The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline honor society. Standards for election are extremely high. Membership is by invitation only to top junior, seniors and graduate students, as well as to outstanding faculty and staff. Because Phi Kappa Phi is highly selective, membership is a stamp of excellence that is recognized by graduate and professional school admissions committees and employers alike.

Phi Kappa Phi is much more than a line on a résumé: it is a community of top scholars and professionals and gain access to resources and benefits designed to serve its members' academic and professional needs. Undergraduate students members of Phi Kappa Phi are also eligible to apply for numerous Scholarships and Awards, valued at more than $700,000 annually.

Unlike most other collegiate "honor societies," Phi Kappa Phi is not a student organization. Rather, it is a comprehensive organization drawing its members from among our university's students, staff and faculty. As such, Phi Kappa Phi is not listed as a student organization, nor does it have a faculty/staff advisor. Instead, the UT Arlington chapter is housed in the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and is led by a executive committee that is comprised of faculty and students.

Membership in the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is earned. Admission is by invitation and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. The governing bylaws of the Society set extremely high standards for membership, including (but not limited to):

• Juniors must rank scholastically in the top 7.5 percent of their class.
• Seniors must rank in the top 10 percent of their class.
• Graduate students must rank in the upper 10 percent of their class.
• Faculty, professional staff, and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also may be eligible for membership.

To learn more about the benefits of membership, visit the Phi Kappa Phi website: http://www.phikappaphi.org/web/Members/Member_Benefits.html.

Some have asked, "If Phi Kappa Phi is so prestigious, why is it not a member of the ACHS?" The answer is complex, but in short, Phi Kappa Phi – along with Phi Beta Kappa – opted to leave the ACHS because of concerns regarding the direction that the ACHS was taking, particularly in terms of how one might define "academic excellence." This departure from the ACHS does not negate the fact that Phi Kappa Phi was a founding member of the ACHS, but it does underscore the importance that Phi Kappa Phi attaches to maintain the highest possible standards when it comes to membership.