Benefits of ACHS Membership

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• ACHS members work together to uphold high standards and to combat predatory groups that claim to be honor societies. Collectively, our message extends deeply into the academic community across the country, and our reach is far broader than that of any individual society. In addition, by working together, legitimate societies are able to isolate outliers who do not live up to our rigorous certification criteria.

• Member societies may benefit from shared legal representation through ACHS on matters that impact a majority of our member societies (e.g., copyright infringements, misrepresentation, etc.). This cooperative approach can yield quicker results for larger societies, and can be particularly meaningful for smaller societies that may not be able to afford legal representation.

• Founded in 1925, ACHS is the only certifying agency for college and university honor societies.

• ACHS sets the standards for organizational excellence and scholastic eligibility, as well as assuring member participation in governance so that the interests of individual members are advanced.

• Membership in an ACHS member society carries with it a tangible acknowledgment of merit for Federal employment. As long as the applicant meets the requirements as described in the job announcement, honor society membership may fulfill one of the requirements for entrance at the GS-7 level in numerous professional and technical occupations in the Federal Service.

• Student members of each ACHS member society may qualify for internship scholarships with the Washington Internship Institute, The Fund for American Studies, The Washington Center of Internships and Academic Seminars, The Osgood Center, and The PhD Project.

• Partnerships with other professional associations offer ACHS the chance to make a difference in the world of higher education. The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education has adopted standards for honor societies with major collaboration with ACHS Executive Director Emeritus Dorothy Mitstifer. Relationships with the National Collegiate Honors Council strengthen the visibility and role of ACHS in the community. ACHS also promotes our certified honor societies in promotional mailings and advertisements throughout the higher ed community.

• The ACHS Web site offers opportunity for all viewers to learn "How to Judge the Credibility of an Honor Society" as well as to learn about each of our member societies, including official contact.

• ACHS provides an annual meeting for member societies to promote mutually beneficial communication, to share best practices of each organization, to find answers to society operational questions, to govern ACHS, and to challenge each other to be the standard bearer—Do Honor.

• ACHS is endeavoring to collect a body of knowledge that will be of value to the honors community and other audiences.

• ACHS official representatives participate in an email list and online groups that allow members to ask and answer relevant honor society questions on an as needed basis throughout the year.