what are the qualifications for phi beta kappa
Phi Beta Kappa According to Phi Beta Kappa, the organization has chapters in about 10% of American higher learning institutions, and about 10% of these schools' Arts and Sciences graduates are invited to join the society.[9] Although most students are elected in their senior year, many colleges elect a very limited number of extremely select students in their junior year, generally less than 2% of the class.[10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Each chapter sets its own academic standards, but all inductees must have studied the liberal arts and sciences (Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree candidates), demonstrated "good moral character", and, usually, earned grades placing them in the top tenth of their class.[17] (However, at least one school, Princeton University, includes Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) students in Phi Beta Kappa.[18]) There is a mandatory initiation fee (between US$50 and US$90, as of 2005), which is sometimes covered by the inductee's university.[17]
Alpha Phi Alpha Robert Ogle had seen an article in the Chicago Defender magazine about a Negro fraternity at Ohio State University called Pi Gamma Omicron, of which the university had no knowledge.[9][10] Pi Gamma Omicron inspired Ogle to try to transform the literary society into a fraternity.[9] There was disagreement about the group's purpose: some wanted a social and literary club where everyone could participate; others wanted a traditional fraternal organization. Poindexter felt the group should serve the cultural and social needs of the black community and not be an elite secret society.[11] The society decided to work to provide a literary, study, social, and support group for all minority students who encountered social and academic racial prejudice.[4] On October 23, 1906, George Kelley proposed that the organization be officially known by the Greek letters Alpha Phi Alpha, and Robert Ogle proposed the colors black and old gold. Poindexter became the first President of Alpha Phi Alpha; under his leadership, the first banquet, initiation procedures, and policies were introduced.[11][5]