Phi Beta Kappa

Phi Beta Kappa, founded in 1776, is the oldest and most prestigious of the honor societies with chapters in 270 colleges and universities in the United States. “Its campus chapters invite for induction the most outstanding arts and sciences students…” The Johns Hopkins University chapter, Alpha of Maryland, was founded in 1895. Each spring, the Committee meets to elect its new members, evaluating upperclassmen on their dedication to learning, willingness to challenge themselves, and their high cumulative grade point average. Generally, juniors that are elected to Phi Beta Kappa rank in the top 2 percent of their class, while elected seniors rank in the top 10 percent of their graduating class. To be considered as a junior, one must have completed five semesters at Hopkins with a minimum of 48 graded credits. Seniors must have signified their intent to graduate and be officially listed on the graduation list. They also must meet the residency requirement of 48 graded credits. At the time of consideration, the student’s transcript must be complete without M or I grades as these can adversely affect the GPA. Even though they may satisfy the criteria for election, students with known ethical and disciplinary issues will not be considered.

Phi Beta Kappa National Website: www.pbk.org

Last modified: July 16, 2008