Phi Theta Kappa is the international honor society of two-year colleges; Rho Theta is Mt. Hood’s chapter.

You are eligible to join the honor society if you have completed 12 or more credits that count toward a degree at Mt. Hood and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher. You’ll receive a letter from the president’s office if you meet the qualifications, are currently enrolled for at least 6 credits, and have provided MHCC with an accurate mailing address.

If you have not received a letter - and believe you should have - you can contact Rho Theta to verify if you qualify. If you attended MHCC more than five years ago and the old grades are keeping your GPA from meeting the 3.5 requirement, please contact us so that we can recalculate it with only your recent grades.

The application period for membership is open for a few weeks in the Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms. Letters go out to everyone who meets the qualifications and are currently enrolled for at least six credits. Check the letter and application, as it will give specifics about when the application period closes. We'll also post the application deadline information on our web site each term.

Membership not only recognizes your academic achievements, but can help you qualify scholarships and looks good on your resume, too. And only Phi Theta Kappa members can wear those nifty gold stoles and blue/gold cords with their graduation regalia

Membership to Rho Theta is only $75, as part of the membership fee is graciously covered by the school. This amount covers your dues to international, the region, and the local chapter. If you were previously a PTK member in good standing at another school, we can transfer your membership to Rho Theta with only the local chapter fee of $20.

Yes, there is. Applications are available in our office. This scholarship covers $50 of the $75 cost for dues. If you are selected for a scholarship, you will only have to pay $25 for all the benefits of Phi Theta Kappa and Rho Theta.

A completed scholarship submission consists of the scholarship application, information requested (a few paragraphs about you, your goals, financial need, etc.), Rho Theta/PTK membership application, and $25. It should be submitted in a sealed envelope so that the payment is not processed before scholarships are awarded.

Scholarship applications must be in by the deadline to be considered - no late applications and no incomplete applications.

While we do host several events throughout the year, both on campus in and in the community, we often ask for volunteers. However, unlike other groups on campus, Rho Theta does not require its members to any time commitments.

It will take a few weeks for your information to be added into the various levels and to be in the PTK system. Once it is in the system, you have access to features such as my.ptk.org, Competitive Edge, and College Fish. However, as far as Rho Theta is concerned you're a member as soon as we receive your application and dues.

You'll receive a member number in the mail, which is your username on the web site. However, it can take a while for the membership package to arrive - around six to eight weeks. You may also receive an email with your membership number in it. If you do not, here is how you can locate that information:

• Go to http://www.ptk.org
• Click on the green "Log In" button
• At the bottom of the log in box click on "Forgot your login? Get it reset."
• On the next page input the email address that you gave to PTK on your membership application
• Check your email for a message from PTK regarding resetting your login

Membership packages - membership card, certificate, and key pin - can take six to eight weeks to arrive. If it has been some time since you joined and you still have not received your membership package, PTK's Key Services Department will be happy to help you. Email them at help@ptk.org or give them a call at 800-946-9995 and they'll do our best to track down the problem.

These packages come straight from Phi Theta Kappa, and as such we cannot replace them in our office.

Yes. According to the International Constitution and Bylaws, part-time students may be eligible IF they have accumulated the number of hours over two or more academic terms used by your institution to designate full-time status (usually 12 hours on a semester system). The decision to declare part-time students eligible is an option of the local chapter and should be addressed in each chapter's bylaws. Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters strongly encourages the eligibility of part-time students, and currently more than 90 percent of all chapters allow part-time students to be inducted.

A student becomes a member when his/her membership application has been approved and membership fees have been paid. The Society's induction requirement is met when the student signs the Membership Oath which appears on the membership application. A student must be recorded as a member at Headquarters in order to receive all the rights, privileges, and benefits of membership.

Yes. A student need not necessarily be planning to receive an associate degree, as long as he or she has accumulated at least 12 hours of course work that could be applied toward an associate degree where the student is currently enrolled. Therefore, students taking basic course work at a two-year institution, with plans to transfer to a four-year institution without completing associate degree requirements are eligible if they have accumulated their 12 hours and meet academic grade point average requirements.

Maybe. A certificate student may be eligible for membership if the student has accumulated at least 12 hours of course work that could be applied toward an associate degree at the two-year college where the student is currently enrolled.