than list her achievements and service, the student builds every element into a journey. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end. It shows how the student evolved to be someone who wants to make a difference. The ending completes the story by circling back to the beginning, through the idea of “noblesse oblige.” The student also manages to state clearly her thesis: she deserves acceptance into the National Honor Society.

This student’s story also centers around an emotional current, that of the student’s grandmother. The reader wants to invest in the story more because of this emotional aspect. Literacy is clearly not a random activity, but a meaningful one for the student. Including a role model allows the student to avoid bragging by transferring her praise to her grandmother.

Finally, the tone of the essay is formal (“It would be an immense honor”). Meanwhile, the unique voice of the student comes through (“We both went to shovel up the last slice of pie”). She accurately cites the names of the organizations she’s involved with and uses specificity (such as her grandmother’s kitchen cabinets) to draw the reader in.

Finished Your National Honor Society Essay?

Hopefully, you found our NHS essay example to be helpful. Now, feel free to check out our list of academic contests for more ways to boost your academic profile.

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Kaylen Baker

With a BA in Literary Studies from Middlebury College, an MFA in Fiction from Columbia University, and a Master’s in Translation from Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis, Kaylen has been working with students on their writing for over five years. Previously, Kaylen taught a fiction course for high school students as part of Columbia Artists/Teachers, and served as an English Language Assistant for the French National Department of Education. Kaylen is an experienced writer/translator whose work has been featured in Los Angeles Review, Hybrid, San Francisco Bay Guardian, France Today, and Honolulu Weekly, among others.

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Example National Honor Society Essay: Scholarship and Service

  • Written by The Hello College Team
  • Last Updated on June 14, 2024

how to start my nhs essay

Showcasing Scholarship, Leadership, and Service

If you’re a high school student with a stellar grade point average, a passion for community service, a positive attitude, and aspirations to become a member of the prestigious National Honor Society (NHS), you’re on the right path toward success. One crucial step in your journey is writing a compelling NHS essay that showcases your scholarship, leadership, service, and good character. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the key elements of an exemplary NHS essay and provide an example national honor society essay to help you craft your own outstanding essay.

Understanding the National Honor Society

The National Honor Society is a prestigious organization that recognizes and honors high school students who excel academically and demonstrate exceptional leadership skills, community service, and good character . Membership in the NHS is not only a testament to your achievements but also a commitment to continued excellence in scholarship, leadership, service, and character.

Components of an Outstanding NHS Essay

  • Scholarship: Begin your essay by highlighting your academic accomplishments. Mention your high school, school year, and impressive grade point average (GPA). Emphasize how your dedication to academics has shaped your character and instilled a sense of discipline.
  • Leadership: Describe your leadership skills and experiences. Share instances where you’ve taken initiative, assumed responsibilities, or been a role model to your peers. Leadership is a crucial aspect of NHS membership.
  • Service: Discuss your community service activities and how they’ve impacted you and your community. Show how your commitment to service aligns with the NHS’s core values of scholarship, leadership, and character.
  • Character: Showcase your good character by providing examples of your ethical behavior, integrity, and positive attitude. Explain how your character traits have positively influenced your high school and community.

Example National Honor Society Essay

Title: “A Journey of Scholarship, Leadership, and Service”

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Dear members of the National Honor Society,

My name is [your name], and I am a proud [school year] student at [your high school]. With a grade point average of [your GPA], I am deeply committed to academic excellence. Through my dedication to learning, I have achieved high grades and developed valuable study habits and a strong work ethic.

Leadership has always been a defining aspect of my personality. In my sophomore year, I took the initiative to start a tutoring program at our school to help struggling students. As the program coordinator, I organized study sessions, recruited peer tutors, and mentored those in need. This experience allowed me to sharpen my leadership skills and become a role model for my peers.

Community service is another core value I hold dear. Over the past three years, I have actively participated in various service activities, including volunteering at the local food bank, organizing charity fundraisers, and participating in environmental cleanup initiatives. These experiences have taught me the importance of giving back to my community and have strengthened my commitment to service.

My good character is something I take immense pride in. Integrity, honesty, and a positive attitude are essential qualities that not only define who we are but also influence those around us. I strive to be a source of positivity and inspiration for my classmates, aiming to create a harmonious and encouraging atmosphere within our school.

I am deeply honored to be considered for membership in the National Honor Society (NHS). My commitment to scholarship, leadership, service, and character aligns with the core values of this prestigious organization. If granted the opportunity, I am eager to contribute my skills and dedication to further the mission of the NHS and continue to grow as a student and a citizen.

Thank you for considering my application.

Sincerely, [Your Name]

Crafting a winning NHS essay requires careful consideration of your accomplishments, values, and aspirations. By focusing on scholarship, leadership, service, and character, you can create a compelling narrative that highlights your suitability for membership in the National Honor Society. Use the example provided above as a template to guide you in writing your own outstanding NHS essay. Best of luck on your journey to becoming a member of this prestigious organization!

For more essay examples, read these posts:

How important are personal statements in college applications?
Talking about Mental Health in Your College Admissions Essay

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How to write the National Honor’s Society Essay

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Being recognized as a member of the National Honor Society (NHS) is a testament to a student’s academic achievements, leadership, and service in their community. The NHS recognizes outstanding high school students for their dedication and challenges them to develop further. An important component of the application process is the NHS essay, which is an opportunity for candidates to detail their accomplishments and explain how they align with the NHS’s core values. This essay plays a significant role in the selection process, as it allows the applicant to showcase the individual behind the grades and other achievements on paper. This blog post aims to demystify the writing process by providing step-by-step guidance on crafting a strong NHS essay. 

Understanding the NHS Essay

4 pillars of nhs, scholarship, polishing your essay, common mistakes to avoid with the national honor’s society essay, wrapping up.

National Honor's Society Essay

Before diving into the pillars that form the backbone of the National Honor Society (NHS), it’s crucial to grasp what the NHS essay entails and what it aims to achieve. The NHS essay is more than just a writing sample; it is a narrative that encapsulates your journey, achievements, and the alignment of your personal values with the core principles of the NHS. This essay is your opportunity to communicate directly with the selection committee, offering a glimpse into who you are beyond your academic scores and extracurricular activities. The prompt for the NHS Essay is to detail how you represent the Four Pillars of NHS Membership: Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character in 300-500 words. In doing so, here are some key components that are good to include:

Personal Introduction: Begin with a brief introduction of yourself, highlighting your academic and personal background. This sets the stage for a deeper dive into your achievements and how they reflect the NHS values.

Impact and Personal Growth: Discuss the impact of your contributions on your community and personal growth. Reflect on how your actions have made a difference and what you may have learned from them. This will show the selection committee your potential for future leadership and service.

Future Plans and Contributions: Briefly outline how you plan to continue your commitment to the NHS’s principles by contributing both to the organization and to your community. This will underscore your dedication to the NHS’s mission.

Staying Authentic: Your essay should reflect your own authentic voice and perspective. The selection committee is solely interested in understanding who you are as an individual.

Alignment with NHS Values: It is important to explicitly detail how your experiences embody the NHS’s core values of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Rather than simply listing your accomplishments, delve deeper into how these experiences have shaped you and prepared you to contribute to the NHS while remaining as concise as possible.

When addressing the pillar of Scholarship in your National Honor Society essay, it is important to go further than just listing your academic achievements on paper. This section should detail your personal affinity for learning and intellectual growth. Highlight your areas of curiosity, your passion for gaining knowledge, and how you have been able to apply your knowledge outside of the classroom. Obviously you should discuss any academic awards or recognitions you have received, but also delve into how these accomplishments reflect your attitude towards learning.

In demonstrating Leadership, your writing should detail both formal leadership positions and informal leadership roles you have taken. Leadership is not just about being the head of a club or student organization: it is about influencing others positively, driving initiatives, and setting a good example in your community. Share specific instances where you led by example, overcame challenges, or motivated others toward a goal. Whether it’s captaining a sports team, leading a group project, or taking the initiative in organizing an event, include any instances that highlight your ability to lead.

The Service section of your essay is your chance to show how you have contributed to your community through volunteer work or service projects. Describe the types of service activities you have experience in, the impact these activities had on your community, and any other insights or knowledge you gained in the process. 

Reflecting on Character involves a deep dive into your the ethics and moral principles that guide you. The NHS values members who exhibit a strong character in both their personal and academic lives. Discuss situations where you’ve had to make difficult choices and/or stand up for what you believe in in the face of challenges. Your character is at the center of your personality, so share anecdotes that best illustrate how you personally embody the values the NHS holds dear ( like honesty, respect, and responsibility).

Crafting a strong conclusion for your essay is crucial in reinforcing your case for membership. This final section should serve as a summary of your narrative, reiterating how you align with the NHS’s core values of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Begin by concisely restating the key experiences and achievements you’ve discussed throughout the essay. Then, synthesize this information and emphasize your readiness to take on the responsibilities of NHS membership. Articulate a clear vision of how you intend to contribute to the NHS, drawing on specific examples from your past experiences to illustrate your capacity for leadership, service, and continued personal and academic growth.

Revision is a vital step in crafting a good NHS essay. It is imperative to revisit your essay with a critical eye, assessing the coherence of your writing and ensuring that each paragraph flows logically and smoothly to the next one. We recommend doing at least two drafts, and the more the merrier. Make sure your essay comprehensively details your achievements and character, and make adjustments to enhance your message’s delivery and effectiveness.

NHS Essay

Simply Reiterating Your Resume: One of the most common mistakes is simply listing your academic achievements and other roles as one might on a resume and not delving into the experiences. Your writing should go beyond listing accomplishments, explaining how these experiences have effected you and/or how they might align with the NHS values.

Lack of Personal Reflection: Not including enough personal reflection on how your experiences have contributed to your growth or demonstrated your alignment with NHS values is a missed opportunity to show your unique perspective. Share insights into your personal journey, any challenges overcome, and how these experiences impacted you.

Ignoring the NHS Core Values: Each section of your essay should clearly relate to one or more of the NHS pillars: Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Character. Failing to explicitly connect your experiences to these values will weaken your essay. Make sure to keep in mind how your experiences and actions embodied these core principles while you are writing.

Overlooking the Importance of Character: While it’s crucial to highlight your leadership, service, and academic achievements, neglecting to adequately address your character and personal ethics is a mistake. The NHS values integrity, honesty, and respect, so be sure to reflect on moments that have shaped your character.

Neglecting the Essay Structure: A well-organized essay that flows logically and linguistically from section to section is essential for clarity and impact. Jumping randomly between topics or cluttering your essay with too much information will confuse readers, and ultimately weaken your essay. Use a clear structure, with each paragraph smoothly transitioning to the next, ensuring your essay is coherent, and in turn, compelling.

Failing to Proofread: Grammar mistakes, typos, and awkward phrasing can distract from the content of your essay and give the impression of carelessness. Take the time to thoroughly proofread your essay, and write multiple drafts. Consider asking a teacher, parent, peer, or other mentor to review it for errors you might have missed.

Not Showing Authenticity: Trying to fit a perceived ideal or exaggerating experiences will come off as insincere. Be authentic in your writing. The NHS values honesty!

In conclusion, when writing your NHS essay, embrace the opportunity to not only detail your accomplishments but to give readers an understanding of what makes you unique. This essay is your stepping stone towards becoming a part of a community that values not just academic excellence, but the development of character and the commitment to making a difference in communities. Through your words, make it clear that you embody 4 central tenets of the NHS, but also document your unique perspective and how you personally will contribute to its mission. If you follow these steps and proofread effectively, you should be well on your way to producing an excellent NHS essay! Good luck!

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Best National Honor Society Essay Writing Guide with Example

Updated 12 Jun 2024

Just like being popular and successful among peers, belonging to National Honor Society is one of greatest dreams of many young people across the United States, as well as high school students of U.S. citizenship that reside in outlying territories. One of the most important steps to becoming a part of nationwide confederation of students is composing national honor society essay. Сrucial rule with NHS paper is to be original and avoid plagiarism in any form. In our guide, we have collected NHS essay definitions, tips, things to consider, and an actual example. We are certain that as you read through each part of this NHS tutorial, you will be relieved and great ideas will arrive right away!

Definition, Characteristics & Purpose of the National Honor Society Essay

It is a known fact being a member of National Honor in the United States is prestigious, yet before you start writing, let us define an actual  purpose of being a member, as well as learn how to become one!

1. How to apply for NHS membership?  

  • First thing has to be done is checking if your school has NHS chapter. If yes, you should check your handbook or talk directly to chapter adviser.

2. Requirements to become a member.

  • Next, if you are in grades 10-12, have met requirements as presented by school's chapter, you are eligible for NHS membership. NHS application requirements are based on four organization pillars, which are Scholarship, Service, Leadership, Character.
  • Scholarship part means which at a minimum, student must have cumulative GPA of 85, B, 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Likewise, it can be an equivalent excellence standard. Note that your school chapter may require higher cumulative GPA entrance grade! 
Always remember that you can ask our writers " write my scholarship essay " and they will do it for you!
  • Service part stands for voluntary contributions students make to school, local community, or charity services which they participate in.
  • Leadership part speaks of people who show excellent skills of being resourceful, empathic, ones that have good knowledge solving conflicts without violence. Leadership qualities are taken from school community activities, group projects, volunteering at summer camps etc.
  • Character part speaks of high morals, as well as ethical qualities. One should adhere to high standards of honesty, reliability, courtesy, care, respect for others. Clean disciplinary record is a must!

3. Important things as you apply.

  • If you meet scholarship requirement, you will complete form that details accomplishments, as well as commitment to local services, set of leadership skills plus character traits.
  • Membership has certain obligations, involves great time commitments.
  • There will be chapter and yearly meeting schedule with certain responsibilities.
  • Even a well-written NHS paper cannot guarantee 100% acceptance as your own character, as well as unique achievements.
  • If you have teacher’s or any other recommendation, include it.
  • However, strong paper will be good for your particular candidacy, meaning which it should be unique & well-structured.
Read also: Gun Control Essay Writing Guide

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Best Essay Writing Tips

Trust us, even best writing experts struggle with such demanding paper type should be unique, personal, inspiring and engaging for strict selection committee. United States is land that has numerous bright individuals who are worth of acceptance, so what are National Honor Society tips for writing? Addressing our experts, you can order essay which will list your achievements for National Honor membership. Still, let’s take a look at our national honor society essay tips will give you good start as you brainstorm ideas!

  • Have your goals clearly defined by writing down things that inspire you.
  • Always remain positive & honest. Sincerity is what makes you sound true.
  • Avoid plagiarism in any form, but mention personal experiences instead.
  • Show good morals, use clear, logical language.
  • Do not plead or ask. Instead of writing about  shortcomings, speak about benefits, plans, personal development.
  • As you address achievements, do not boast, but speak about others too who have helped you achieve your goals. It is your personality’s biography!
  • Mention your future goals. Be realistic & creative!

First Things First

  • First of all, as you begin, talk about your reasons for applying to NHS. Remember that core organization value is safeguarding of ethical attitude, promotion of healthy social interaction, empathy, care, as well as volunteering. If it meets your beliefs, mention your vision.
  • Next, tell of what you know about organization, chapter’s work, things that interest and inspire you most of all. Talk about social initiatives that you know about in your community, school, city or even nationwide.
  • Continue by telling about your achievements or things that you can contribute asa motivated, skilled, well-behaved person.

Basically, it’s beginning and core part of your NHS essay. Let us review most important task - wrapping things up!

NHS Essay Conclusion Tips

Conclusion part is equally important for your NHS paper as introduction and very first sentence. Therefore,a good national honor society essay conclusion should include:

  • Lasting impression of high morals, meaning that paper has style & tone.
  • Persuade selection committee that they are not only reading achievements list, but statement from determined & devoted person.
  • Genuine call for positive changes in local community, society, as well as readiness to be part of that change.
  • As you approach conclusion part, check twice to ensure that your paper has no grammar, technical, formatting, spelling errors.
  • Generally, avoid slang, colloquial language use. Your speech style should be clear & polite.

National Honor Society Essay Example for Students

This is only an example and should not be seen as perfect or flawless. What makes NHS paper good is personal input and clear writing structure. What you will read below is one of many NHS essay examples, sum up all good factors that one of our expert writers came up with!

“Reading for Peace”

I feel deeply honored to apply for National Honor Society membership. As I was chosen a candidate that could truly bring positive changes for society, I worked hard to be worthy of   trust that my teachers have placed in me. A determined, caring, sensitive, and motivated person, - I found my passion in reading and sharing knowledge with younger students. I believe that books is a key to a better education in national society. I sincerely believe that as I become a member, I can promote value of books to people of all ages and participate in community work that allows everyone to enjoy wonderful art of reading.

No matter what service and community work I do, I always place my academic achievements first because people always learn by good examples they can follow. I realize that every challenge takes much effort and time, but where goal is set right, there is a way. My dream is to become a role model for people and be the one who brings back the joy of reading books to all who often overlook it and prefer video games instead. Learning to read when I was 5 years old, I know that it has helped me to improve my writing and the language skills. Being in the 6th grade, I participated in the “Spelling Bee” contest and  became a winner. As I saw the other students who failed to win, I spoke to them and discussed ways how they try to achieve success. It made me think of ways how every student could become motivated and inspired to learn in a fun and an entertaining way.  

Another reason why talking to fellow spelling contest participants was important to me was working on my social skills and helping others to feel better. As a smallest child in classroom , I was often mistaken for someone of a younger age and was often bullied because of that. It made me hide behind the books and do my homework for hours on end. It all lasted until the day when I saw a younger girl being bullied. Standing up for her, I understood that one should not suffer alone. It was the day when I got courageous to talk to other students to organize an anti-bullying campaign. I developed a strategy to fight the bullies along with other classmates. It was the first time that our class actually spoke of things that we preferred to hide. Joining the NHS, I want to participate in the anti-bullying campaigns and use the art of reading and knowledge to help the bullied ones feel worthy.

Being chosen as a candidate to join National Honor Society, I understand that it is already a great honor and a proof that what I do is valued and accepted by the national society I live in. The trust of teachers and the fellow students is what inspires me the most and helps always move forward. I feel confident to walk an extra mile daily to be worthy of such high praise and do my best to stand for the strong moral values, being there for others, joy and the safety of every person out there.

As a Final Word

An only thing that needs to be added is that you can always ask our writers at EduBirdie to help you. This way, an expert can check and proofread it for structure, grammar, logic, clarity, run of ideas, and plagiarism. Remember, it has to be 100% free of plagiarism. Our writing gurus know what and how to check your NHS essay for meeting of all requirements and expected standards! With Masters and PhD degrees of our writers, we do not settle for good, but aim only for the best!  

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Written by David Kidwell

David is one of those experienced content creators from the United Kingdom who has a high interest in social issues, culture, and entrepreneurship. He always says that reading, blogging, and staying aware of what happens in the world is what makes a person responsible. He likes to learn and share what he knows by making things inspiring and creative enough even for those students who dislike reading.

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May 1, 2023

How to Write an Impressive National Honor Society Essay: Examples and Tips

Membership in the National Honor Society is a prestigious achievement that recognizes exceptional academic achievement, leadership, service, and character. But to earn this distinction, students must first write an impressive essay that demonstrates their qualifications and sets them apart from the competition. If you're ready to take on this challenge and earn your place in this esteemed society, you've come to the right place. In this article, we'll provide you with expert tips and real-world examples of successful essays that will help you craft an essay that showcases your unique strengths and accomplishments.

Are you a high school student with a passion for excellence, a track record of leadership , and a burning desire to make a difference in your community? Are you ready to join the ranks of the best and brightest students in your school and beyond? If so, the National Honor Society may be the perfect fit for you. But before you can don that coveted NHS sash, you'll need to write an essay that will knock the socks off the selection committee. 

No pressure, right? Well, don't worry, because we've got you covered. In this article, we'll provide you with expert tips and real-world examples of successful National Honor Society essays that will help you craft an essay that's worthy of your many talents.

 We'll cover everything from the essential elements of a strong NHS essay to tips for effective writing and editing. And hey, if all else fails, you can always bribe the selection committee with cookies. (Okay, maybe not. But it's worth a shot, right?) So grab a pen, fire up your laptop, and let's get started on your path to NHS greatness!

What is the National Honor Society?

National Honor Society (NHS) is an organization that recognizes and encourages academic achievement while developing the essential qualities of leadership, scholarship , service, and character in high school students.

NHS is an invitation-only organization that recognizes students who have demonstrated excellence in academics, leadership, service, and character. Membership in NHS is a significant achievement and serves as recognition for students who have worked hard to excel in their studies and to make a positive impact in their school and community.

In this essay, we will discuss the importance of leadership, scholarship, service, and character, how to apply for the NHS, and tips for writing an impressive NHS Essay.

Leadership is an essential quality that the NHS recognizes in its members. Leadership involves the ability to motivate others, take initiative, and work collaboratively towards a common goal.

Leadership can be demonstrated in a variety of ways, such as leading a team, organizing an event, or advocating for a cause. NHS values leadership because it is essential for achieving success in academics, personal growth, and community involvement.

To demonstrate leadership, NHS requires that applicants have held leadership positions in their school and community. This can include serving as a team captain, organizing a community service project, or leading a school club or organization.

However, it is important to note that leadership is not limited to formal positions of authority. Leaders can emerge in any situation, and the NHS recognizes that leadership can be demonstrated in many different ways.

Scholarship

Scholarship is another important quality that the NHS recognizes in its members. Scholarship involves a commitment to academic excellence, a desire for knowledge, and a willingness to engage in intellectual pursuits. Scholarship is essential for success in higher education and for developing the skills and knowledge needed to make a positive impact in society.

To demonstrate scholarship, NHS requires that applicants have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. However, NHS values scholarship beyond just grades. NHS recognizes that scholarship involves a desire for learning and intellectual curiosity. This can be demonstrated through taking challenging courses, pursuing independent research projects, or participating in academic competitions.

Service is another essential quality that NHS recognizes in its members. Service involves a commitment to giving back to the community and making a positive impact on the lives of others. Service is essential for developing empathy and compassion, and for building strong and supportive communities.

To demonstrate service, NHS requires that applicants have completed a minimum of 40 hours of community service. However, NHS values service beyond just the number of hours completed. NHS recognizes that service involves a commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.

This can be demonstrated through volunteering for organizations that align with personal values, initiating community service projects, or engaging in advocacy work.

Character is the final quality that NHS recognizes in its members. Character involves a commitment to ethical behavior, honesty, and integrity. Character is essential for building trust and fostering strong relationships with others.

To demonstrate character, NHS requires that applicants have a positive disciplinary record and a recommendation from a teacher or school administrator. However, NHS values character beyond just avoiding negative behaviors.

NHS recognizes that character involves a commitment to doing the right thing, even when it is difficult. This can be demonstrated through acts of kindness, ethical decision-making, and demonstrating honesty and integrity in all aspects of life.

Application and Membership

To apply for NHS, students must meet the minimum requirements for leadership, scholarship, service, and character. In addition, students must complete an application, submit a personal statement, and provide letters of recommendation.

The application typically includes basic information such as name, address, and GPA. It may also ask for information about leadership positions held, community service activities completed, and academic achievements. The application may also include short essay questions to allow students to showcase their strengths and accomplishments.

NHS Essay Guide

If you are looking to write an NHS essay, here is a guide that can help you craft an impressive and professional essay:

Understanding the NHS pillars

The National Honor Society is based on four pillars: leadership, scholarship, service, and character. Before you begin writing, it is important to understand what each of these pillars means and how you have demonstrated them in your life.

Brainstorm your accomplishments

Once you understand the pillars, make a list of all the activities and accomplishments that you have achieved in each of the pillars. This could include things like holding a leadership position in a club, achieving academic excellence, volunteering in your community, or demonstrating integrity and honesty in your personal life.

Write a rough draft

Once you have your list of accomplishments, begin drafting your essay. Start by introducing yourself and explaining why you are interested in joining the NHS. Then, use specific examples to demonstrate how you have demonstrated leadership, scholarship, service, and character. Be sure to use strong, descriptive language and avoid vague statements.

Edit and revise 

Once you have a rough draft, take the time to edit and revise your essay. Read it out loud to catch any awkward phrasing or grammatical errors. Make sure that your essay is well-organized and that each paragraph flows smoothly into the next. Make sure to remove any unnecessary information or repetition.

Be Humble and Bold

Many students find it hard to express their hard-earned accomplishments without sounding boastful. Proudly stating your achievements without sounding brash is possible and important. Clearly state your motivations, your challenges, your vulnerabilities, and your mistakes to mitigate any concerns.

Get feedback

Once you have edited and revised your essay, get feedback from others. Ask a teacher, parent, or mentor to read your essay and give you their honest feedback. Use their feedback to make any necessary changes and to strengthen your essay.

Write a strong conclusion

End your essay with a strong conclusion that summarizes your achievements and explains why you would be a good fit for the NHS. Thank the reader for considering your application and expressing your excitement about the opportunity to join the NHS.

By following these steps, you can write an impressive and professional NHS essay that demonstrates your commitment to leadership, scholarship, service, and character. Remember to be specific and use strong language, and get feedback from others to ensure that your essay is the best it can be.

Tips for Writing NHS Essay

The National Honor Society (NHS) is a prestigious organization that recognizes high school students who have demonstrated excellence in academics, leadership, service, and character.

Being a member of NHS is a significant achievement and can provide many opportunities for personal and professional growth. To become a member of NHS, students must apply and write a personal statement. In this section, we will discuss some tips on how to write an impressive NHS essay.

Step 1: Understand the Purpose of the NHS Essay

The purpose of the NHS essay is to demonstrate to the selection committee that you possess the qualities of leadership, scholarship, service, and character. The essay is an opportunity for you to showcase your achievements, skills, and experiences that align with the NHS values. The essay should also highlight your personal goals and how being a member of NHS can help you achieve them.

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas

Before writing the essay, take some time to brainstorm ideas. Think about your achievements, experiences, and skills that align with the NHS values. Consider examples of how you have demonstrated leadership, scholarship, service, and character in your school, community, or personal life. This will help you to organize your thoughts and create a clear and concise essay.

Step 3: Structure Your Essay

The NHS essay should have a clear structure that includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should provide a brief overview of the essay and grab the reader's attention. The body of the essay should focus on the four NHS values: leadership, scholarship, service, and character. Use examples and anecdotes to demonstrate how you have demonstrated each of these values. 

Step 4: Be Specific and Concise

When writing your NHS essay, be specific and concise. Use specific examples and anecdotes to demonstrate your achievements and skills. Avoid using general statements that could apply to anyone. Also, be concise and avoid using unnecessary words or phrases. The essay should be clear and easy to read.

Step 5: Show, Don't Tell

When writing your NHS essay, it is essential to show, not tell. Instead of saying that you have demonstrated leadership, provide an example of a time when you led a team or organized an event. Use descriptive language to paint a picture of the situation and show how you demonstrated leadership.

Step 6: Be Honest and Authentic

When writing your NHS essay, be honest and authentic. Don't exaggerate your achievements or skills, but also don't be too modest. Be genuine and let your personality shine through in the essay. This will help the selection committee get to know you better and see why you would be an excellent fit for NHS membership.

Step 7: Proofread and Edit

Before submitting your NHS essay, make sure to proofread and edit it carefully. Check for grammar and spelling errors, and make sure the essay is well-organized and easy to read. You may also want to have someone else read the essay and provide feedback. This will help you to identify areas that need improvement and ensure that your essay is as impressive as possible.

Writing an impressive NHS essay requires careful planning, organization, and attention to detail. By following these tips, you can create an essay that showcases your achievements, skills, and experiences and demonstrates why you would be an excellent candidate for NHS membership. Remember to be specific, concise, honest, and authentic, and to show, not tell your achievements and skills.

Personal Statement

Here is an example of a personal statement for your NHS: “I am thrilled to submit my statement for consideration as a potential member of the National Honor Society. As a student who is deeply committed to the ideals of leadership, scholarship, service, and character, I believe that I would be an ideal candidate for this prestigious organization.

In addition to my academic and extracurricular pursuits, I believe that my personal qualities make me an ideal candidate for the National Honor Society. I am a natural leader who can inspire others and work collaboratively toward a common goal. I am also highly organized, disciplined, and self-motivated, which allows me to juggle multiple responsibilities and stay on top of my commitments.

Above all else, I believe that my commitment to character is what sets me apart as a candidate for the National Honor Society. I believe that integrity, honesty, and respect are the foundation of all meaningful relationships, and I strive to embody these values in everything that I do.

Whether I am working on a group project with my peers or volunteering in my community, I am always mindful of the impact that my actions have on those around me.

In conclusion, I believe that I would be an ideal candidate for the National Honor Society based on my academic achievements, extracurricular activities, personal qualities, and commitment to service and character. I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to apply for membership in this esteemed organization, and I look forward to contributing to the National Honor Society in a meaningful way.”

NHS Essay Examples

Essay example 1.

As a dedicated student, committed volunteer, and aspiring leader, I have always strived to make a positive impact in my university and community. The National Honor Society has always been an organization that I have admired and respected, and I am excited about the opportunity to join such a prestigious group of individuals.

Throughout my bachelor studies, I have been actively involved in various extracurricular activities and clubs, including serving as the president of the university sports society. In this role, I have organized numerous fundraising events, community service projects, and volunteer opportunities for my peers, inspiring them to take action and make a difference in our community.

I have also served as a mentor and tutor to underclassmen, providing guidance and support to help them achieve their academic and personal goals.

Academic excellence is something that I have always prioritized, and I have worked hard to maintain a good GPA throughout my university career. I have taken on challenging coursework, including honors and Advanced Placement courses, to further develop my intellectual curiosity and critical thinking skills. 

As a member of the National Honor Society, I hope to continue to challenge myself academically and inspire others to do the same.

I believe that giving back to my community is not only a responsibility but also a privilege. I have volunteered at various local organizations, including the food bank, animal shelter, and community garden, and have helped to raise money for numerous charities.

Additionally, I have been involved in a peer mentoring program that offers guidance and support to students struggling academically or personally.

Integrity, honesty, and respect are values that I hold dear, and I strive to demonstrate these qualities in everything that I do. I have participated in various character-building programs, including the school’s conflict resolution program and the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program, which have helped me to develop strong communication and problem-solving skills.

I believe that my commitment to these values will make me a valuable member of the National Honor Society.

As a well-rounded student and active member of my community, I am excited about the opportunity to join the National Honor Society. I am confident that I have demonstrated excellence in leadership, scholarship, service, and character, and I look forward to further developing these qualities as a member of this prestigious organization. Thank you for considering my application.

Essay Example 2:

Dear National Honor Society Selection Committee,

I am honored to apply for membership in the National Honor Society, as I believe that this prestigious organization aligns with my values of leadership, scholarship, service, and character. I am confident that my academic achievements, community service, and leadership experiences demonstrate my commitment to these values and make me a strong candidate for membership.

Throughout my high school career, I have demonstrated leadership skills in various extracurricular activities and organizations. I have served as a captain of my school’s varsity basketball team for two years, where I have not only led my team to multiple championships but also served as a role model for my teammates by demonstrating a strong work ethic, positive attitude, and sportsmanship

Academic excellence is a top priority for me, and I have consistently maintained a high GPA throughout my high school years. I have taken on challenging coursework, including Honors and Advanced Placement classes, to further my intellectual curiosity and challenge myself.

Furthermore, I have actively participated in academic competitions, including the National Science Olympiad, where I have won multiple medals and awards.

I have always been passionate about serving my community and making a positive impact on the lives of others. I have volunteered at various local organizations, including the food bank, homeless shelter, and community garden, where I have helped to feed the hungry, care for the less fortunate, and create a sustainable future.

Furthermore, I have served as a mentor and tutor to younger students, providing guidance and support to help them achieve their academic and personal goals.

Integrity, honesty, and respect are values that I hold dear, and I strive to demonstrate these qualities in everything that I do. I have participated in various character-building programs, including the school’s peer mediation program, where I have learned effective communication and problem-solving skills.

In summary, I believe that my leadership, scholarship, service, and character make me a strong candidate for membership in the National Honor Society. I am excited about the opportunity to further develop these qualities and contribute to the mission of this esteemed organization.

I thank you for considering my application, and I look forward to the opportunity to represent the National Honor Society with honor and distinction

In conclusion, the National Honor Society is an esteemed organization that recognizes high-achieving students who demonstrate excellence in the pillars of leadership, scholarship, service, and character. Writing a brilliant NHS essay requires thoughtful reflection on your accomplishments and an ability to effectively communicate how you embody these pillars in your life.

By following the tips and guidelines provided in this article, you can craft an impressive and professional essay that showcases your dedication to these pillars and your potential as a valuable member of the National Honor Society.

If you're ready to take the next step in your academic and personal journey, we encourage you to apply to the National Honor Society. As a member, you will have the opportunity to engage in meaningful service projects, connect with other high-achieving students, and further develop your leadership skills. 

Don't let this opportunity pass you by - take the time to write an exceptional NHS essay and join the ranks of some of the most accomplished students in the country.

So what are you waiting for? Start crafting your NHS essay today and take the first step towards achieving your goals. We wish you the best of luck in your application and hope to see you among the distinguished members of the National Honor Society.

With the help of essay writing tools , writing an NHS essay can be made easier and quicker. Jenni.ai's AI-powered writing tools can help you develop a strong thesis statement and produce high-quality articles. 

By utilizing these tools, you can save time and energy while still producing top-notch work. By following the steps outlined in this blog and using the features offered by Jenni.ai, you can master the art of writing NHS essays and achieving academic and professional success.

Sign up for Jenni.ai today and take the first step towards becoming an analytical essay-writing expert!

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  • How to write National Honor Society essay
  • How to Write the Best National Honor Society Essay

How to Write the Best National Honor Society Essay

Why write the National Honor Society essay?

What are the national junior honor society essay requirements, how to write national honor society essay, national honor society essay outline example, how to start a national honor society membership essay, national honor society membership essay conclusion, national honor society membership essay sample, do you need extra free academic help and assistance.

If you discover your passion for writing, reading, leadership, and overcoming new challenges, there are some organizations that can support your enthusiasm. To join them, you need to submit a winning application. It is free to participate. 

Your National Honor Society essay is an effective tool that will let you become a member of a highly prestigious organization in the US. To write the best National Junior Honor Society essays, read this online article with brilliant tips and examples provided by the best writers that will make this task less hard. Also, you can get admission essay writing services  from our professional writers.

Many students put their time and effort in writing successful National Junior Honor Society essays every year to get access to unlimited opportunities. The NHS is the organization that chooses exceptional students who excel in social services, school activities, volunteering, scholarships, internships, and so on. It is a good place where you can find many opportunities. 

You don’t need to have an excellent GPA, which courses you take or be a perfect student in order to be able to write it. The admission committee will pay attention not only to those things. NHS membership essay will allow you to show your personality and skills you have. It can also help you go to the college of your dream. If you know that this is a place where you want to be, then you will be able to achieve what you want. 

The main purpose of your National Honor Society essay is to show the admission committee you from the best side and help you prove that you’re eligible to become a member of this authoritative organization. It’s important to meet the National Junior Honor Society essay requirements for those who want to become one of the NHS members. Here is a list of them:

  • Format, structure, and compose your National Honor Society application essay correctly and with clarity;
  • Add a personal story to show that you’re ready to take a leader’s role and highlight your major achievements;
  • Include your high ethics and morals , exceptional character traits, participation in volunteer programs, and other relevant details.

If you strongly believe that you possess the traits required by this organization, find out how to write a National Honor Society essay. Use a few basic tips to succeed. Here are some recommendations that will provide you with the chance to write a top-quality and outstanding academic essay:

  • Conduct your in-depth research on the chosen topic. You should use academic resources in order to gather interesting and useful information for your essay. Don’t forget to cite the used sources later. 
  • Analyze your catchy and unique subject. Even if you know a lot of information about the chosen topic, still it would be great if you have analyzed the subject more deeply. You never know which ideas might come to your head. 
  • Brainstorm relevant ideas. Brainstorming can help you find more good topics that you can discuss in your writing. It will take only a few minutes of your time, but as a result, you will come up with great ideas that you can use. 
  • Create an outline of your thoughts. Every paper should have its plan so you would be able more understandable. You can use a sample of an outline to know how the essay should be written.
  • Write and proofread your National Honor Society personal essay to fix some common mistakes. If you are not sure how to do that or don’t have enough time, you can trust the team of experts to help you with that.

Did you write a letter of intend for graduate school ? It may help with your NHS essay.

To make the process of writing easier, you should create an outline. Here is a list of things you should write about in your essay. Use these tips to ease the writing process: 

  • Write your intro.
  • Talk about the reasons why you want to become one of the NHS members.
  • Discuss social initiatives in your community or school.
  • Talk about the organization and why it inspires you and makes you feel motivated.
  • Share your achievements.

If you wonder how to start a National Honor Society essay , there are several effective ways that you can use to write a relevant, concise, and catchy introduction. Here is a list of them: 

  • State your primary reasons to become its member;
  • Stress your biggest advantages;
  • Describe what you know about the NHS to show your interest;
  • Include some excellent hooks to make the audience want to read your entire paper.

A concluding paragraph should leave a positive impression on the committee and persuade them to choose you. How to write a strong National Honor Society essay conclusion? Highlight the main reasons why this organization will benefit from choosing you. Here is a list of the things that differentiate you from other candidates by mentioning these factors:

  • Your grade point average;
  • Professional skills and personal qualities;
  • The main purpose of your application;
  • Leadership experiences;
  • A call to action.

We also advise our students to read and find out college admission secrets to be ready how to impress every member from the beginning.

The NHS is a great organization that makes it possible to take care of kids, non-profit organizations, and aged people. The best part is that students do that. I dream of becoming its member because I want to help people and learn more about this world. I know the organization has unlimited opportunities and being its member will enable me to develop my professional and academic skills in social services. I hope that my scholarship achievements will help me join it. It’s a privilege that my tutors and other leaders chose me to become the NHS member, and I’m very happy because they recognized my dedication and willingness to contribute to the community. I’ll keep serving the community to change the world. I can categorize all of my goals into a few groups. My basic long-term academic goal is to get into a prestigious college with excellent learning conditions and I also want to become a political scientist in the future. I consider creativity and power of observation to be my greatest strengths. They’re important to create all political theories. I’m very confident in the future success of my debate and interview and I expect to take part in social study programs this summer. This is where I’ll prepare for this occupation academically and mentally. I have my personal goals too. I strive to succeed in everything, including typing, writing academic papers, playing sports, playing music, passing my exams, and gaining a deeper understanding of actual information. That’s because I have my determination to excel. There are many activities that interest me. I also want to accomplish life goals by earning the respect of other people around me because it’s an important element. I have many personal goals, both short-term and long-term. They all deal with pursuing excellent in different fields. I realize that it’s possible to accomplish all of these goals with enough determination for success and a strong character. I also understand that life will throw many obstacles and challenges in my path of achieving these goals, and I feel I am ready to push through them all. I know my weak and strong sides. I keep using them to achieve important goals. I have strengths in listening, observing, being patient, understanding, using my creativity, leading other people, and these are only a few of my positive characteristics. They all shape my personality and make me who I am. I lead other people well due to my ability to analyze and understand their unique situations and be patient with them. I can evaluate and learn their weaknesses and strengths, such as willingness to work, and I take them into account when making my decisions. Being a good leader means being a good servant. I will always follow others regardless of my position of power. I realize the amount of studying necessary to get into a prestigious college that fits my professional and personal interests. I can excel in different areas of interest in my high school, and I will retain my personal strengths and keep improving them for the rest of my life.

National Honor Society essay samples and tips will guide you in writing a top academic paper and increasing your chance to impress the committee and avoid common mistakes. Get professional assistance provided by a team of writers who work online if writing the National Honor Society essay is still a challenge for you. 

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How to Masterfully Cover the Topic of National Honor Society in an Essay

By: Angelina Grin

How to Masterfully Cover the Topic of National Honor Society in an Essay

Most students have dreamed of entering renowned universities and work for prestigious organizations. One of these influential institutions is the National Honor Society (NHS), a nationwide organization based in the United States that caters to high school students.

What the NHS is All About

Eligibility and application requirements, four pillars of nhs:, benefits of being a member, introduction, body and paragraphs, introduction sample of a national honor society essay, body sample of an nhs essay, sample of the concluding statement, why is it not an a+ essay, tips on creating a brilliant essay on the national honor society.

However, to be a member of the NHS, one must undergo an arduous and demanding application and selection process. It is not enough that you have academic achievements and stellar academic performance. The organization also values your personal views and even philosophy in life.

Thus, one of the significant parts of its application processes and your NHS life is writing essays. This is a common way for organizations to assess the character traits of a high school student. Your essay’s content may reflect your leadership skills, character, biases, and other competent capabilities that can make you an asset to the organization.

Whether it is for your application entry or you intend to write about the NHS itself, you must have an in-depth understanding of the topic. At the same time, you must be articulate to deliver your ideas comprehensively and coherently. This article will show you how to formulate a thoughtful essay and will also present suggestions and tips on how you can secure your national honor society membership.

An Overview of the National Honor Society - What You Need to Know

As mentioned, you must be familiar with the organization first before being able to write an essay.

The NHS is an organization that awards recognition to students of impeccable academic record and exemplary social involvement. Every recipient of the NHS scholarship can be considered a role model in establishing noteworthy service projects while maintaining a professional grade point average.

Before proceeding with your NHS application, ensure that you can comply with the given requirements and qualifications for eligibility. The main criteria for eligibility lie in the four pillars of the organization that will determine your NHS membership.

1. Scholarship

Students must achieve a cumulative GPA of not less than 85, B, or 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

The student must have accomplished at least one volunteer work. This includes community service activities that are not paid.

Community service refers to hours used to benefit the following:

  • People experiencing poverty, discrimination, abuse, poor health, old age, and/or physical-mental limitations
  • Protection of animals or the environment for which an individual does not receive financial compensation.

3. Leadership

Students must have secured leadership positions in other school-based organizations or clubs to prove their competence as problem solvers and thought-leaders.

4. Character

Students must be role models of good character and responsible citizenship.

Being a member of the national honor society has its perks. Being affiliated with the organization establishes your credibility for other applications, such as in college admissions.

Other benefits include:

  • Access to webinars and other educational resources;
  • Workshops that improve career readiness;
  • Service mindset and top-notch quality of performance.

National Honor Society Essay Structure

We will break down the general sections that are commonly present in essays National Honor Society Essay Sample segments. Academic texts generally follow a standard structure, often used in admission essays, scholarship essays, and specific research papers.

The introduction marks the beginning of your entry. You must ensure that your introduction is catchy and exciting to sustain the reader’s willingness to finish your article. This section lays out the intent and creates a first, crucial impression of the writer.

Take note that the introduction must be:

In the case of the national honor society application essay, you must be able to feature the organization’s remarkable qualities and outstanding performance. For a scholarship essay, you must establish why you are eligible and worthy to be granted the scholarship or slot.

A one-paragraph introduction will do. Make your intentions clear, and do not add unnecessary details that may only confound your message.

The NHS body is keen on selecting students with a unique profile and impressive list of extracurricular activities. Make your personality shine through an attractive introduction.

Optimize your NHS essay’s body to chronicle your experiences that are significant in nurturing your leadership and interpersonal skills. Here, you can share your strengths and weaknesses as a student and how your skillset can contribute to the organization.

Wrap up your essay with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

National Honor Society Essay Examples

Below is a simple application of the guidelines and National Society Essay examples:

Being a member of an elite and progressive organization such as the National Honor Society is both an honor and an avenue for more excellent service. For the longest time, it has been my goal to pass the application and become a part of the NHS. This opportunity can significantly help me fulfill my ambitions and extend my capabilities for the benefit of my community and the nation at large.

I. Description of NHS

I have witnessed the significant contributions of the NHS to culture and society. The organization inspires greatness through the recognition of outstanding and remarkable high school students all over the country. Such activity can spark the youth’s interest and enthusiasm in creating an inclusive and progressive society, empowered by free speech and intellectual discourse. The organization also uplifts and amplifies the campaigns of many non-profit organizations.

I want to see myself as a contributor to the organization’s continued success and a catalyst of positive transformation in my immediate community.

II. Personal Traits

I share the progressive ideals of the NHS in promoting productive discussions and the individual flourishing of citizens for the sustained development of communities. This interest has enabled me to develop leadership qualities that can prove helpful to achieve my endeavors. With hard work, I continue to test the waters and be the best that I can be. I am proud to say that I am a student with a competitive GPA and a citizen with liberal visions.

III. Personal Weaknesses

However, despite my strengths, it is undeniable that I sometimes struggle with inevitable setbacks and weaknesses. These include my bout with anxiety and my fear of losing. The root of my concern is in being scared of not being good enough and derives from an unhappy childhood. My fear of losing makes me overthink whether what I am doing is worthwhile.

Nevertheless, I am confident that NHS can help me cope with these weaknesses and overcome my limitations. I have a highly driven mentality, which makes me a valuable asset to sustain the organization’s relevance and growth.

All in all, the sample essay you’ve just read is quite good. However, there are parts of it that can be improved to make it brilliant.

The essay’s introduction demonstrates that the student is inspired about becoming a part of the NHS. Yet, it tells nothing about the student and lacks that “something” that the admissions committee will remember. Add some personal details, such as:

“I am an aspiring author, and with the support from NHS, I would be able to fulfill my dream of applying my talents in the educational sphere. For several years now, I have been creating guidebooks that are focusing on helping students find their spheres of interest and make conscious career choices.”

In other words, when it comes to your ambitions, skills, and dreams, do not put them into generalized terms. Instead, elaborate them!

On the contrary, the part describing the personal weaknesses is a bit too deep for such an essay. We all have our weak sides, and it is great when we realize and accept them. However, when presenting yourself in written form, it is better to mention them in a less profound manner.

For example, you can write: “No one is perfect, so despite the variety of skills and strengths I possess, I have weaknesses as well. For instance, it may take me extra time to double. And triple-check the results of my work, as I want everything I do to be top-quality. Besides, I am yet to develop the skill of public speaking, as I get extremely nervous when having to perform in front of big audiences. However, I believe that realizing a problem is a huge step towards its resolution, and I am constantly working on self-improvement”.

Here are some of the typical writing mistakes that you should avoid to maintain your output quality.

1. Avoid a vague or non-existent thesis statement

Having an unclear statement may ruin the whole essence of your essay. If you fail to establish your intent as a writer, readers might get the wrong idea of what you’re trying to convey or may not understand the whole essay altogether.

2. Never commit plagiarism

Plagiarism is considered an intellectual crime and may automatically warrant disqualification of your application.

3. Learn from veteran writers

If you are not skilled in writing yet, do not hesitate to reach out for assistance from excellent writing services, such as Studybay. Do not solely depend on them, though. Instead, treat them as avenues to improve your writing.

The guidelines enumerated below can enable you to have a well-defined structure and intelligible discussion in your essay. Overall, these can enhance your craft in essay writing.

  • Read more about NHS updates and news to integrate socially relevant ideas into your essay.
  • Check your grammar and sentence construction. Ideas may get distorted if you cannot phrase them correctly.
  • Be honest in your assessed strengths and weaknesses.
  • Highlight your good qualities.

These are valuable tips for you to generate a compelling NHS essay. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the organization’s background, application requirements and processes, and eligibility qualifications. By applying these tips, you will have all the means to produce a winning essay.

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The start of any good paper is choosing a format to write with. I have officially re-learned this here. I’m looking forward to being a part of the National Honors Society, and that has been the major prompt for refreshing my knowledge any chance I get. Thanks for the awesome tips and refreshers. I’ll surely be back later.

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Ace Your National Honor Society Essay with These Tips

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Entering the National Honor Society can be a student's dream and requires devotion, good grades and expanding your interests into social activities, sports, and volunteering in your community. The NHS application is a sumptuous procedure and you'll need to compose an appropriate national honor application essay to get accepted. This essay will generally work as a recapitulation of your academic history, your dreams, and aspirations and your future plans. It is a decisive part of the application and needs to be written super carefully, with flair and method.

In fact, most chapters of NHS require an essay as part of your application for membership. The philosophy behind the essay varies; it might be a broad overview description of your academic achievements so far or work as a response to a specific question set and then insert your personal touch. Difficult as it might sound, the essay is, in fact, an opportunity to develop your full personality and convince the committee that yes, you are worthy of their attention. This means that acing it is a big step towards your goal to be accepted at the NHS, and there are tips to help you in the process.

Most chapters of NHS require an essay as part of your application for membership.

Understand the philosophy behind the essay

Before even starting to write the essay structure, it is important to fully understand the philosophy behind the essay. In general, the NHS concept is based on four pillars: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Define the criteria and prepare your thesis to meet them all. Make sure you make some preparatory notes of all your scholarships and grants, activities that would show the leader in you (i.e. captain of the school football team) and list all volunteering work you have done in the past. Remember to explain why volunteering to the specific cause is important to you and makes you passionate in your side notes-you will need them as you proceed writing the essay.

Then tell your personal story-in writing

Your life story is what makes you unique and the NHS appreciates personal journeys that are built with dedication and passion at a young age. Think of the essay as an introduction of who you actually are, where to do aim to go and then try to communicate it efficiently. Building the essay around a general idea will also help you focus; for example, if your passion is getting to college to acquire a Math Ph.D. then focus your writing on jour personal journey with Math in high school-your Grades, extra work assignments, and awards. If animals are your passion, volunteering in an animal's shelter can show your devotion to later become a vet, so work your way around it.

Introduce yourself in a professional yet unique way

Perfection is a matter of balance-and your essay should be an example of both professionalism and flair in equal doses. Don't reinvent your writing style in the process or try to experiment with writing styles that are not you. Be clever yet professional. If you are generally a funny person, add your touch with a funny intro, if your style is more academic, and then keep it simple and clean. What is important is that the style expresses your personality as much as the content and that both assist your final goal-to be accepted in the NHS.

Talk in detail about your grants and scholarship achievements

The NHS aims to include the best of the best and provide them opportunities for the future so you have to convince them you belong to the elite. Again, make a list of your grades, awards, and scholarships. Then structure a big part of your writing around them-but in detail. Speak about the grants or scholarships you won, the Physics award or about being top your class in the first semester-in this process, the more the better. Excelling in activities outside school is also important but keep that separate-your academic life should be your primary focus here. You can also list prestigious classes you attended or name the teachers you have worked with and helped you obtain your top grades-in this section, the more is the better.

Include your non-academic achievements and activities

The next step in composing your essay is to include all your community or volunteer work, your activities and hobbies. Don't just list them-the idea here is to showcase your character traits and full personality. Again, the NHS is focusing on leadership, service, and character so structure them in order to meet those criteria. Where you the captain of a sports team? Did you do volunteering work at your city's animal shelter? Or participated in the theatre group at your school? Write them all down and then describe your character and qualities through them. Creativity, leadership and a collaborative manner within a team all work in your favor so don't be shy to mention your problem-solving qualities or focus on your best moments.

Acing the essay doesn't require you exaggerating on your achievements—the board members are well seasoned and can see past an essay whose focus is to impress. The key here is to be sincere-present your qualities and then mention your flaws. Make note that yes, you do have flaws but you are working to better yourself constantly. This is the kind of devotion that can make your flaws even work in favor of your application if presented correctly. Mentioning, for example, that you are a perfectionist but you are working to leave space for more creativity in what you do cannot do you harm—on the contrary.

Structure it appropriately

Writing a long essay is an arduous task—what makes a great one stand out and grasp the attention of the reader is structure. Decide what the focus of the essay should be and then structure all your information accordingly. The focus can be your love for a specific class or your future aspiration to be a lawyer and what you do to help you get there. Start from academic achievements, then pass to grants and scholarships, then mention your non-academic activities. Double-check you are following the structure in a way that your essay is clear, easy to be read and that communicates your message. This uniqueness will also make you stand out from the crowd and be remembered.

Introduce your paper in a clever and catchy way

Another great tip is to introduce your paper in a clever and catchy way; pick a life incident that you feel is important and then develop the whole essay around it. A trip with the boy scouts, a school incident or you starring at the school play can work well if you find the right angle, the one that will showcase your devotion and wit. You can also write about your experience working with a particular teacher or on a particular project that you loved. The introduction is where you can both catch the attention of the reader and evolve your full essay after it, so be creative. Again, balance is key, so never lose sight you are actually writing a well-structured NHS essay and not the intro of a novel so stay focused throughout your writing.

Another great tip is to introduce your paper in a clever and catchy way.

Write a killer conclusion

You have written all the boring stuff, elaborated on your academic qualities and presented your community work; now it's time to close the essay with a killer conclusion the board will remember. This, in fact, is the part where you can become more creative and show that you are also good at communicating your message so use whatever you feel best represents you. A school incident where you show your values or leadership qualities can work and so can your aspiration to enter college and get the job of your dreams. More of a creative type? This is the place where you can use a famous person's saying that best represents you and elaborate on it-or a moment in your school life that has defined you.

Proofread it, and then again!

Proofreading is key; you just can't convince your readers you are a straight-A student with spelling mistakes, and even the smallest of them can very well ruin an otherwise perfect essay so be focused and double-check everything. Then have a member of your family, your teacher, or a professional editor to check it again for mistakes you can spot by using automatic spell correctors. A crown is different from a crowd but it's hard for the spell checker to spot what you are trying to say, so be extra careful. Make sure the essay flows effortlessly and that you don't exaggerate on promoting yourself—this can be alienating and not work on your favor. Be perfect but be yourself along the way.

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The Ultimate Guide to The National Honor Society Essay

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  • Step One: Ask For NHS Essay Examples 

Step Two: Focus on Each of the Membership Pillars

Step three: the art of bragging, step four: edit, step five: the best national honor society essay.

Stay up-to-date on the latest research and college admissions trends with our blog team.

The Ultimate Guide to The National Honor Society Essay

If you are starting to think about college applications , you have likely heard about extracurricular activities a time or two. Participation in extracurricular activities like clubs, sports, and internships can help pave the way for college acceptance. One great club to join if you’re looking to stand out academically is the National Honor Society (NHS). If your school has an active National Honor Society chapter, you will need to apply to become a member. Each active chapter must have a published description of their selection procedure in an official school publication, so learning the steps you need to take shouldn’t be hard. If you are having a hard time finding information about your chapter, you can use the online Chapter Finder tool or check with your school’s NHS advisor or school administration. 

It’s likely that your application will require a National Honor Society essay in addition to scholarship requirements (like a specific GPA), community service, leadership experiences, and demonstrated good character. These requirements follow the pillars of membership for the NHS. If you are gearing up to write your essay, you have come to the right place. Here is everything you need to know about writing the best National Honor Society Essay. 

Step One: Ask For NHS Essay Examples 

Your chapter advisor may have a general essay prompt. This can cause many students to overthink or stress over their essays. By asking for NHS essay examples, you can get a better idea of what your chapter advisor is looking for. You can better understand the tone, style, length, and general content needed.

However, if your chapter advisor will not offer example NHS essays, no worries. Here is a sample of a student essay from Olathe West High School: 

Being a member of the National Honors Society is a great honor. I believe that I not only 

exude leadership in an academic setting, but beyond that as well. One reason I would be a great representative of this institution is because of my grit and determination. I have worked so incredibly hard to earn the opportunity to even be considered for the National Honors Society. Although I had to overcome many obstacles, the concept of perseverance was especially important throughout the journey. Another quality I can speak to is my positive attitude. I have always tried to make it a priority to exemplify a sense of profitableness in the midst of both success, and hardship. There are many qualities that make up a good leader, and I hope that I can set an example for others. However, one of my greatest weaknesses as a leader is my lack of ability to implement my thoughts into action. I have the tendency to simply “go with the flow” or remain quiet. Furthermore, I also tend to do things all at once, instead of spreading things out. This can result in unneeded stress and anxiety. Overall, I definitely have my strengths and weaknesses as a leader. I hope that by being a part of opportunities that provide me with a role of leadership, I will gain more strengths, and learn how to cope with my weaknesses. 

It is important to keep in mind that this is only one of many NHS essay examples. It may not match the prompt of your specific chapter. As always, it’s important to use your own words and let any example NHS essays only be used to guide your work.

In your essay, it’s also likely the prompt will ask you to address how you portray the four membership pillars. 

Scholarship 

Scholarship is the first of the four pillars. NHS national policy requires each chapter to set a cumulative GPA requirement. The minimum is a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Although this is proven through your transcripts, you can refer to your GPA in your essay. Many NHS essay examples also address how their grades show their grit and determination to go above and beyond in school and their everyday life. 

The service pillar refers to voluntary contributions you have made without compensation. Service can reference actions for both school and your community. For example, service can be participation in an event like a bake sale or community clean-up day. 

In your essay, it’s important to discuss what contributions you made, any accolades, and how this opportunity impacted you. Example NHS essays reference service in ways that may explain how volunteering at a local pet shelter, homeless shelter, or suicide hotline has helped the individual recognize needs in the community. It can also help create self-confidence, and leadership skills, and helps you meet others. Be sure you have written and signed documentation for any service projects you reference in your essay and application.  

The third pillar, Leadership, is defined by positions, roles, or skills in this area. You can identify specific leadership skills you possess such as good communication, strategic thinking, positivity, or time management. You can also address specific situations in which you have demonstrated successful leadership. 

The final pillar, character, is about showing your high standards of honesty and reliability. You will need to demonstrate and explain how you are courteous and respectful of others. Your advisor may access your disciplinary records, so be sure to openly address any issues and identify how you have grown and learned from them. 

For example, if you were suspended your Freshman year, this may not mean you are automatically denied. Use this experience as a learning opportunity and explain how it changed you for the better. 

One important thing to learn throughout your high school career is the art of bragging. When you apply for college, jobs, scholarships, clubs, and beyond you need to humbly express your positive qualities, values, and experiences. It’s important to use these opportunities to highlight your accomplishments. If you are writing something that feels a little “braggy”, there are a few things you can do to improve your statement. 

First, it’s most important, to be honest. Don’t say that your canned foods drive donated the most food in the state if it isn’t true. It’s great to list statistics, numbers, or facts, but only if they’re accurate. 

It’s also important to consider your tone. If you feel your statement is a bit dramatic, it probably is. Consider tying your success to a value instead. For example, instead of saying you are the Captain of the Lacrosse Team and have led the team to a championship, start by discussing your journey in leadership – after a few challenging games you learned better communication and how to confront mistakes which helped you lead the team to a winning season. This shows the reader that you are developing important skills and are willing to work hard for your accomplishments. 

Learning to edit your essays is an essential and necessary skill. After you complete your first draft, go back to the essay prompt. Highlight exactly what it is asking you to do. Then, read through your essay and identify the areas in which you answer the question(s) in the prompt. If there is something you are missing, you can easily add it. Then read your essay with a fine tooth comb to ensure there are no spelling or grammar errors. You can also take another look at any NHS essay examples and be sure your tone and response fit. 

Pro Tip: If your NHS chapter is known for being selective, it may be beneficial to ask a friend, parent, or your English teacher to look over your essay. They can help to ensure you have met and exceeded the guidelines. 

If you follow each of these steps you can feel confident you are submitting the best National Honor Society Essay. Be sure to check for important deadlines as well as how the essay needs to be turned in. As obvious as it may seem, a late essay or one sent to the wrong email address may be disqualified. Your NHS chapter may only accept applications at certain times of the year so it’s important to stay in the loop and on top of any deadlines. Some chapters may also require a fee or other documentation. 

Final Thoughts 

Being a part of your high school’s NHS chapter offers some great benefits. The NHS national office will send information about programs, activities, and opportunities to your verified student account. The NASSP, the parent organization of the NHS also awards $2 million in scholarships each year. The National Honor Society is a great extracurricular activity and one you definitely want to join.

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Short Essay: National Honor Society

Writing an essay for the National Honor Society (NHS) is a pivotal step for students seeking to join an organization that recognizes outstanding academic achievements and civic involvement. The NHS essay is more than just an academic exercise; it is a showcase of a student’s character, leadership, service, and citizenship. Here is a comprehensive guide to crafting a compelling 500-word essay for the National Honor Society.

Table of Contents

Understanding the NHS and Its Values

Brainstorming and prewriting.

Start by reflecting on your high school career and jot down examples where you’ve exemplified the four pillars. Think about your academic milestones, instances where you’ve taken the lead, how you’ve served your community, and moments that have tested and shaped your character.

Scholarship

Service is about volunteering and contributing to the community without expecting anything in return. Highlight your volunteer work and describe the impact it had on others and on your personal growth.

Structuring the Essay

Introduction.

Your introduction should serve as a hook, capturing the reader’s attention. Start with a personal anecdote or a powerful statement that reflects your dedication to the NHS’s core values. Clearly state the purpose of your essay and provide a preview of what you will discuss.

Body Paragraphs

Paragraph 1: scholarship, paragraph 2: leadership.

Describe specific leadership roles and what you’ve learned from them. Discuss how you’ve made a difference in these roles and what you’ve contributed to your community.

Paragraph 3: Service

Paragraph 4: character.

Your conclusion should summarize the main points of your essay and reaffirm your commitment to the NHS’s values. End on a high note, expressing your aspirations and how being a part of the NHS will further your personal and academic growth.

Writing Tips

National honor society essay example #1.

As I step forward to submit my application for the National Honor Society, I am filled with a sense of pride and anticipation. This moment is not just an opportunity to join a prestigious community of high-achieving peers; it is a reflection of the values that I have woven into the fabric of my life. The four pillars of the NHS—scholarship, leadership, service, and character—are not abstract ideas to me, but guiding principles that I strive to live by every day.

Leadership is often misconstrued as holding a position of power, but I believe true leadership is about service and impact. As the captain of the debate team, I have learned that effective leadership requires empathy, strategic thinking, and the ability to mobilize and inspire others. Under my leadership, our team has not only secured victories but has also fostered a supportive and collaborative environment. I have also taken the initiative to mentor younger students, helping them to find their voice and confidence. Leadership, in the context of the NHS, means setting a positive example and working towards the betterment of the organization and its members.

I have always been passionate about community service, understanding that my actions can create ripples of positive change. Volunteering at the local food bank, organizing charity events, and participating in clean-up drives have been incredibly rewarding experiences that have taught me about compassion and civic responsibility. Service is a testament to the human spirit’s capacity for kindness, and it is an integral aspect of my life. As an NHS member, I would be excited to lead and participate in service projects that not only aid those in need but also encourage a spirit of generosity in others.

In conclusion, my aspiration to join the National Honor Society is driven by a genuine commitment to embodying the qualities of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. I am eager to bring my enthusiasm and perspective to the NHS, to learn from other members, and to contribute to the organization’s noble objectives. I am confident that my inclusion in the NHS will not only aid in my personal growth but also allow me to add value to the myriad initiatives that the society undertakes. Thank you for considering my application.

National Honor Society Essay Example #2

To the esteemed selection committee of the National Honor Society, I extend my deepest gratitude for considering my application. The National Honor Society’s pillars—scholarship, leadership, service, and character—are not only foundational to the organization but resonate deeply with the principles I uphold in my life. It is with a spirit of earnest dedication that I present how these tenets have shaped my journey and how I aspire to embody them as a potential member of this venerable society.

Scholarship: A Commitment to Intellectual Growth

Leadership: a journey of influence and inspiration.

True leadership emanates from the ability to inspire and uplift others while forging paths towards common goals. My leadership journey is characterized by my tenure as the president of the student council, where I spearheaded initiatives that fostered school spirit and community involvement. I have learned that leadership is not about wielding authority, but about listening, empathizing, and collaborating with peers to achieve collective success. Whether leading by example or by encouraging my peers to realize their potential, I have embraced the responsibility that comes with being a leader. In the National Honor Society, I aim to bring my leadership skills to the forefront, contributing to the society’s initiatives and driving positive change.

Service: The Heartbeat of Community Connection

Character: the silent strength of integrity.

Character is the silent strength that underpins every action and decision. It is the moral compass that guides me through life’s complexities and challenges. I hold fast to principles of honesty, respect, and responsibility, whether in my academic pursuits or personal interactions. In times of adversity, it is the strength of character that has allowed me to act with integrity and to learn from every experience. My peers and teachers recognize me as a trustworthy and principled student, and I take pride in this reputation. As a member of the National Honor Society, I will continue to uphold these standards of character, knowing that they are essential to the trust and respect that form the foundation of any esteemed organization.

In presenting this essay, I humbly offer a glimpse into the core values that define me. My aspiration to join the National Honor Society is driven not only by my desire for personal excellence but by my eagerness to contribute to and grow with a community of scholars who hold themselves to the highest standards. I am ready to embrace the opportunities and responsibilities that come with being a member of the NHS and to work alongside my peers to uphold the honor and legacy of the society. Thank you for considering my application for membership, and I look forward to the possibility of contributing to the NHS’s esteemed tradition.

National Honor Society Essay Example #3

Scholarship: the pursuit of excellence in learning.

Scholarship is the foundation upon which the edifice of my academic life is built. It encapsulates my unwavering commitment to not just academic performance, but to a deeper understanding of the world around us. With a consistent placement on the honor roll and participation in Advanced Placement courses, I have demonstrated my dedication to academic excellence. However, true scholarship extends beyond grades; it is evident in my thirst for knowledge, whether it’s through engaging in book clubs, seeking mentorship in research projects, or volunteering to help peers with their studies. Joining the NHS will provide me with a platform to continue pursuing scholarly excellence and to encourage others to do the same, fostering a community where learning is celebrated and knowledge is shared.

Leadership: Empowering Others and Myself

Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal. For me, leadership has been about taking initiative and setting a positive example in every endeavor, from captaining the soccer team to spearheading community service projects. It has been about listening to others, valuing diverse opinions, and bringing people together to work collaboratively. My leadership experiences have taught me the importance of adaptability and resilience, and as a member of the NHS, I would strive to lead with compassion and conviction, encouraging my peers to excel and to take on leadership roles themselves.

Service: The Gift of Giving Back

Character: the essence of identity.

Character is the defining attribute of an individual’s actions and beliefs. It is the moral fiber that weaves through one’s life, shaping decisions and interactions. I have always held myself to high ethical standards, respecting others, and upholding a sense of fairness and honesty. In moments where my character has been tested, I have chosen to stand by my principles, even when it was not the easy path to take. My commitment to maintaining a strong character is unwavering, and as an NHS member, I would endeavor to be a role model for others, embodying the integrity and ethical standards that the NHS upholds.

Final Thoughts

Remember, the essay is not just about showing that you belong in the NHS but also about how the NHS will benefit from your participation. By carefully crafting your essay with sincerity and depth, you can leave a lasting impression on the selection committee and take a significant step toward becoming a member of this prestigious organization.

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Why do many students invest many efforts in writing the National Honor Society essay? In the US, the National Honor Society (NHS) is an organization that picks exceptional students who have excelled in the fields of scholarship, social services, volunteering, internship, etc. It provides unlimited opportunities. That is why we have prepared an article explaining the ways to write national junior honor society essays with an example. Do you plan to join the organization? You will need an outstanding national honor society application essay, and our professional college application essay writers are ready to lend a helping hand to every student who needs help.

The National Junior Honor Society Essay Requirements

What is the goal of such academic paper? The purpose is to show the applicant from the best side and prove this person is eligible to become a part of the authoritative organization. It is critical to meet the organization’s expectations. The paper should be well-structured, formatted, and composed with clarity. Experts recommend adding a story to show the applicant’s leadership qualities or academic/professional achievements. These components make it similar to the scholarship essay. Many US students wonder how to write a national honor society essay. Each subsidiary established own rules regarding the membership, and they conform to the requirements offered by the NHS. The basic requirements are:

  • A minimum cumulative GPA (85% or B);
  • Participation in different volunteer programs;
  • Exceptional leadership traits;
  • High morals & ethics.

How to Write a National Honor Society Essay?

If you believe you are the one to possess the features required by the NHS, read on to find out how to start a national honor society essay.

How to Start a National Honor Society Essay?

Several ways to start this type of paper are successful. No matter which way a student chooses, it is critical to make an introduction eye-catchy, to-the-point, & relevant. The methods include:

  • Starting with the primary reasons to become a member of the NHS.
  • Describing what a writer knows about the organization (this way, you show the pure interest).
  • Stressing the major advantage of the candidate.
  • Providing several great hooks to make the readers want to read the paper from cover to cover. To get more information on how to write a hook for an essay , read our other blog on this topic.

That is the way to begin the scholarship essay! It is time to discuss a conclusion.

National Honor Society Essay Conclusion

The paper conclusion should leave an impression on the admission committee. An applicant must persuade them to choose this piece of writing. An applicant should put the final dot by highlighting the main reason why the NHS would benefit from selecting this person.

The National Honor Society Essay Samples

Observe one of the national honor society essay samples below to get an overall picture of what the commission expects from you. We recommend having a checklist with your best traits. Develop an essay outline not to get lost during the writing process.

“The NHS is a unique organization which makes it possible to take care of the needy, kids, aged people, and non-profit organizations. The best thing is that students do that. My dream is to become a member of this society because of my big desire to help people around the world. I believe the organization offers unlimited opportunities. Being a member of such organization will make it possible to develop both educational and professional skills in the field of social services. I hope the examples of my scholarship achievements will help me to join HNS. Scholarship matters in many fields. According to the official dictionary, this word refers to the academic study or achievement or studying at a high level. I aim to be the best in everything I do. I complete personal learning schedule with the top rigorous classes, and I plan to take the full list of honors and AP courses later to release my potential. I have been on the honor roll since my initial high school year. I have obtained enough skills and in-depth knowledge of the social problems to contribute to the NHS. The rest of the students should join charity organizations too. My another quality is the exceptional leadership. Thanks to the participation in the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, I have discovered a talent of a speaker in me. It means I place emphasis on being special. One of the examples of my achievements could be the fact that I co-founded a rock club at my high school, where every student received an opportunity to learn to play a particular musical instrument without paying anything. We helped each other. The club gathered the representatives of various genders, ages, and ethnicity groups ready to promote cultural diversity. I bring passion to the outside society. I was chosen a youth leader at the church I attend every Sunday. Thanks to this role, I have a chance to observe personal passion for the Christian mythology and study Bible in-depth. I translate the attraction into skits, sessions, and musical instruments that assist youngsters in grasping their cultural identity. My character is strong to join the organization. I enjoy communities that do their best to bring people of different ages and income groups together. It helps to find common speech to resolve interpersonal conflicts. Every person shapes their destiny. It means I realize the significance of investing maximum efforts. I have contributed to the improvement of the local community by taking part in several types of medical charity. The previous year, I had a seasonal job in one of the hospitals. It provided me with the great experience of a registered nurse working under both conditions: at the workplace and home. My client base consisted of the aged population. I enjoyed listening to their stories, sharing experience with them, taking part in numerous fun activities, and supporting these sweet people. I learned to be more specific working in the medical field. Volunteering provided me with a necessary, valuable experience required to join HNS. I wish to keep on developing healthcare & medical set of skills in the future with the help of your organization.”

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Do you need brilliant national junior honor society essays like the example above? We are ready to help 24/7! The writers from our team have accomplished numerous successful admission and scholarship papers along with cover letters & resumes. It makes us your number one helper! Thanks to our team, many students have joined the NHS and started excellent careers. Do not waste your time sitting & dreaming - buy a ready solution now!

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How to Write a National Honor Society (NHS) Essay

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  • Icon Calendar 18 May 2024
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The National Honor Society (NHS) is an American organization that offers students numerous academic and professional opportunities. To gain membership in this prestigious institution, young individuals write essays for consideration by the admission committee. In this case, writing a national honor society essay is an activity that allows students to make a case for why the committee should give them the NHS membership. To achieve this aim, applicants should satisfy the committee’s evaluation standards and expectations. In turn, these aspects include formatting, structuring, and composing the paper in line with academic standards, and ensuring the essay is free of any grammatical and other errors. Hence, students need to learn how to write a national honor society essay to provide well-organized academic papers.

General Guidelines for Writing a National Honor Society (NHS) Essay

Writing is an essential discipline that creates opportunities for students in various areas of professional endeavor. For example, writing is one of the essential requirements of getting admission to the National Honor Society (NHS). Ideally, students who wish to be affiliated with the organization write essays that, in essence, provide them with unlimited opportunities. Through these essays, the NHS chooses exceptional students – those who excel in social services, school activities, volunteering, scholarships, and internships, among other fields. Even without an excellent GPA (grade point average), a student can still write a national honor society essay and access unlimited opportunities. Hence, NHS essays allow students to demonstrate their personality and skillset.

How to write a national honor society essay

Definition of a National Honor Society Essay

A national honor society essay is an exercise that provides students with access to membership in a highly prestigious American organization. In particular, the essay’s primary purpose is to demonstrate to the admission committee that a student is fit to access advanced learning opportunities. Basically, the organization sets specific standards that help to evaluate the most exceptional membership candidates. Consequently, the organization spells out certain expectations for students writing an admission essay. In turn, one can argue that writing a national honor society essay is an activity that students undertake to increase their exposure to academic and professional opportunities.

Evaluation Standards

Evaluation standards that underscore an effective national honor society essay include formatting, structuring, and composing the NHS essay as per established standards; incorporating a personal anecdote in writing to demonstrate one’s achievements and capability and readiness to take up leadership roles; and capturing one’s ethical and moral commitments, as well as exceptional character traits.

Expectations

On expectations, the NHS requires a national honor society essay to exhibit an in-depth analysis of the subject matter through a critical examination of diverse points of view. In this case, students have to rely on scholarly texts, such as journal articles, to gather information. Then, another expectation is that NHS essays must be free of mistakes: spelling and grammatical errors and inconsistencies in arguments. Therefore, students should proofread their work and correct such mistakes before submitting academic papers to the admission committee.

Writing a National Honor Society (NHS) Essay: Step-by-Step Guide

Based on the preceding section, writing a national honor society essay requires a student to conduct in-depth research on the chosen topic. Basically, this aspect means using academic sources, such as online databases, to gather useful information for an essay. In this case, the use of scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles as sources of evidence is advisable. Then, brainstorming on relevant ideas helps identify good essay topics that writers can use for a discussion in their texts. Consequently, creating an essay outline enables students to organize their thoughts for a more comprehensive and understandable paper. Lastly, authors must proofread their works to make sure it is free of grammatical and other errors.

Step 1: Preparation

Preparation is the first step in writing a national honor society essay. Basically, it is the stage where students plan their work by defining the chosen topic and arranging their ideas with their audience in mind. In essence, writers use external credible sources to find the best topic, one that they can find information about through research. Deciding on the topic allows authors to brainstorm ideas that resonate with the target audience. In essence, preparing to write NHS essays is all about getting the topic that resonates with the target audience and ensuring that there is enough evidence to back up the writer’s claims and arguments.

Step 2: Setting Up

Set up is the second step in writing a national honor society essay. Here, writers use reliable sources identified through research, such as journal articles, to make notes and create an outline and an annotated bibliography, as applicable. Basically, note-making is about taking the information relevant to the topic and defining how it would advance the writer’s thesis statement. Moreover, the outline provides students with a plan on how to go about writing the essay. In other words, it gives the paper its structure. Regarding the outline, authors set out their introduction and highlight reasons for wanting to join the NHS membership. In turn, they discuss some of their accomplishments, such as social initiatives they have participated in, whether at school or in the community. Also, students explain why they think the NHS is good for them and why it inspires them.

Annotated Bibliography

While not many instances of academic writing require an annotated bibliography, students need to make one. Basically, an annotated bibliography serves to provide writers with a summary of sources that they would use or have used to gather the information that enriches their claims and arguments. Therefore, when writing a national honor society essay, students can prepare an annotated bibliography as an overview of arguments that they would make in their papers.

Step 4: Writing the First Draft of a National Honor Society Essay

Like in most academic texts, including theses and dissertations, writers must start with a first draft. Basically, this paper ensures that students have an opportunity to go through their work and make improvements. In this case, authors organize their thoughts to make papers have a logical flow of ideas. In turn, the most critical aspect of the draft is the definition of the thesis statement, which becomes the central argument that writers focus on in academic papers. Hence, every paragraph in the main text should use this statement as the referent point.

Step 5: Wrapping It Up

After completing the draft, students should take the time to go through it to ensure that it is free of mistakes. In writing academic texts, authors make various kinds of mistakes, including grammatical errors and inconsistencies in arguments. Basically, the former makes it harder for readers to understand the text, while the latter undermines the logical flow of the paper. In turn, both kinds of mistakes make academic papers unexciting to read, which can deny students to get their NHS membership. Therefore, authors of NHS essays must read through their drafts and revise documents to correct any mistakes.

Structure of a National Honor Society Essay

1. topic sentences.

When writing a national honor society essay, students should start every paragraph in the main text with a topic sentence that draws the reader’s attention to the thesis statement. Basically, topic sentences serve as an introduction to the content of the paragraph, which should be focused on proving the thesis. What follows the topic sentence is evidence from an external source backing up the writer’s claim, which authors should cite in parentheses or the sentence. Then, the third element is an explanation, which means that students connect the claim made in the topic sentence with the evidence offered.

2. Concluding Sentences

Every paragraph in national honor society essays, like any other academic texts, should have a concluding sentence. Here, students should provide concluding thoughts about the content in the paragraph, linking the topic sentence with the thesis statement. More importantly, writers should prepare readers for the following paragraph by using a transition. In short, concluding sentences should create a logical flow of ideas or arguments from one paragraph to another.

3. Transition

Transition is the element that creates a logical flow of thought, ideas, and arguments in academic writing. Generally, writers should use transitionary words within the paragraph or in the concluding sentence of a paragraph. In turn, examples of transitionary words include: consequently, furthermore, hence, thus, equally important, moreover, and so on.

4. Peer Review

In academic essay writing, writers need to ensure their texts pass the test of credibility and reliability. Indeed, it is what qualifies them to be scholarly, academic texts. An example is journal articles. For an article to be published in a journal, it must undergo rigorous scrutiny to ensure it is of high quality. Then, what determines this quality is being free of grammatical errors and lacking inconsistencies in arguments. When writing a national honor society essay, students should give the first draft and even the final draft to a friend, instructor, or mentor to assess its quality. In turn, these individuals would help review academic papers for quality before submission to the admission committee.

4. Final Draft

As discussed previously, a student must start a national honor society essay by writing the first draft. Basically, it is only after submitting this draft to a rigorous review that a student should write the final draft. In essence, the final draft is a refined paper, usually free of grammatical mistakes and other errors, such as inconsistent opinions, claims, and ideas. Although the final draft should be an improved version of the first draft, a writer should reread it to be confident it is of high quality. After being satisfied with its quality, a student can submit this draft to the NHS admission committee.

Writing Each Part of a National Honor Society Essay

Generally, academic texts, including research essays, admission essays, theses, and dissertations, have structures that students should strictly observe. For essays, this structure involves having three main parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. In turn, research-themed papers, such as theses, usually have additional parts, such as abstracts, literature review, methodology, findings, and discussion. Therefore, when writing a national honor society essay, students should be keen to capture essential details in the introduction part, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

1. Introduction

The introduction part of a national honor society essay sets out the intent of the writer. Since the purpose of the essay is to convince the NHS admission committee of the suitability of the candidate for NHS membership, the introduction should be relevant, concise, and catchy. In this case, students should concisely state their primary reasons for wanting to become a member of the NHS community and mention the advantages that they bring to the table. Also, they should give their understanding of the NHS to indicate their interest and provide some excellent hooks to make the audience interested in reading the entire essay.

2. Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs provide authors of national honor society essays with an opportunity to tell their whole story to convince the admission committee on why they should be members of the organization. Basically, the story should be concise, meaning that the content should focus on why a student is best qualified to join the NHS membership. Moreover, writers can describe their recent activities to give the audience a clue about the advantages that they would bring to the organization. When giving this story, students should use a strict writing style. In other words, they follow the exemplary model of an academic paper by avoiding exaggerations. Nevertheless, authors should show some creativity in their writing, such as telling the audience how they can affect the present world. Also, the content should be of high quality, meaning that there are no grammatical errors.

3. Conclusion

While the introduction and body paragraphs are essential in laying out the case of why students want to become members of the NHS, the conclusion offers them an opportunity to make the final impression. Here, writers should not focus on giving the committee new information but on leaving the members with a positive impression, which is essential in persuading them to grant them NHS membership. In this case, students should make a brief statement as to how the organization would benefit from their membership. In general, authors should reiterate what they have already stated in the introduction and body paragraphs. For example, these elements include the purpose of the text, professional and personal skill set, leadership experience and qualities, and a call to action. In turn, the call to action is about asking the committee to consider students in their application and grant them NHS membership.

Techniques for an Effective NHS Essay

The focus of any admission essay is to convince the audience of the writer’s suitability for membership in the institution or organization. In this case, students must use a writing technique that makes their case strong. Regarding a national honor society essay, students should focus on satisfying the admission committee’s evaluation standards and expectations. Basically, the technique includes formatting, structuring, and composing the NHS essay as an academic text. To make essays more powerful, authors should provide a personal story in which they give the audience an insight into their strengths and weaknesses. Also, writers should use academic sources to back up their claims. In turn, it is essential to convince the audience that they take the matter seriously and research specific issues, including the NHS itself.

Major Mistakes and Problems in Writing a National Honor Society Essay

There are several mistakes that students make when writing a national honor society essay. For example, the first one involves neglecting a thesis statement. Basically, this statement is critical in shaping the writer’s arguments in the entire essay. Also, failing to state the thesis creates problems for authors. These problems include writing a directionless paper, thus complicating the reading experience. In turn, the best way to solve this problem is to capture the thesis statement in the introduction and make it catchy to make the audience interested in reading the entire essay. Besides, placing the thesis in the concluding sentence helps to blend the introduction with body paragraphs. Then, the second mistake that students make is writing an essay being too detailed with information and facts, which creates the problem of burdening the audience. As a result, the solution is to make the writing precise – stick to the thesis statement.

Example of Writing a National Honor Society Membership Essay

I. introduction sample of a national honor society essay.

Membership in a professional entity is essential in exposing individuals to numerous professional and personal opportunities. For a long time, I have desired to become a member of the National Honor Society (NHS). I have read so much about the entity and have come to learn that it was at the forefront of creating change in our present world. I am writing this essay to convince you of my desire to become a member of this prestigious organization. For me, joining the NHS membership is not only a destination but also the start of a journey to more excellent work that ultimately leads to personal and professional fulfillment.

II. Examples of Body Paragraphs for a National Honor Society Essay: The Case for Membership

A. description.

The National Honor Society (NHS) is an organization of great value and importance in society. I understand that it is an entity that helps students become agents of change in their communities in diverse areas, including taking care of children and senior citizens and giving voluntary service in non-profit organizations. In this case, I have always dreamed of being a member of the NHS because of my passion for helping people and making a change in my world. Since the organization exposes students to immense opportunities, I believe that being a member will provide me with access to opportunities that allow me to pursue and accomplish my passion. Moreover, I firmly believe that, as I pursue this passion, I will contribute positively to the organization by putting into use my professional and personal skillset. I am delighted that my tutors and select community leaders have chosen me to become a member of the NHS. Hence, I consider this gesture an honor that society has bestowed upon me, and I confirm my dedication and willingness to contribute to the community.

B. Strengths

In essence, becoming a member of the NHS is not a destination for me, Basically, it is the beginning of a challenging future. I perceive this future as a service to the community. In this case, I look forward to exploiting my skillset to attain specific goals. Moreover, my one short-term academic goal is to join an Ivy League higher learning institution, while my long-term goal is to become a political scientist. Then, creativity and keen observation are my greatest strengths, and I believe they are vital in developing a great political career. As a people-person, I consider myself easy to relate to, and I believe this to be an essential attribute in service delivery at NHS and my future career. I have a personal drive to succeed, and that is why I have always participated in various professional activities, such as essay writing competitions and competitive sports. My impressive GPA is a testament that I am self-driven and keen on excellence.

C. Weaknesses

However, I am also aware of my weaknesses. I tend to be too observant and committed to details. In particular, these habits tend to limit my viewpoint by making me too focused on perfection and failing to see opportunities. Therefore, I believe being a member of the NHS will expand my viewpoint and help me turn my weaknesses into strengths.

III. Conclusion Sample of a National Honor Society Essay

Joining the NHS membership has been a lifelong dream for me. Given the organization’s role in exposing students to numerous professional opportunities, I seek membership to exploit these opportunities. However, I come with the mentality that I should give and not just take. In this sense, the NHS membership is a platform for a more exceptional contribution to society.

Summing Up on How to Write a National Honor Society Essay

A national honor society essay is a critical tool for students wishing to become members of this prestigious organization. Like any other essay, students should write a national honor society essay by observing academic writing conventions. For greater effectiveness, the focus should be on the evaluation standards and committee expectations. Here, authors should pay attention to the paper’s format and structure. Doing so helps to compose a paper that meets the standard of an academic text. Also, students should also use external evidence to support claims, observations, and arguments.

In summary, students should master the following national honor society writing tips:

  • Start the essay by writing the first draft of a national honor society essay.
  • Create an outline to organize thoughts.
  • Be precise about the purpose of the essay by creating a thesis statement in the concluding sentence of the introduction part.
  • Give a clear picture of yourself, such as a high school student.
  • Talk about your professional and personal skill set, including personal attributes.
  • Highlight your scholarship achievements.
  • Indicate your short-term and long-term goals.
  • Include an introduction part where you mention reasons for wanting to become a member of the NHS. Include the significant advantages you bring to the table. Ensure the thesis is precise and catchy.
  • Include body paragraphs where you outline your short- and long-term academic goals. Here, students should give details of their scholarship, leadership qualities, and personal attributes. The focus should be on convincing the admission committee to grant the NHS membership.
  • Include the conclusion section to reiterate the purpose of the essay, the thesis statement, and all other essential details. In turn, the conclusion should be a summary of the content in the introduction and the body paragraphs. Also, ensure that the concluding remark leaves an impression on the audience.
  • Mention your weaknesses and state how being a member of the NHS would help you to turn them into strengths.

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how to start my nhs essay

(NHS) National Honor Society Essay: Example and Tips

how to start my nhs essay

The National Honor Society (NHS) is a probably the biggest nationwide organization for high school students in the United States of America and outlying territories. The structure of organization is very spread, it consists of many chapters in high schools around the country. Participation in the national honor society is prestigious and promising. Only the most worthy students are accepted into the ranks of the organization.

Selection of the candidates is based on four basic criteria:

  • scholarship (academic achievement),
  • leadership,

The organization requires some sort of service to the society, community, school, or other organizations. The candidate must show that he or she is not only an excellent student, but also a useful and helpful member of society.

Student groups of National Honor Society are commonly active in the activities of community service. They provide help to schools and community. Many chapters of NHS maintain a requirement for their participants to take part in such service activities. In order to apply to become a member of NHS, a student should be an essay writer and must write a national honor society essay, describing why he or she deserves to be a part of this organization.

The purpose of national honor society essay

Before you proceed to the following section with a national honor society essay example, we want to warn you that the given text should not be used verbatim, but rather like an inspiration to get an idea of your own presentation. The main purpose of a nhs essay sample is to show students how to present a candidate and prove the committee that he or she is worth joining this respected organization. Thus, when writing a national honor society application essay, the high school student should address the selection criteria listed in the previous section. If possible, the candidate should address all four of them. It will win positive attitude of the committee and give you a chance to present your personality in the fullest way possible.

As any properly composed essay, national honor society application essay must be well structured, informative, written clearly and sincerely. Even though, the given below national honor society essay template seems to suit you, do not neglect the rule of writing an essay yourself. It is crucial that the application essay is personal and unique. Presence of plagiarism in the text of your essay will ruin your reputation and dreams of becoming a member of NHS. A well-written essay does not guarantee that you will be accepted into an organization, much depends on whether you meet the selection criteria. However, such an essay surely will draw attention to your candidacy and will allocate you from the crowd of other applicants.

The national honor society essay example

It’s a great honor for me to apply for membership in the National Honor Society. My teachers and other leaders have seen potential in me and chosen me to be a candidate for such a prestigious organization. Their trust demonstrates that I have proved my determination, eagerness and willingness to help other people and serve the community. I truly believe that I would become a valuable member of the national honor organization because I possess all the required qualities, such as scholarship, character, leadership, and service abilities. I am a hard working and reliable person.

My academic achievements are the best illustration of my hard work and dedication to studies. Building the future I want takes much effort, but when I see a goal, I find a way. I believe that my membership in NHS is a one more towards my goal to achieve success. I want to become a leader and a decent role-model for other people. Every day I make one step towards making my dreams come true. My GPA of 3.92 and 3.93 in the 9th and 10th grades prove my words. Throughout the years of studying, I have participated in academic competitions (you can see their list in my resume). Taking part in spelling contests, I achieved some good results. In the 7 th grade, I was the third and became a winner in the 8 th grade. I like the taste of victory and I am ready to work hard for it. Another my interest is programming. I take additional courses to improve my skills. I am not a genius Sheldon Cooper of our time, but I do maximum to develop my natural abilities.

When I was a student of the second grade, I started wearing glasses. As it happens pretty often, unfortunately, I was bullied. I did not know what to do. I was weak, lonely and scared. I did not tell my parents, had no will to go to school, study and sometimes even live. It continued for almost a year. At some point, I got tired of being a victim and stood up against the bully. I am proud of that boy I became that moment. Becoming older, I started trying kids understand all the horror of bullying. Every year I organize anti-bullying day. With the permission and assistance of the leaders, teachers and other active students of our school, we inform students about bullying and teach them to fight it. I believe that our effort is not worthless. In future, I want to do more to victims from bullying, violence and crimes.

Three evenings a week I spend in the swimming pool training. I have been practicing jumping into the water since I was seven years old. I don’t see my future connected with professional sport. I don’t dream of becoming an Olympic champion. But I believe that physical training strengthens not only body but character, too. Every time when you have to overcome pain, fatigue, and laziness, you become a stronger person. All the medals and diplomas I have make me believe that when I want something, I achieve it.

Becoming a chosen candidate for national honor society, I see that my school is the place where my leadership qualities are valued. I am proud to be its representative whenever I get such an opportunity.  My personal traits of character help me to gain trust and respect of my peers and teachers. I will do everything possible to prove they are right.

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How to Write the National Honor Society Essays: Tips and NHS Essay Examples

Oct 21, 2023

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Oct 21, 2023 | Blog

Being invited to join the National Honor Society (NHS) represents a significant achievement for high school students, reflecting their commitment to academic excellence, leadership, and good character. As the process often involves writing a personal statement, understanding how to write an impactful NHS essay is crucial. This article delves into valuable tips and NHS essay examples, guiding students on effectively showcasing their strengths, articulating their aspirations and personal goals, and demonstrating why they are strong candidates for the NHS. By highlighting the significance of representing the National Honor Society and elucidating the key elements of crafting a compelling essay, this guide aims to empower students to articulate their accomplishments and role model attributes, ultimately aiding them in their journey to success and secure membership in the prestigious National Honor Society.

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National Honor Society: Four Pillars and Essay

How do you measure up to the NHS’s four pillars? NHS offers memberships in the national honor society organization based on these criteria, also called pillars: scholarship, service, leadership, character, and service. HNHS will be a great honor and place if you can meet all of them.

Scholarship

Meeting the minimum GPA requirement for a scholarship is just one of many requirements. The first pillar, scholarship, requires that a diligent student earn at least a 3.0 GPA on the 4.0 scale or equivalent to be eligible for membership.

Some schools require an even higher GPA from their student body to be a potential National Honor Society chapter member. If you meet your school’s criteria, then congratulations because not only have they met at least one criteria down pat – you’ve passed another hurdle towards meeting all obligations!

Now it’s time to make the essay that will get you into society. Most high schools require students to write 300-500 word autobiographical essays in their NHS application. You want a compelling, creative story with how all of these skills and commitments intertwine to paint a picture of what kind of person you are.

Service 

Volunteering is a great way to give back and help others. People can volunteer their time in many ways, like volunteering for your school or the community. Be sure to explain why you chose certain agencies over others when deciding which volunteer opportunities would be best for you based on what kind of work interests you.

When writing your essay for the NHS, remember that there are many leadership styles. Share how you lead uniquely effectively so they know what qualities and traits make YOU a great leader.

Remember when communicating why you were selected as captain or president of anything – it’s not just about holding a position but being able to show others why people respect, trust, and follow YOUR direction.

A story demonstrating the applicant’s leadership experience, personal qualities, and character will be a brilliant addition. Be sure to include all these tips in your essay if this opportunity means something special to someone who lives according to their code.

It would help if you began by writing about yourself as a great leader in your space. Leadership and organizational skills include working well with others, leading a team, solving problems, and communicating with people. These skills are all important personal qualities of a great leader.

Character is difficult to define, but it has many important attributes: honesty, reliability, and respect. It also reflects how you treat yourself by maintaining high standards of self-care in your personal life. Achieving something does not make the person who did so more or less worthy of being respected; rather, what one chooses to do with success should be carefully considered before judging another’s character because motives are always unclear when looking from an outside perspective.

How to Write National Honor Society Essay

When it comes to writing an effective National Honor Society (NHS) essay, it’s essential to craft an essay that showcases not just your academic achievements but also your personal qualities that exemplify the values of the NHS. Here are some key steps to consider:

  • Begin with an Introduction: Introduce yourself and briefly overview your academic achievements and any extracurricular activities you’ve been involved in. Set the essay’s tone to reflect your dedication and commitment to serving the community and your school.
  • Highlight your Achievements: Emphasize your academic success, such as being on the honor roll or maintaining a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Additionally, highlight any demonstrated leadership or roles where you’ve shown initiative and positively impacted your school or community.
  • Discuss Your Personal Goals: Articulate how your personal goals align with the values and mission of the NHS. Discuss how you plan to apply your skills and experiences to contribute to the NHS and how membership in the National Honor Society will help you succeed in your future endeavors.
  • Keep the Essay Personal: Share anecdotes that illustrate your character and values. Discuss how your experiences have shaped your understanding of service, leadership, and character, emphasizing your commitment to upholding these values as a potential member of the National Honor Society.

Five Tips for Writing Your NHS Essay

It’s hard to get accepted into the NHS. So, how do you make your essay stand out? Here are five helpful tips:

1. Make it Personal and Individual  

Make it Personal and Individual  

You must write an essay showcasing your identity to make your application come alive. It would help if you shared the values and aspirations that motivate your choices and the trade-offs made in pursuit of them.

Be honest about challenges faced and what they have taught us through our mistakes; be sure to sound like yourself so a reader can feel connected with everything on display.

2. Share Your Stories

Everyone loves a good story; the best way to share your point is by relaying these stories. Stories can be poignant or suspenseful– whatever fits you’re trying to get across.

This is a good example ;

I have had the privilege of being a member of the National Honor Society for two years. After my freshman year, I was invited back to be a member of the NHS Leadership Council because of my academic achievements and as one of the exemplary students. One of the main responsibilities I am required to do as a member is to ensure that we continue to uphold our motto: “We Lead. We Serve.” Our motto is not something we say but put into action. This year, I serve as the vice president of community service for the NHS leadership council. I organize and oversee community service projects and events as part of my responsibilities.

3. Be Humble and Bold

Many people find it difficult to express their hard-earned accomplishments without appearing boastful. It is possible, and important, for a person not to sound careless about their achievements while still being proud of themselves.

Clear communication articulating the motivations behind academic achievements, such as outstanding grades and challenges faced, is critical to mitigating any concerns others may have over such an achievement.

4. Follow Tried and True Essay Guidelines

Have you ever been told that a great essay needs a clear thesis around which thoughts are organized? One must hook the reader with compelling topic sentences and back up reasoning in a strong supporting sentence.

Avoiding using clichés is also important! Put text together so it flows well and keeps your readers engaged by varying sentence structure as much as possible while maintaining good grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc.

5. Draft, Edit, Edit, Edit, Polish

You’ve heard of the famous quote, “write drunk, edit sober.” I like to go back and forth between writing and editing a draft.

You may find that one approach gets you more engaged than another or has a better flow when reading what has been written so far. It’s important not only for your final product but also to make this process enjoyable.

What Makes Me a Strong Candidate for the National Honor Society

My achievements and dedication to academic excellence and my active engagement in extracurricular activities make me a strong candidate for the National Honor Society (NHS). I have consistently demonstrated my commitment to serving my community and school, showcasing my leadership skills through various initiatives. Moreover, my track record of maintaining high academic standards, as evidenced by my presence on the honor roll, reflects my determination to succeed in all my endeavors. My involvement in volunteer work and my passion for helping others have instilled in me the values the NHS requires, including integrity, character, and a spirit of service. By showcasing these qualities and experiences in my essay, I aim to present a compelling case for my membership application to the National Honor Society.

Personal Strengths That Allow Me to Become a Member of the National Honor Society

Why write the national honor society essay.

Many students spend a lot of time and effort every year writing National Junior Honor Society essays to access all their opportunities. The National Junior Honor Society chooses high achievers who excel in social service, school activities, volunteering work, and scholarships, among other things.

1) It is a great place to find many valuable opportunities to make your future brighter.

2) A great place to show off your personality skills, excellent GPA, course you take in your NHS membership essay

3) It can also help get that college acceptance letter from that school on the top of the list if this is where you want it all.

What are the National Junior Honor Society essay requirements?

To become a prestigious National Honor Society member, you must write an essay to their strict guidelines. Luckily for those interested, NHS’s website has many easy-to-follow rules and tips to help get your creative juices flowing! Keep reading below to learn about what they require from you before submitting one of these essays:

1) Be sure not to plagiarize any information

2) Address explicitly how your achievements have positively impacted society (they want every applicant to make them proud); 3) Add a personal story to show that you’re ready to take a leader’s role and highlight your major achievements.

4) Include your high ethics and morals, exceptional character traits, participation in volunteer work programs, and other relevant details.

5) Format, structure, and compose your appropriate National Honor application essay correctly and clearly.

NJHS pillars essay

Njhs application essay sample, njhs character essay examples, national honor society essay example outline , nhs essay example, national honors society scholarship essay example of being a strong candidate, national honor society personal statement, nhs personal statement, national honor society application letter, application essay to be accepted into the national honor society, essay on the exemplary students who represent the national honor society, reflective essay on my dreams to become a part of the national honor society, essay on motivation to become part of the national honors society, national honor society membership essay sample, do you need extra free academic help and assistance.

Do you need extra free academic help and assistance?

The National Honor Society essay reflects the student’s academic achievements, leadership skills, and commendable character. It celebrates students who have excelled academically by committing their time to community service. See what our professional writers can do for you today. We offer custom writing services on all essays, including appropriate National Honor Society application essays. All with no plagiarism guaranteed. Place an order now before this great deal expires!

Frequently Asked Questions

What should i write in my nhs essay.

When writing your NHS essay, focus on your academic achievements, leadership experiences, community service involvement, and personal character, emphasizing how these aspects align with the core values of the National Honor Society.

How do I start my NHS essay?

Begin your NHS essay with a compelling introduction highlighting your passion for academic excellence, leadership, and community service, setting the tone for the rest of your essay.

What are the four pillars of NHS?

The four pillars of the National Honor Society are scholarship, leadership, service, and character. These pillars represent the core values and guiding principles of the organization.

Why should I be accepted into NHS essay?

You should be accepted into the National Honor Society because your academic achievements, leadership abilities, commitment to community service, and strong character exemplify the values and mission of the organization, making you a valuable addition to the NHS community.

sarah Bentley

With a passion for helping students navigate their educational journey, I strive to create informative and relatable blog content. Whether it’s tackling exam stress, offering career guidance, or sharing effective study techniques

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What Currency System Was Used in Colonial Times?

Jennifer mueller.

Wampum was the first independent currency of the colonies.

Many different things were used as currency in the American colonies, although monetary value was often expressed using British denominations. Great Britain outlawed the minting of any official colonial coins, and there wasn't enough British money in America to cover the value of goods and services colonists needed to purchase items. Assigning British units to diverse currencies allowed colonial merchants to keep consistent accounting records.

Explore this article

  • Shillings and Pence
  • Wampum and the Art of Barter
  • Two Bits, Four Bits
  • The Quest for Colonial Coinage

1 Shillings and Pence

Anything used as money in the colonies was counted or measured using the British system of pounds, shillings and pence. The system developed in the Middle Ages, with a pound meaning a literal pound of sterling silver. Twenty shillings made up one pound, and 12 pence made one shilling. Since most colonists were British, this system made sense to them. However, the colonies had problems because the values assigned to different things used as currency varied highly from one colony to another, making prices unpredictable.

2 Wampum and the Art of Barter

Wampum, a Native American monetary system that placed value on particular sea shells, was one of the first forms of currency used extensively by many colonists. Colonists began using wampum in 1627, and by 1637 it had become legal tender in Massachusetts for paying government fines and taxes. This ended in 1661, due to the fragile nature and inconsistent quality of the shells themselves. Colonists also engaged in barter; however, sometimes colonists needed to purchase basic goods such as corn and didn't have anything to trade. In those situations, commodities were used as a form of currency. Certain products, such as tobacco or animal skins, became known as "rated commodities" with a standard value expressed in British pounds. That value only applied to the particular colony, however, and different colonies varied in the price they put on these goods.

3 Two Bits, Four Bits

While coinage was scarce in the American colonies, the colonists still preferred using gold and silver as currency over other forms because it had more universal value. Since the colonies traded frequently with the Spanish West Indies, the Spanish dollar became a common coin used in the colonies. Known as "pieces of eight," these coins in effect became the unofficial national currency of the colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries, and circulated as a legal tender until 1857. A Spanish piece-of-eight could be broken into eight reals, or "bits," to make change. The common expression "two bits," meaning a quarter of a dollar, comes from this colonial practice.

4 The Quest for Colonial Coinage

Great Britain forbade the colonists from minting their own coins. In 1652, the Massachusetts colony challenged this ban by creating an illegal mint and pressing coins. The first attempt, a basic design that proved easy to counterfeit, was abandoned after four months. The second was a series of silver coins known as "Pine Tree Shillings." These coins were all dated 1652, so if the British ever discovered the illegal coins, the colonists could claim the mint had been shut down and the coins had only been made during that year. However, Massachusetts actually produced many series of Pine Tree shillings until 1684, when the king revoked the Massachusetts charter and the mint was closed.

  • 1 North Carolina Digital History: The Value of Money in Colonial America
  • 2 Federal Reserve Bank of Boston: History of Colonial Money

About the Author

Jennifer Mueller began writing and editing professionally in 1995, when she became sports editor of her university's newspaper while also writing a bi-monthly general interest column for an independent tourist publication. Mueller holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of North Carolina at Asheville and a Juris Doctor from Indiana University Maurer School of Law.

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More From Forbes

How not to write your college essay.

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If you are looking for the “secret formula” for writing a “winning” college essay, you have come to the wrong place. The reality is there is no silver bullet or strategy to write your way to an acceptance. There is not one topic or approach that will guarantee a favorable outcome.

At the end of the day, every admission office just wants to know more about you, what you value, and what excites you. They want to hear about your experiences through your own words and in your own voice. As you set out to write your essay, you will no doubt get input (both sought-after and unsolicited) on what to write. But how about what NOT Notcoin to write? There are avoidable blunders that applicants frequently make in drafting their essays. I asked college admission leaders, who have read thousands of submissions, to share their thoughts.

Don’t Go In There

There is wide consensus on this first one, so before you call on your Jedi mind tricks or predictive analytics, listen to the voices of a diverse range of admission deans. Peter Hagan, executive director of admissions at Syracuse University, sums it up best, saying, “I would recommend that students try not to get inside of our heads. He adds, “Too often the focus is on what they think we want.”

Andy Strickler, dean of admission and financial aid at Connecticut College agrees, warning, “Do NOT get caught in the trap of trying to figure out what is going to impress the admission committee. You have NO idea who is going to read your essay and what is going to connect with them. So, don't try to guess that.” Victoria Romero, vice president for enrollment, at Scripps College adds, “Do not write about something you don’t care about.” She says, “I think students try to figure out what an admission officer wants to read, and the reality is the reader begins every next essay with no expectations about the content THEY want to read.” Chrystal Russell, dean of admission at Hampden-Sydney College, agrees, saying, “If you're not interested in writing it, we will not be interested when reading it.” Jay Jacobs, vice provost for enrollment management at the University of Vermont elaborates, advising. “Don’t try to make yourself sound any different than you are.” He says, “The number one goal for admission officers is to better understand the applicant, what they like to do, what they want to do, where they spend the majority of their time, and what makes them tick. If a student stays genuine to that, it will shine through and make an engaging and successful essay.”

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Don’t Be Artificial

The headlines about college admission are dominated by stories about artificial intelligence and the college essay. Let’s set some ground rules–to allow ChatGPT or some other tool to do your work is not only unethical, it is also unintelligent. The only worse mistake you could make is to let another human write your essay for you. Instead of preoccupying yourself with whether or not colleges are using AI detection software (most are not), spend your time focused on how best to express yourself authentically. Rick Clark is the executive director of strategic student success at Georgia Institute of Technology, one of the first institutions to clearly outline their AI policy for applicants. He says, “Much of a college application is devoted to lines, boxes, and numbers. Essays and supplements are the one place to establish connection, personality, and distinction. AI, in its current state, is terrible at all three.” He adds, “My hope is that students will use ChatGPT or other tools for brainstorming and to get started, but then move quickly into crafting an essay that will provide insight and value.”

Don’t Overdo It

Michael Stefanowicz, vice president for enrollment management at Landmark College says, “You can only cover so much detail about yourself in an admission essay, and a lot of students feel pressure to tell their life story or choose their most defining experience to date as an essay topic. Admission professionals know that you’re sharing just one part of your lived experience in the essay.” He adds, “Some of the favorite essays I’ve read have been episodic, reflecting on the way you’ve found meaning in a seemingly ordinary experience, advice you’ve lived out, a mistake you’ve learned from, or a special tradition in your life.” Gary Ross, vice president for admission and financial aid at Colgate University adds, “More than a few applicants each year craft essays that talk about the frustration and struggles they have experienced in identifying a topic for their college application essay. Presenting your college application essay as a smorgasbord of topics that ultimately landed on the cutting room floor does not give us much insight into an applicant.”

Don’t Believe In Magic

Jason Nevinger, senior director of admission at the University of Rochester warns, “Be skeptical of anyone or any company telling you, ‘This is the essay that got me into _____.’ There is no magic topic, approach, sentence structure, or prose that got any student into any institution ever.” Social media is littered with advertisements promising strategic essay help. Don’t waste your time, energy, or money trying to emulate a certain style, topic, or tone. Liz Cheron is chief executive officer for the Coalition for College and former assistant vice president of enrollment & dean of admissions at Northeastern University. She agrees with Nevinger, saying “Don't put pressure on yourself to find the perfect, slam dunk topic. The vast majority of college essays do exactly what they're supposed to do–they are well-written and tell the admission officer more about the student in that student's voice–and that can take many different forms.”

Don’t Over Recycle

Beatrice Atkinson-Myers, associate director of global recruitment at the University of California at Santa Cruz tells students, “Do not use the same response for each university; research and craft your essay to match the program at the university you are interested in studying. Don't waste time telling me things I can read elsewhere in your application. Use your essay to give the admissions officer insights into your motivations, interests, and thinking. Don't make your essay the kitchen sink, focus on one or two examples which demonstrate your depth and creativity.” Her UC colleague, Jim Rawlins, associate vice chancellor of enrollment management at the University of California at San Diego agrees, saying “Answer the question. Not doing so is the surest way we can tell you are simply giving us a snippet of something you actually wrote for a different purpose.”

Don’t Overedit

Emily Roper-Doten, vice president for undergraduate admissions and financial assistance at Clark University warns against “Too many editors!” She says, “Pick a couple of trusted folks to be your sounding board when considering topics and as readers once you have drafts. You don’t want too many voices in your essay to drown you out!” Scripps’ Romero agrees, suggesting, “Ask a good friend, someone you trust and knows you well, to read your essays.” She adds, “The goal is for the admission committee to get to know a little about you and who better to help you create that framework, than a good friend. This may not work for all students because of content but helps them understand it’s important to be themselves.” Whitney Soule, vice provost and dean of admissions at The University of Pennsylvania adds, “Avoid well-meaning editorial interference that might seem to polish your writing but actually takes your own personal ‘shine’ right out of the message.” She says, “As readers, we connect to applicants through their genuine tone and style. Considering editorial advice for flow and message is OK but hold on to the 'you' for what you want to say and how you want to say it.”

Don’t Get Showy

Palmer Muntz, senior regional admissions counselor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks cautions applicants, “Don’t be fancier than you are. You don’t need to put on airs.” He adds, “Yes, proofread your work for grammar and spelling, but be natural. Craft something you’d want to read yourself, which probably means keeping your paragraphs short, using familiar words, and writing in an active voice.” Connecticut College’s Strickler agrees, warning, “Don't try to be someone you are not. If you are not funny, don't try to write a funny essay. If you are not an intellectual, trying to write an intellectual essay is a bad idea.”

Anthony Jones, the vice president of enrollment management at Loyola University New Orleans offers a unique metaphor for thinking about the essay. He says, “In the new world of the hyper-fast college admission process, it's become easy to overlook the essential meaning of the college application. It's meant to reveal Y...O...U, the real you, not some phony digital avatar. Think of the essay as the essence of that voice but in analog. Like the completeness and authenticity captured in a vinyl record, the few lines you're given to explain your view should be a slow walk through unrestrained expression chock full of unapologetic nuances, crevices of emotion, and exactness about how you feel in the moment. Then, and only then, can you give the admissions officer an experience that makes them want to tune in and listen for more.”

Don’t Be A Downer

James Nondorf, vice president and dean of admissions and financial aid at The University of Chicago says, “Don’t be negative about other people, be appreciative of those who have supported you, and be excited about who you are and what you will bring to our campus!” He adds, “While admissions offices want smart students for our classrooms, we also want kind-hearted, caring, and joyous students who will add to our campus communities too.”

Don’t Pattern Match

Alan Ramirez is the dean of admission and financial aid at Sewanee, The University of the South. He explains, “A big concern I have is when students find themselves comparing their writing to other students or past applicants and transform their writing to be more like those individuals as a way to better their chances of offering a more-compelling essay.” He emphasizes that the result is that the “essay is no longer authentic nor the best representation of themselves and the whole point of the essay is lost. Their distinctive voice and viewpoint contribute to the range of voices in the incoming class, enhancing the diversity of perspectives we aim to achieve.” Ramirez simple tells students, “Be yourself, that’s what we want to see, plus there's no one else who can do it better than you!”

Don’t Feel Tied To A Topic

Jessica Ricker is the vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions and financial aid at Skidmore College. She says, “Sometimes students feel they must tell a story of grief or hardship, and then end up reliving that during the essay-writing process in ways that are emotionally detrimental. I encourage students to choose a topic they can reflect upon positively but recommend that if they choose a more challenging experience to write about, they avoid belaboring the details and instead focus on the outcome of that journey.” She adds, "They simply need to name it, frame its impact, and then help us as the reader understand how it has shaped their lens on life and their approach moving forward.”

Landmark College’s Stefanowicz adds, “A lot of students worry about how personal to get in sharing a part of their identity like your race or heritage (recalling last year’s Supreme Court case about race-conscious admissions), a learning difference or other disability, your religious values, LGBTQ identity…the list goes on.” He emphasizes, “This is always your choice, and your essay doesn’t have to be about a defining identity. But I encourage you to be fully yourself as you present yourself to colleges—because the college admission process is about finding a school where your whole self is welcome and you find a setting to flourish!”

Don’t Be Redundant

Hillen Grason Jr., dean of admission at Franklin & Marshall College, advises, “Don't repeat academic or co-curricular information that is easily identifiable within other parts of your application unless the topic is a core tenant of you as an individual.” He adds, “Use your essay, and other parts of your application, wisely. Your essay is the best way to convey who your authentic self is to the schools you apply. If you navigated a situation that led to a dip in your grades or co-curricular involvement, leverage the ‘additional information’ section of the application.

Thomas Marr is a regional manager of admissions for the Americas at The University of St Andrews in Scotland and points out that “Not all international schools use the main college essay as part of their assessment when reviewing student applications.” He says, “At the University of St Andrews, we focus on the supplemental essay and students should avoid the mistake of making the supplemental a repeat of their other essay. The supplemental (called the Personal Statement if using the UCAS application process) is to show the extent of their passion and enthusiasm for the subject/s to which they are applying and we expect about 75% of the content to cover this. They can use the remaining space to mention their interests outside of the classroom. Some students confuse passion for the school with passion for their subject; do not fall into that trap.”

A Few Final Don’ts

Don’t delay. Every college applicant I have ever worked with has wished they had started earlier. You can best avoid the pitfalls above if you give yourself the time and space to write a thoughtful essay and welcome feedback openly but cautiously. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect . Do your best, share your voice, and stay true to who you are.

Brennan Barnard

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Today Is the Longest Day of the Year in the Northern Hemisphere

We have Earth’s off-kilter tilt to thank for the summer solstice, as well as the different seasons.

A person in silhouette raises their arms in the air, looking almost as if they're grasping the sun, framed on three sides by the monoliths of Stonehenge at sunset.

By Katrina Miller

On Thursday, everyone in the northern half of our planet will experience the summer solstice. It’ll be the longest day of the year north of the Equator, and it is the scientific start of summer.

Earth has a solstice every six months, in June and in December. Leading up to the summer solstice, the sun appears in a higher spot in the sky at the same time each day until it reaches its maximum point.

After the summer solstice, the days will get shorter. The sun will appear lower in the sky each day until the winter solstice, on Dec. 21.

What time is the summer solstice this year?

According to the National Weather Service , the summer solstice will occur on Thursday at 4:51 p.m. Eastern time. This is the moment during the day when the sun reaches its most northern point in the sky during the year.

Why do we have solstices?

The sun’s height in the sky each day changes because Earth spins on an axis that is tilted 23.5 degrees away from vertical. This means that depending on the time of year the hemispheres lean either toward or away from the sun.

This is what gives Earth its seasons: When the northern half of the planet leans toward the sun, it experiences summer; at the same time, the southern half of the planet leans away from the sun, and is in winter. It is a mystery why Earth is angled this way, though some astronomers believe that its tilt paved the way for life to exist .

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Election latest: Another Tory under investigation over election bets - as Labour to return £100,000 in donations

A former Tory candidate who was dropped for betting on the date of the election has vowed to clear his name, as the Labour Party and more police officers also become embroiled in the escalating scandal.

Tuesday 25 June 2024 23:00, UK

  • General Election 2024

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Election betting scandal

  • Labour candidate suspended | Party to return donations
  • Welsh Conservative under investigation
  • Dropped Tory candidate vows to 'clear name'
  • More police officers accused of betting on election date
  • Jon Craig: This has exposed quite a sleazy side of politics
  • Live reporting by Faith Ridler and (earlier)  Tim Baker
  • Car crash outside PM's country house
  • Four arrested in grounds of Sunak's constituency home
  • Reform drops in new poll after Farage's Putin comments
  • Starmer says children 'worried' about possible move into No 10

Election essentials

  • Manifesto pledges: Alliance | Conservatives | DUP | Greens | Labour | Lib Dems | Plaid | Reform | SNP | Sinn Fein | Workers
  • Trackers:  Who's leading polls? | Is PM keeping promises?
  • Campaign Heritage: Memorable moments from elections gone by
  • Follow Sky's politics podcasts: Electoral Dysfunction | Politics At Jack And Sam's
  • Read more:  Who is standing down? | Key seats to watch | What counts as voter ID? | Check if your constituency is changing | Guide to election lingo | How to watch election on Sky News

We'll be back at 6am with all the latest from the general election campaign.

There are just eight days of campaigning left until the polls open on 4 July, and political parties from across the House of Commons are busy trying to win your votes.

Join us from the morning for more live updates.

After days of furore directed at Rishi Sunak for the election betting scandal, now a Labour candidate is under investigation by the Gambling Commission for his own betting activity - and is immediately suspended.

Is this an equaliser in one of the grubbiest electoral sagas of recent elections? Quite possibly not.

There is no doubting the utter dismay in Labour HQ at the revelation that they too have a candidate caught up in the betting scandal.

It lends itself to the easy narrative that there's a plague on all politicians' houses - everyone as bad as each other.

However, if the facts are as presented, the scale of the challenge for the Tories is of a different order of magnitude to that now facing Labour.

Labour's Kevin Craig was  suspended immediately  after the party was informed by the Gambling Commission of the probe.

You can read more from our deputy political editor Sam Coates below:

It's 10pm - here's your late night general election bulletin.

Today has had a heavy focus on the Conservative betting scandal - but there's been plenty more for us to sink our teeth into.

  • The Conservatives have announced they will no longer be supporting the two candidates being investigated over placing bets on the election date;
  • Laura Saunders and Craig Williams will still appear in on their respective ballots - but won't be supported by the party; 
  • Mr Williams has since shared a video statement, claiming he "committed an error of judgement, not an offence" and insisting: "I intend to clear my name" ; 
  • And Russell George , a Conservative member of the Senedd, has stepped back from the Welsh shadow cabinet as he faces an investigation over alleged bets;
  • In other news, four men have been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass in the grounds of the prime minister's home , police have confirmed;
  • The arrests are connected to a protest by the Youth Demand campaign group, which has staged a number of actions against both the Conservative government's performance and Labour's proposed policies.
  • Labour has suspended a candidate today for betting that he would not win in his seat on 4 July .  Kevin Craig has apologised for the "huge mistake" he made in betting against himself;
  • The party, meanwhile, has announced plans to tackle knife crime ;
  • Sir Keir appeared at an event with actor Idris Elba as they discussed introducing a long-term strategy to tackle the issue;
  • Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has taken part in an hour-long debate with Conservative Home Secretary James Cleverly , taking in both legal and illegal migration;
  • The minister said he does not "envisage" a Tory government leaving the European Court of Human Rights, despite the PM's threats to do so;
  • And Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has opened up about looking after his disabled son in an interview with Beth Rigby .

Don't forget, Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge is back tonight at 7pm.

And if you're heading home from work, you might also be interested in today's Electoral Dysfunction , all about that photo of Sir Keir and his wife enjoying a Taylor Swift concert at Wembley.

The latest episode of the Electoral Dysfunction podcast is out, with Sky political editor Beth Rigby chatting to former Scottish Conservative leader Baroness Ruth Davidson, and ex-Labour adviser Baroness Ayesha Hazarika.

You can listen to the podcast in full below:

👉  Click here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts  👈

Scotland Secretary Alister Jack has tonight denied breaking any Gambling Commission rules "on any occasion".

It comes after the BBC reported he had told the broadcaster he placed wagers on June and July polling dates.

However, in a statement he said: "I am very clear that I have never, on any occasion, broken any Gambling Commission rules.

"Specifically, I did not place any bets on the date of the general election during May (the period under investigation by the Gambling Commission).

"Furthermore, I am not aware of any family or friends placing bets."

"And for the avoidance of doubt that based on my comment above the Gambling Commission have obviously not contacted me."

Our live poll tracker collates the results of opinion surveys carried out by all the main polling organisations - and allows you to see how the political parties are performing in the run-up to the general election.

It shows a drop in support in recent days for Labour and the Tories - with a jump for Reform and the Liberal Democrats.

Read more about the tracker here .

There are seemingly three things on the minds of British people at the moment - the Euros, the election, and Taylor Swift.

But while the Royal Family have been quick to send their backing to England's footballers and catch the pop star's Eras shows at Wembley, they'll be keeping their distance from the politics.

That's despite the fact that, apart from the monarch, the royals are technically allowed to vote in UK general elections.

Sky News explains why they don't.

Rhun ap Iorwerth, the leader of Plaid Cymru, was also asked about a manifesto commitment to make it a criminal offence for elected politicians to knowingly mislead the public.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson was suspended from parliament for misleading the Commons - does Mr Iorwerth think he should go to prison?

He says legislation to "make it clear there are consequences if you are found to be purposefully deceptive" could be "part of the world of building trust in politicians and politics".

It's noted how difficult it would be to prove someone had purposefully deceived parliament.

Building that trust is a key focus for his party, he says.

"We believe this is important because one of the questions that I've been asked a lot during the course of this election campaign and MPs over the past year, is how do we build trust in politicians?"

That brings our coverage of tonight's Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge to an end, but the show returns tomorrow at 7pm. Stick with us for more news and analysis throughout the evening.

Sophy Ridge  asks about a report into Plaid Cymru, published before Rhun ap Iorwerth became leader, which found "a culture of harassment, bullying, and misogyny".

Has he cleaned up the party's act?

"It was a difficult time for us," Mr Iorwerth admits. "We commissioned this report on ourselves. 

"And, you know, there's a suggestion that other political parties may well benefit from doing the same themselves.

"But this was our moment."

Mr Iorwerth adds that Plaid Cymru has been "through a wake-up" and have "ticked off" all 82 recommendations the report made.

Russell George, a Conservative member of the Senedd, has stepped back from the Welsh shadow cabinet as he faces an investigation by the gambling watchdog over alleged bets on the timing of the general election.

Mr George represents Montgomeryshire in the Welsh parliament - the same area that Craig Williams, the Tory candidate who has had party support withdrawn as he faces similar allegations, represented at Westminster.

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said: "Russell George has informed me that he has received a letter from the Gambling Commission regarding bets on the timing of the general election.

"Russell George has stepped back from the Welsh Conservative shadow cabinet while these investigations are ongoing.

"All other members of the Welsh Conservative Group have confirmed that they have not placed any bets.

"I will not issue further comment on this ongoing process, recognising the Gambling Commission's instruction for confidentiality to protect the integrity of the process."

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how to start my nhs essay

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, struggling to pen my nhs essay - any tips.

Hey guys, I've been nominated for the National Honor Society and I have to write the essay part of the application. I'm kind of stuck on how to start and what qualities to emphasize. Can anyone share some advice or what aspects of your character and achievements you focused on in your NHS essay?

Writing an NHS essay is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on your personal growth and contributions to your community. It's important to showcase not just your academic strengths but also your commitment to service, leadership, and character. Start with a clear introduction that outlines the traits you will address. Draw specific examples from your experiences that demonstrate these qualities vividly.

For instance, if you want to highlight leadership, talk about a time when you organized an event or led a group project. It could be as simple as tutoring peers in a subject you excel in or as complex as spearheading a community service initiative. Remember, quality trumps quantity, so it's better to delve deeply into a few meaningful experiences rather than listing many superficial ones. For character, reflect on moments where you faced ethical dilemmas or setbacks and discuss how you navigated them.

Lastly, remember that the NHS values service, so make sure to articulate how you have given back to your community, possibly through volunteering, and what you learned from those experiences. The essay is about painting a picture of a student who embodies the NHS pillars, so share stories that bring those principles to life. Good luck!

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

IMAGES

  1. How To Write An NHS Essay With Examples

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    how to start my nhs essay

  3. 010 Essay Example Nhs Examples Write My Template ~ Thatsnotus

    how to start my nhs essay

  4. Nhs Essay Format

    how to start my nhs essay

  5. How To Write An NHS Essay With Examples

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  6. Four Pillars of NHS: Scholarship, Character, Leadership, Service

    how to start my nhs essay

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Write the National Honor Society Essay + Example

    Here are five strategies: 1. Make it Personal and Individual. Your application form provides the facts about the scope and range of your involvement and contributions to your communities. Be sure that you write your essay in a way that brings this data to life.

  2. National Honor Society (NHS) Essay Examples & Expert Advice

    Quick Tips for Drafting the National Honor Society Essay. 1) Structure your NHS essay around the NHS Pillars: Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character. A high GPA acts as an indicator of your "scholarship", or dedication to academia. This pillar must appear in your essay as well, in the form of impeccable writing skills.

  3. Example National Honor Society Essay: Scholarship and Service

    Components of an Outstanding NHS Essay. Scholarship: Begin your essay by highlighting your academic accomplishments. Mention your high school, school year, and impressive grade point average (GPA). Emphasize how your dedication to academics has shaped your character and instilled a sense of discipline. Leadership: Describe your leadership ...

  4. How to write the National Honor's Society Essay

    The prompt for the NHS Essay is to detail how you represent the Four Pillars of NHS Membership: Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character in 300-500 words. In doing so, here are some key components that are good to include: Personal Introduction: Begin with a brief introduction of yourself, highlighting your academic and personal ...

  5. National Honor Society Essay Sample: Ultimate Guide

    One of the most important steps to becoming a part of nationwide confederation of students is composing national honor society essay. Сrucial rule with NHS paper is to be original and avoid plagiarism in any form. In our guide, we have collected NHS essay definitions, tips, things to consider, and an actual example.

  6. How to Write an Impressive National Honor Society Essay ...

    Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas. Before writing the essay, take some time to brainstorm ideas. Think about your achievements, experiences, and skills that align with the NHS values. Consider examples of how you have demonstrated leadership, scholarship, service, and character in your school, community, or personal life.

  7. National Honor Society essay writing guidelines and examples

    It may help with your NHS essay. National Honor Society essay outline example. To make the process of writing easier, you should create an outline. Here is a list of things you should write about in your essay. Use these tips to ease the writing process: Write your intro. Talk about the reasons why you want to become one of the NHS members.

  8. National Honor Society Essay

    Tips on Creating a Brilliant Essay on the National Honor Society. Here are some of the typical writing mistakes that you should avoid to maintain your output quality. 1. Avoid a vague or non-existent thesis statement. Having an unclear statement may ruin the whole essence of your essay.

  9. Ace Your National Honor Society Essay with These Tips

    Understand the philosophy behind the essay. Before even starting to write the essay structure, it is important to fully understand the philosophy behind the essay. In general, the NHS concept is based on four pillars: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Define the criteria and prepare your thesis to meet them all.

  10. What should I include in my National Honor Society application essay

    6 months ago. When writing your National Honor Society (NHS) application essay, it's important to showcase the four key pillars of the organization: scholarship, service, leadership, and character. As you consider these pillars, think about specific examples from your own experiences that align with each concept, focusing on quality rather than ...

  11. Guide to the Education Section of the Common App

    Step One: Ask For NHS Essay Examples . Your chapter advisor may have a general essay prompt. This can cause many students to overthink or stress over their essays. By asking for NHS essay examples, you can get a better idea of what your chapter advisor is looking for. You can better understand the tone, style, length, and general content needed.

  12. Tips for writing a strong NHS application essay?

    4. Show enthusiasm for continuous learning: As a member of NHS, you'll be expected to maintain high academic standards. Discuss your passion for learning, how you've excelled academically, and your plans for continued intellectual growth. 5. Be concise and clear: Your essay should be well-organized and easy to read.

  13. Short Essay: National Honor Society

    Short Essay. Writing an essay for the National Honor Society (NHS) is a pivotal step for students seeking to join an organization that recognizes outstanding academic achievements and civic involvement. The NHS essay is more than just an academic exercise; it is a showcase of a student's character, leadership, service, and citizenship.

  14. National Honor Society Essay: Tips and Tricks for ...

    Observe one of the national honor society essay samples below to get an overall picture of what the commission expects from you. We recommend having a checklist with your best traits. Develop an essay outline not to get lost during the writing process. "The NHS is a unique organization which makes it possible to take care of the needy, kids ...

  15. Advice on writing NHS essay?

    6 months ago. Congratulations on applying to the National Honor Society—it's a fantastic opportunity! When writing your NHS essay, focus on the four key pillars: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Instead of just listing your experiences, create a narrative that showcases your accomplishments and growth.

  16. How to Write a National Honor Society (NHS) Essay

    Start the essay by writing the first draft of a national honor society essay. Create an outline to organize thoughts. Be precise about the purpose of the essay by creating a thesis statement in the concluding sentence of the introduction part. Give a clear picture of yourself, such as a high school student.

  17. (NHS) National Honor Society Essay: Example and Tips

    If possible, the candidate should address all four of them. It will win positive attitude of the committee and give you a chance to present your personality in the fullest way possible. As any properly composed essay, national honor society application essay must be well structured, informative, written clearly and sincerely.

  18. National Honor Society Essays: Tips & NHS Essay Examples

    2. Share Your Stories. Everyone loves a good story; the best way to share your point is by relaying these stories. Stories can be poignant or suspenseful- whatever fits you're trying to get across. This is a good example ; I have had the privilege of being a member of the National Honor Society for two years.

  19. How to Write a Leadership & Character NHS Essay

    Writing a "Leadership and Character NHS Essay" for the National Honor Society can be an intimidating endeavor in part due to the significance of the NHS, as well as the introspection necessary for completion of your essay. Don't worry, though. If you're writing for the NHS, then you've most likely ...

  20. Starting an NHS Essay?

    To structure the essay, you might want to start with an engaging hook, such as a personal anecdote or a quote that encapsulates the theme of your essay. Then, provide an introduction where you briefly outline the qualities you aim to highlight. Divide the body of the essay into sections, focusing on one or two qualities in each.

  21. National Honor Society (Free Essay Samples)

    The NHS essay is one of the most rigorous parts of the application process. It is exciting in a sense that this is your opportunity to show the judges who you are and why you deserve to be in the organization. But it is also nerve-wracking because the way you write your essay plays a major role in the outcome of your application.

  22. How NOT To Write Your College Essay

    At the end of the day, every admission office just wants to know more about you, what you value, and what excites you. They want to hear about your experiences through your own words and in your ...

  23. Quiz: Who should I vote for in the general election?

    Play our manifesto knockout game to find out where you really lean on four of the biggest election issues

  24. NHS character essay examples

    Here are some tips that might help you write a compelling essay: 1. Choose a theme: Pick a theme or value that best represents your character, and center your essay around it. For example, you could select perseverance, empathy, or integrity. Then, share anecdotes or instances related to that theme. 2.

  25. Summer Solstice 2024: Why It's the Longest Day of the Year

    On Thursday, everyone in the northern half of our planet will experience the summer solstice. It'll be the longest day of the year north of the Equator, and it is the scientific start of summer.

  26. Election latest: Senior Tory demands 'robust action' on betting scandal

    Our live poll tracker collates the results of opinion surveys carried out by all the main polling organisations - and allows you to see how the political parties are performing in the run-up to ...

  27. Struggling to pen my NHS essay

    Writing an NHS essay is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on your personal growth and contributions to your community. It's important to showcase not just your academic strengths but also your commitment to service, leadership, and character. Start with a clear introduction that outlines the traits you will address. Draw specific examples from your experiences that demonstrate these qualities ...