The WHHS Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) recently raised its scholarship standards by increasing the GPA requirement to 3.65 for the class of 2021.

Currently, students eligible for NHS must maintain a 3.5 GPA and submit an application packet including a teacher recommendation and evidence of community service. This reflects the four pillars of the organization: character, scholarship, leadership, and service. Usually 90 students from each class are accepted, where they participate in various service, donation, and tutoring events.

“We want to make it more challenging and give students a higher goal to strive towards,” said NHS Adviser Andrew Poalillo. “Other schools around the area have a GPA requirement of 3.75 or even 4.0, and we want the Wayne Hills chapter up to par as well.”

The decision to raise the minimum GPA has positive and negative consequences: NHS members will be held to higher academic standards, but less students will be inducted each year.

Vice President Stef Batavia commented, “180 members is a lot to keep track of, so having less inductees in the future might be better… I still agree that currently, it’s a little too easy to get in.”

Senior Gabe Geytsman also thinks there is an upside. “One of the good things is that there’ll be more spots open for events or opportunities to get credits if there are less people. Right now, when you try to sign up for something, all the spots are taken.”

Underclassmen think differently of the change in requirements. “It’ll be more challenging to balance sports and academics since a higher GPA is pressuring,” said freshman Courtney Ruedt. The new policy will affect all current freshmen applying for the organization in their junior year as well as the classes that follow.