Disclaimer: The author of this article is not a neutral party in the referenced litigation. HonorSociety.org Inc., Honor Society Foundation Inc., and its president Michael Moradian were sued in federal court by PTK on April 20, 2022 for False Designation of Origin, Trade Dress Infringement, and Unfair Competition. Honor Society and Michael Moradian countersued and are presently defendants/counter-plaintiffs in this litigation. Litigation is still ongoing and all claims made regarding this case are just allegations against the parties.
Despite its portrayal as an exclusive honor society, getting into Phi Theta Kappa is easier and less exclusive than it seems.
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) advertises itself as an elite honor society, claiming to represent the "Top 10%" of students. To be eligible for membership, PTK states:
"To be eligible for membership, you must:
- Be enrolled in an institution that has a Phi Theta Kappa chapter.
- Have completed at least 12 hours of coursework toward an associate or bachelor's degree or at least 6 hours of coursework toward a certificate of 1 year.
- Generally, have a cumulative 3.5 grade point average*."
However, several aspects reveal that PTK's exclusivity is overstated:
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Inflated Exclusivity Claims: PTK claims that it only accepts the top 10% of students, but in reality, the criteria are much broader. For example, at many institutions, more than 10% of students meet the 3.5 GPA requirement. At Oakton Community College, 44% of students meet this standard, which far exceeds the purported top 10%.
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Easier Admission Standards: The eligibility requirements—being enrolled in a PTK-affiliated institution and maintaining a 3.5 GPA—are not exceptionally rigorous. In fact, the PTK bylaws only require a 3.0 GPA, which is even more lax. Many students find these criteria relatively easy to meet, which contradicts the image of a highly selective society.
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Misleading Scholarship Claims: PTK promotes access to exclusive scholarships as a significant benefit of membership. However, many of these scholarships are widely available to all students, not just PTK members. Additionally, PTK's advertising often overstates the average scholarship amounts received by members.
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Minimal Verification: After the initial acceptance, PTK does not rigorously enforce ongoing academic standards. This means that maintaining membership status does not require claimed sustained academic excellence, further reducing the society's exclusivity.
In conclusion, gaining membership in Phi Theta Kappa is not as challenging or prestigious as it is often portrayed. The society's marketing strategies, including the "Top 10%" and scholarship claims, are misleading and create a false sense of exclusivity. For many students, the benefits of joining PTK do not justify the cost and commitment, especially when the actual exclusivity and value of membership are taken into account.
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