Phi Beta Kappa

[DCSB6]

I am eligible for PBK by all requirements except for one: Foreign language.

Our chapter requires either 4 years of high school FL, a language proficiency exam at the university, or completion of a foreign language at the university up to the 4th level (e.g. Span 4). Since I only took 3 years in high school, I would have to take a language at the university but would probably only need Spanish 3 & 4 since I retained most of the material from the first 2 levels. Applying this June, would it be beneficial to take these courses over the summer to be PBK eligible? Is it worth the hassle?

Note: By showing evidence that the courses will be taken over the summer, and having every other requirement completed, I can be deemed eligible for induction this May.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[aSagacious]

Personally I don't think it's worth the hassle. PBK is nothing more than a proxy for validating your accomplishments (GPA, ECs, etc). Since you will be enumerating your accomplishments and grades on your AMCAS application anyway PBK would seem to be redundant in this case.

 

[gettheleadout]

Eligible doesn't mean you'll be invited. If fulfilling the eligibility isn't inherent to your planned studies, I wouldn't worry about it unless you have a personal goal to try to get in.

 

[Catalystik]

would it be beneficial to take these courses over the summer to be PBK eligible? Is it worth the hassle?

No.

 

[searun]

Phi Beta Kappa is a nice honor. Only about one percent of graduating US seniors are members of Phi Beta Kappa. It is well respected in academic circles. It is not simply a validation of a high gpa. You are required to excel in an academic curriculum across the liberal arts - humanities, sciences, social sciences, the arts and foreign languages.

Being a science nerd will not get you an invitation to Phi Beta Kappa. You must be nominated by a faculty member who is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and only faculty members who are members of PBK can vote on your election. As I recall, only about 10 percent of the colleges and universities in the United States have even been granted a Phi Beta Kappa chapter as the standards are very rigorous.

Also, Peyton Manning is the only current player in the NFL who is a member of PBK.

That said, membership in Phi Beta Kappa will probably not have any effect on the OP's chances of admission to med school. However, everything in life should not be evaluated in terms of its relationship to med school admissions.

Personally, I am glad that I am a member of Phi Beta Kappa. PBK was started during the Revolutionary War - I am a history buff and I think that the history of the organization is very cool. William and Mary started the first chapter and I believe that Harvard and Yale had the second and third chapter.

 

[chronicidal]

Phi Beta Kappa is a nice honor. Only about one percent of graduating US seniors are members of Phi Beta Kappa. It is well respected in academic circles. It is not simply a validation of a high gpa. You are required to excel in an academic curriculum across the liberal arts - humanities, sciences, social sciences, the arts and foreign languages.

Being a science nerd will not get you an invitation to Phi Beta Kappa. You must be nominated by a faculty member who is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and only faculty members who are members of PBK can vote on your election. As I recall, only about 10 percent of the colleges and universities in the United States have even been granted a Phi Beta Kappa chapter as the standards are very rigorous.

Also, Peyton Manning is the only current player in the NFL who is a member of PBK.

That said, membership in Phi Beta Kappa will probably not have any effect on the OP's chances of admission to med school. However, everything in life should not be evaluated in terms of its relationship to med school admissions.

Personally, I am glad that I am a member of Phi Beta Kappa. PBK was started during the Revolutionary War - I am a history buff and I think that the history of the organization is very cool. William and Mary started the first chapter and I believe that Harvard and Yale had the second and third chapter.

Yes.

But also, PBK eligibility and election rules differ from school to school, particularly for the earlier chapters, which don't have to follow some of the national rules like language.

Having participated in a PBK election (students can vote), I will say that 'being a science nerd' will not get you elected if you don't have a number of liberal arts courses, but there are always faculty members who are sympathetic to those people who are extremely hardcore in one area and are willing to blur the rules to get them elected.

 

[TACMON]

Yes.

But also, PBK eligibility and election rules differ from school to school, particularly for the earlier chapters, which don't have to follow some of the national rules like language.

Having participated in a PBK election (students can vote), I will say that 'being a science nerd' will not get you elected if you don't have a number of liberal arts courses, but there are always faculty members who are sympathetic to those people who are extremely hardcore in one area and are willing to blur the rules to get them elected.

i can validate that students elected to PBK in junior year can vote the senior class, and elect members (but only during the vote and elections must get almost unanimous support)

 

[searun]

Yes.

But also, PBK eligibility and election rules differ from school to school, particularly for the earlier chapters, which don't have to follow some of the national rules like language.

Having participated in a PBK election (students can vote), I will say that 'being a science nerd' will not get you elected if you don't have a number of liberal arts courses, but there are always faculty members who are sympathetic to those people who are extremely hardcore in one area and are willing to blur the rules to get them elected.

I majored in biochemistry, biophysics, and molecular biology. But I also took theatre classes, piano, numerous literature and writing courses, pubic speaking and rhetoric, history and political science, spanish, etc. Students could not vote for election at my liberal arts college, only faculty. I do not think that I would have been elected if I had not excelled in the humanities and the social sciences, even though I was a hard science major where it was much more difficult to get stellar grades.

Like I said, I am a history buff - PBK was founded in 1776 and the first chapter had to disband and the initial members fled when the British army marched into Williamsburg. Very cool stuff.

 

[TACMON]

I majored in biochemistry, biophysics, and molecular biology. But I also took theatre classes, piano, numerous literature and writing courses, pubic speaking and rhetoric, history and political science, spanish, etc. Students could not vote for election at my liberal arts college, only faculty. I do not think that I would have been elected if I had not excelled in the humanities and the social sciences, even though I was a hard science major where it was much more difficult to get stellar grades.

Like I said, I am a history buff - PBK was founded in 1776 and the first chapter had to disband and the initial members fled when the British army marched into Williamsburg. Very cool stuff.

agreed, professors on my school's board were not science profs, and i was elected by a history professor

 

[deleted454156]

agreed, professors on my school's board were not science profs, and i was elected by a history professor

How do you even know who elected you? I remember just getting mail saying I was nominated... I thought it was a way more number-based process than you guys are making it out to be.

 

[TACMON]

How do you even know who elected you? I remember just getting mail saying I was nominated... I thought it was a way more number-based process than you guys are making it out to be.

i had a great semester with the guy and he was the only PBK professor I had, he even wrote an LOR for my app...so it was an easy judgement

 

[unhappytnt]

I just got invited to Phi Betta Kappa. I got e-mails from three professors from the biology department congratulating me (I don't know how they knew). I guess it's kind of a big deal, but I don't know how adcomms view it.

 

[kpcrew]

if it's just those two classes, why not?
phi beta kappa impresses me, the kids that got into it from my school are among the most intelligent people that i know.

 

[searun]

I just got invited to Phi Betta Kappa. I got e-mails from three professors from the biology department congratulating me (I don't know how they knew). I guess it's kind of a big deal, but I don't know how adcomms view it.

Accept. Will it determine whether or not you get accepted to med school? No, of course not, but it is a significant recognition for your academic career. You will find Supreme Court Justices and famous scientists, and world class writers who are members of Phi Beta Kappa. Many famous doctors. It cost me $75 and my parents got to attend a great brunch at no cost during my college commencement weekend and my old man was proud - so money well spent.

Do it! Ad Comms will view it favorably but it will not make the difference between acceptance and rejection - but it definitely is a positive.

Why not? Not everything in life revolves around med school or med school admissions.

 

[kexy]

PBK will always be a nice thing to put on your resume, and I think some members of admissions committees might care about it. I got a few comments on it from interviewers. If you're applying to med schools that recommend/require Spanish or are in Spanish-speaking urban areas, I would think seriously about taking the extra classes. Spanish will help you anyway, and PBK would be a nice touch.

 

[benzonase]

I started at a community college then transferred to a UC and got into PBK by graduation.

Im using to my induction (and mcat) to try and tell adcoms my grades werent a lie and im not a joke student ;p

Uphill battle here I come~

 

[varsityblue]

I say go for it. PBK is really great to have on your resume and affords lifetime benefits. Heck, it's the only reason I plan on doing a Ph.D. in demography at a PBK school alongside my MD!