Debunking Myths About Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society

Some honor societies invite upperclassmen only. Well, Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD), which has 279 chapters, exclusively invites freshmen students.

You can be invited to join the organization if you have impressive academic performance during your first year of college.

But is it worth it to grab the opportunity to become a member?

Perks of joining Alpha Lambda Delta, such as scholarship and leadership- and career-building programs well worth the membership fee and local chapter dues. This invitation-only honor society is exclusive to freshmen students. To get invited, one must be enrolled full-time and has a GPA of at least 3.5.

Read on if you have no idea whether or not you should RSVP to ALD’s invitation.

In this post, I will talk about some of the most important things you need to know about Alpha Lambda Delta, thus allowing you to decide if you should be a member of it or another similar organization.

Who Gets Invited to Join Alpha Lambda Delta?

Alpha Lambda Delta invites only freshmen students. To receive an invitation to join the honor society, students must also be enrolled full-time and have taken a full course load during their first semester. The minimum GPA requirement is 3.5, although ALD chapters may set their own eligibility requirements for hopefuls to meet.

Because membership to Alpha Lambda Delta, just like what was mentioned earlier, is on an invitation-only basis, you can be sure that not everyone will not be asked by the organization to join.

It goes without saying, too, that you will have to meet certain requirements to get an invite.

Unlike some honor societies where one can be asked to join no matter the year level, ALD invitations are solely for first-year students who are enrolled full-time, which means that they are taking 12 credits or more during the semester.

It’s also a must for them to meet the minimum GPA requirement of 3.5 — an APL chapter may choose to raise or lower the requirement.

Transfer students may be eligible for membership to Alpha Lambda Delta, provided that they meet the requirements. For instance, once their previous institutions have certified their transfer, they may be initiated as a member.

Based on a report by Food Service Director, around 56% of current college students say that they are lonely.

On the other hand, about 47% admit to feeling isolated.

Since ALD is exclusive to first-year students, being a member of the organization, which invites only students in their year level, may help them meet new people and make new friends.

Costs of Being a Member of Alpha Lambda Delta

Numerous perks can be enjoyed by joining honor societies, particularly reputable ones. However, before you get to enjoy them, you will have to first shell out money to become a member.

It’s a good thing that the membership fee for Alpha Lambda Delta isn’t that expensive: $30.

What’s more, that’s how much it will cost you to become a member for life — yes, there’s no need to pay dues annually just to have your membership maintained, which isn’t the case with some honor societies.

But, as mentioned earlier, the ALD chapter in your college is likely to charge you with local chapter dues.

How much you will have to pay for local chapter dues, which pay for chapter operating expenses such as member mailings, service projects and local scholarships, will depend on the chapter.

Alpha Lambda Delta dues can be refunded provided that you request it before you receive your membership certificate.

Can You Lose Your Alpha Lambda Delta Membership?

Alpha Lambda Delta members are members for life. However, their membership can be taken away if they have been found to violate the academic honesty policy of their respective institutions. Although ALD encourages academic excellence throughout college, members are not removed from the roster if their GPAs drop.

It’s no secret that having a minimum GPA is one of the requirements in some honor societies. This is especially true for those where membership is on an invitation-only basis.

Maintaining a certain GPA, in most instances, is also a must to maintain membership.

As a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, you don’t have to worry about losing your membership if your grades drop — no one’s membership will be taken away for failing to maintain their GPA.

As a matter of fact, all members may wear the ALD regalia during graduation no matter the GPA for as long as the institution allows it.

Members who graduate with a GPA of not less than 3.5, however, may receive a senior certificate from the honor society in order to acknowledge their academic achievement.

In terms of devoting time to the organization, Alpha Lambda Delta itself says that its members can be involved with the honor society as they want, which means that they may or may not participate in the activities conducted by their respective ALD chapters without any effect whatsoever on their membership status.

Still, ALD encourages members to be as active as they can to enjoy the many perks that come with being a member.

More than a third of all students pursuing an undergraduate degree transfer colleges. As a matter of fact, almost half of those who do transfer schools more than once!

If you are a member of Alpha Lambda Delta and you wish to transfer to another institution, you will retain your membership — you will become a member of the ALD chapter in your new college. Fret not if the school doesn’t have a chapter of the honor society.

That’s because you will be added to the organization’s national chapter.

Benefits Alpha Lambda Delta Members Can Enjoy

Members of Alpha Lambda Delta can enjoy a number of benefits not only throughout their college careers but also while preparing for and during their professional careers. They range from scholarships of $1,000 to $6,000, more than 300,000 exclusive discounts and perks, volunteer opportunities to career preparation programs.

Being a member of an honor society, especially one like Alpha Lambda Delta where students can become members only if invited for meeting certain academic requirements, can make you a standout on campus.

But other than having bragging rights, you can also take advantage of the perks that come with an legitimate ALD membership.

Some of them include:

Financial assistance

There are different scholarship programs exclusive to ALD members. For instance, 50 undergraduate scholarships are awarded annually, each one ranging from $1,000 to $6,000. On the other hand, 20 study-abroad scholarships are awarded every year. Graduate students may also win fellowships ranging from $2,000 to $7,000.

Discounts and promotions

According to Alpha Lambda Delta itself, members can win exclusive perks and savings of more than $4,500 from 302,000 available discounts, including retail items, food, movie tickets, recreation, travel and vacations.

The honor society also offers wellness rewards, which are perfect for members who are looking to improve their health and well-being.

Leadership building

Members can partake in activities that can help improve their self-confidence, productivity and communication and leadership skills through the organization’s ALD Leads Certified program, which is a certificate series in partnership with Lead365.

Those who complete 10 out of 12 programs receive a nationally-recognized certificate.

Conclusion: Is Alpha Lambda Delta Worth Joining

It’s during your first year of college when you are likely to receive an invitation from Alpha Lambda Delta — no other students on the campus will get an invite as it’s exclusive to freshmen students.

With a one-time membership fee amounting to $30, it’s one of the cheapest honor societies to join. But to have a much better idea of whether or not it’s the right organization for you, get in touch with the ALD chapter advisor to ask some of the most pressing questions about Alpha Lambda Delta you have in mind.

Related Questions

When was Alpha Lambda Delta founded?

Since 1924, some form of Alpha Lambda Delta has existed. The organization’s founder was the Dean of Women at the University of Illinois. It came into being when ALD’s founder thought that it’s about time that female first-year students also enjoyed the benefits of being a part of an honor society like male first-year students.

Is Alpha Lambda Delta a certified honor society?

Alpha Lambda Delta is a certified member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS). The said organization sets the standards for national honor societies. Also, ALD has the Platinum Seal of Transparency through GuideStar, which obtains and provides information on IRS-registered non-profit organizations.

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