Are Honor Societies Worth It? A Guide to PTK and AGS

Sometime in your first or second semester, you will get an email with a fancy gold seal subject line: "Invitation to Join [Greek Letters] Honor Society."

Is it a scam? Is it a prestige booster that will guarantee your admission to Stanford? Or is it just a way to pay $95 for a stole to wear at graduation?

The reality is nuanced. At Santa Monica College (SMC), there are specific "High Value" honor societies and programs that actually matter for transfer—specifically for UCLA TAP (Transfer Alliance Program)—and there are others that are largely just for show. This guide breaks down exactly which ones are worth your time and money.

1. The Gold Standard: SMC Scholars Program (TAP)

This is arguably not an "honor society" in the club sense, but an academic program. However, it is the most important thing you can join at SMC if you want to go to UCLA.

The Scholars Program grants you access to the Transfer Alliance Program (TAP). Historically, TAP students have a transfer admission rate to UCLA of over 70-80%, compared to the general transfer rate of ~20-25%.

These classes aren't necessarily "harder" in terms of grading—in fact, many honors professors are more engaging and lenient because the class sizes are smaller (20 students vs 45). The focus is on critical thinking and writing rather than multiple choice rote memorization.

2. Phi Theta Kappa (PTK): The Scholarship Engine

Phi Theta Kappa is the international honor society for two-year colleges. You've probably seen their emails.

Is it worth the ~$90 fee?
Yes, if you are rigorous about applying for scholarships. PTK members get access to a proprietary scholarship portal. There are universities (like LMU, USC, Chapman, and many out-of-state schools) that have designated "PTK Transfer Scholarships" that grant $2,000 to $5,000 a year automatically just for being a member.

If you are planning to transfer to a UC (which focuses on need-based aid), the PTK benefit is smaller, but it still looks great on a resume as a signifier of consistent high academic performance (usually requiring a 3.5+ GPA).

3. Alpha Gamma Sigma (AGS)

Alpha Gamma Sigma is the California Community College Honor Society. The SMC chapter is very active.

While PTK is "Pay fee → Get Membership," AGS makes you work for it. You usually have to complete 10-20 hours of community service per semester to maintain active status.

Why join?
Because of the service requirement, "Permanent Member of AGS" on a transcript signals to admissions officers that you didn't just study—you contributed to the campus. It validates your "Community Service" hours on your UC application.

4. "For-Profit" Honor Societies (The Trap)

You might also get emails from organizations with names like "The National Society of Leadership and Success" or "The Golden Key."

Strategy: The "Triple Threat"

For the ultimate competitive resume, aim for this combination:

1. Scholars Program: Prioritize this above all else. Take English 1H, Poli Sci 1H, etc. This gets you the UCLA TAP Certification.
2. AGS or PTK Officer Role: Don't just be a member. Run for "Treasurer" or "Service Director." This checks the "Leadership" box.
3. Departmental Honors: Some departments have their own awards. Getting an award from the Math department because you crushed Math 7 and Math 8 (Calculus 1 & 2) stands out.

Back to Student Guides.