Honor societies seem like untouchable to the average freshman and sophomore, something that will be dealt with at a later date. That’s because many have the preconception that all societies are exclusive to upperclassmen, which is certainly not true. While a majority of societies are exclusive to the junior and senior class since they require taking an AP course, there are some that are still open to anyone who fits the criteria.

   Some underclassmen are quickly learning that they have the prerequisites to join honor societies like Math Honor Society (Algebra 2 prerequisite) and National Art Honor Society (Any art class prerequisite). Most of the time though, the opportunities are missed by underclassman as some realize their eligibility too late or others don’t even realize it at all. To those who were willing to be committed, it’s an unfortunately missed opportunity.

   Although the application process and duties of each society differs, it’s important to know why some are so adamant about joining honor societies. In other words, why do honor societies matter? Yes, they look good in college applications, of course, but there should be more to why one joins than that. Honor societies are created for those who have a special interest in the subject or want to take on more responsibility as members. Societies have an application process to determine who is serious about commitment and who’s not, but it’s important that you know what you’re signing up for and think it through beforehand.

   The moral of the story is while some underclassmen do have the opportunity to join societies, they shouldn’t feel pressured to join them just for the sake of it. For some, it might be better to just wait until junior or senior year when they’re ready to take on that kind of responsibility. For others, they’re seizing the moment now.