Do graduate schools pay attention to joining Phi Kappa Phi or other honor societies?

Do graduate schools pay attention to joining Phi Kappa Phi or other honor societies?

As I understand it, eligibility for membership in Phi Kappa Phi is entirely determined by grades and class rank. If so, it won't help with grad school applications, since the admissions committee already has access to far more information about grades than they would learn from knowing the applicant is a member.

Some fields may have honor societies for which membership conveys more information, but I do not think there is any widely known, field-independent example in the U.S.

In my experience on graduate admissions committees in mathematics, I've never heard anyone discuss honor societies at all.

I joined an honor society as an undergraduate, not because I saw personal benefits to it but because my parents would have been disappointed if I had declined membership. The only consequence for me has been that they occasionally send me a newsletter, but I'm told some people do find membership to be useful or meaningful.

I am a little late to the conversation but here is my two cents for anyone who reads this in the future.

I chose to join PKP for my own personal amusement. In addition, I joined while already in graduate school and I was wanting a new MacBook. PKP boasts Apple discounts for their members. I was more than disappointed when I learned that Apple only gives PKP discounts on random items; none of which, at least at the time, included MacBooks. As I investigated other "discounts" offered to members, I found that they were equally lame, for lack of a better term.

After my initial year, I chose to not renew my active membership because I was already a lifetime member (everyone who joins is) and the only benefit I saw to paying annual dues would be for access to apply for scholarships that I may or may not have won. Even then, I was already finished with school so that didn't apply to me. Their "career" advice is basically an online form that you complete, which is pretty much a super secret LinkedIn service, through which I was never contacted by a prospective employer.

They used to have their member directory online but now, they have converted it to a actual book that one may only have for a fee. Not long ago, they emailed me asking me to call and update my information for said book. I did so out of curiosity and spoke to someone I could barely understand who, I believe, was also trying to sell me something.

It was a fun honor to wear PKP garb at graduation and I sometimes enjoy the bragging rights. I do put it on my resume, but I do not think it has ever helped or hindered my applications.

I'd join again, but I'd never pay money to keep my membership "active." It benefits me in no way.

On the other side of the coin (just to give perspective, I'm not suggesting honour societies are bad or detrimental!!) some graduate schools (depending on the country you apply for) and potential academic supervisors might look down on you joining an honour society.

Honour societies or Frats/Sororities as many non-US countries will recognise them might make the automatic assumption that you've joined a 'party house' despite that many honour societies are anything but. This is due to the consistent perception of these societies in various films/newspapers etc as being depicted as such, where academics and education are the least of student's concerns.

It really depends on where you are applying and the program you are applying for. If you decide to apply outside of the US, belonging to a general honour society could (I stress could, doesn't mean it will) be detrimental to your application. In Australia or the UK, or Europe or even Canada to a degree, an honour society does nothing for your graduate school application. It's really only relevant for the US.

Honour societies (from my understanding as a non-US person based in Australia) are great for business opportunities and networking for jobs, but I'm not sure about their potential in helping you do research (which is the point of graduate school).

I think if you'd like to join an honour society, you should join one where academics and/or research are the main priority, but also have a think about where you'd like to go to graduate school.