No. Phi Theta Kappa is an international honor society for two-year colleges that was founded in 1918. Phi Theta Kappa's nonprofit mission is to recognize and promote student academic achievement. PTK provides opportunities to cultivate professional and leadership skills, secure scholarships, explore diverse career paths, and build a network of supportive peers and trusted advisors that last a lifetime.

Students with a GPA of 3.25 or higher who have completed 12 credit hours in a transfer program (AA, AS, AGS degree) or who have completed 6 credit hours in a Career and Technical Education (AAS degree) or certificate program will receive an invitation directly from Phi Theta Kappa. The invitation may come to either your personal or student email, so be sure to check both.

Students who are actively receiving Pell Grant funds in the semester that they're invited are eligible to apply for the President's Pell Grant Scholarship. This scholarship will cover your one-time membership dues. However, it is important to note that you must go through the President’s Pell Grant Scholarship process, because if you pay out of pocket, you cannot be reimbursed.

Keep an eye on the Stall Street Journal and campus announcements for information about upcoming Orientations and General Meetings.

• Prestigious Recognition: that distinguishes members as scholars and leaders.
• Scholarships: millions of dollars that can be used for associate's, bachelor's, and even some master’s degrees.
• Campus Involvement: through leadership roles, service projects, or connecting with like-minded peers.
• Professional Development: PTK Edge courses that can boost your career skills and confidence.
• PTK Connect: ultimate tool for finding the right college, scholarship, or career fit.
• FAFSA Mentor: helps you navigate the FAFSA process with ease. 
• Expert Advise: on career planning, mental health, and academic success.
• Member Savings: exclusive deals that make student life more affordable and manageable.
• Direct Transfer Admissions: skip the traditional application process and receive admission offers directly—often with waived application fees—through PTK Connect.

You can invest as much or as little time as you would like in your experiences with Phi Theta Kappa. As one of our chapter advisors likes to put it, “It is like a gym membership.” It is the same concept; you can have the membership and do nothing with it, or you can invest in strengthening yourself in a community of people who seek building relationships with like-minded comrades in your college. Members can attend executive meetings to give input on how the chapter is progressing and striving to maintain a five-star status. There are officer positions available to those who would like to invest more in their experience, which has perks of its own. There are regional and international conferences that can be attended to meet other chapters and develop leadership skills. Active members are also able to go to these conferences. Each semester we have an Honors in Action Project and a College Project. These are team efforts to improve understanding of issues that we face, and how we can bring awareness and even solutions to such problems.

The Five Star Chapter Plan engages chapters in Phi Theta Kappa programs and celebrates their accomplishments. It outlines 10 essentials to creating an engaged chapter and organizes them into themed categories, or “stars”.

PTK chapters conduct undergraduate research through the Honors in Action (HIA). Program. HIA combines Honors Study Topic exploration, problem solving, and action-oriented service to address real-world challenges in our communities. Students gain job-related experience while creating lasting impacts in their communities as they engage in HIA.

The College Project was designed to help develop a positive relationship between your chapter and the college administration. The college president will work with the chapter to create a project that benefits the campus community.  The projects vary, depending on PPSC’s strategic plan.  Designed to help students complete their degree, AGA PTK created the Passport to Completion to integrate students socially and academically by making them aware of the college services available.

Transfer Edge will prepare you to transfer successfully to a four-year college. Seeing as transferring can be a complicated process, Transfer Edge helps you to consider the variables, identify themes, and best practices that will give you your very best shot at being accepted to the institution of your dreams. This online course allows you to go at your own pace with videos, reading, resources, and quick quizzes to track your progression. Within the program, there’s a section that not only helps you to seek funding but also helps you to identify resources to obtain the education you want without breaking the bank. The application process can feel quite daunting, especially since it is an unfamiliar concept seeing as throughout most of our educational journeys, transferring schools is not traditional. Mock essays are also provided to practice the most likely topics to ensure the best outcome for success. Scholarships are also addressed in this program; the program helps you to create a scholarship resume.

Employment Edge is designed to gain a better understanding of how to perfect the application components that employers require. Just as Transfer Edge is a self-paced course, so is Employment Edge. This program helps identify employer’s goals, identifies career-specific and general employment skills, develops networking skills, identifies the steps of effective job searches, identifies steps to succeed in the interview process, and so much more. If any part of the employment process baffles you, this program will help you gain the confidence to rock that interview!

Competitive Edge has a slightly different purpose than Employment Edge. They are both beneficial to grow in professionalism that college and the workplace demands. There are three primary objectives for Competitive Edge:

1. Strengthening soft skill.
2. Creating an action plan for the career of your dream.
3. To give you a competitive advantage in achieving your college and career goals.

For members, this program is included in the membership fee. There is no additional charge for using these resources. These programs are not requirements for being a member of Phi Theta Kappa, but the skills you earn through the accomplishment of completing the programs are well worth the time and effort.

Graduation is the perfect time to show your accomplishments through your PTK regalia. There are medallions, stoles, and cords available at the PTK store if you would like to display your academic accomplishments at graduation. You are more than welcome to buy them any time after becoming a member. 

We suggest getting your regalia at least three weeks in advance. Otherwise, you may have to select a more expensive option to receive your package in time for graduation day.