The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) is a leadership honor society with chapters at more than 800 colleges across the United States. It operates as a certified B Corporation (a for-profit entity that meets certain social impact standards) and charges a one-time $95 membership fee. Unlike traditional honor societies that simply recognize academic achievement, the NSLS requires members to complete a structured leadership program before they can be formally inducted.
How the NSLS Works
The NSLS describes its core mission as “building leaders who make a better world.” In practice, the organization partners with colleges to identify students, invite them to join, and then guide them through a multi-step leadership development program. That program includes live-streamed speaker events, small-group goal-setting meetings called Success Networking Teams, and a leadership training certificate upon completion.
The organization is not a traditional honor society in the way most people think of one. Groups like Phi Beta Kappa or similar societies accredited by the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) typically have strict GPA cutoffs and no membership fees, or very small ones. The NSLS is not accredited by the ACHS, and its model blends recognition with a paid leadership curriculum. That distinction matters when you’re deciding whether to join.
Who Gets Invited and How
Students don’t apply out of the blue. Each campus chapter has a chapter leader (often a faculty or staff member) who selects students based on GPA, leadership potential, or both. The specific criteria vary by school. If you receive a nomination letter or email, it means your college’s chapter flagged you based on its own standards.
If you weren’t nominated but want to join, you can go through a separate application process online. That route requires a recommendation from at least one faculty member. If approved, you receive a nomination code and are considered a pre-inducted member, meaning you still need to complete the full leadership program before you earn inducted status.
Being nominated does not automatically make you a member. Nomination gets you in the door. To be inducted, you must attend the required speaker broadcasts, participate in Success Networking Team meetings, and complete the other program steps your chapter outlines. Several students have noted that this workload caught them off guard after paying the fee, so it’s worth understanding the time commitment before you enroll.
What It Costs
Membership requires a one-time payment of $95 at enrollment. There are no recurring annual dues, and the NSLS says membership does not expire, giving you lifetime access to the online members area. Some chapters may have minor local costs for events or regalia, but the national organization does not charge beyond the initial fee.
Member Benefits
The benefits fall into a few categories: scholarships, career resources, and the leadership training itself.
- Scholarships and awards: The NSLS Foundation distributes over $400,000 per year in scholarships and grants ranging from $500 to $7,500 each. These include need-based scholarships, mission-based awards for community service, and Stephen Covey Tribute Awards. Some scholarships are only open to inducted members, so completing the program expands your eligibility.
- Job and internship access: Inducted members get access to a job board with employers specifically looking to hire NSLS members. You also receive a personalized letter of recommendation and access to an interview preparation series.
- Speaker events: The organization hosts six live-streamed speaker broadcasts per year featuring authors, entrepreneurs, and public figures. An archive of roughly 100 past presentations is available online.
- Leadership training tools: Members take a DiSC communication assessment, which profiles your communication style and helps you work more effectively with others. You also receive a leadership training certificate after completing the program.
Is the NSLS Legitimate?
This is the question behind most searches about the NSLS, and the answer depends on what you mean by “legitimate.” The organization is a real, legally operating entity with chapters hosted by accredited colleges. It is not a scam in the sense that it takes your money and disappears. You do get access to the benefits listed above, and the scholarships are real.
That said, the NSLS draws consistent criticism on a few points. Some students feel that the invitation letters are misleading, using language like “only a select percentage of students are nominated” in ways that make the selection sound more exclusive than it is. Others have complained that the $95 fee is presented upfront without a clear picture of how much work the induction process requires, leaving them feeling they paid for something they didn’t fully understand. The organization’s Better Business Bureau profile includes complaints from students who felt the marketing was more aggressive than the actual value delivered.
The lack of ACHS accreditation is another sticking point. Many employers and graduate admissions offices recognize ACHS-accredited societies as markers of academic distinction. The NSLS may not carry the same weight on a resume, though it can still demonstrate initiative if you completed the program and took advantage of the leadership training.
How to Decide Whether to Join
The $95 fee is modest compared to many college expenses, but it’s not nothing. Before you pay, ask yourself a few practical questions. Will you actually attend the speaker events and Success Networking Team meetings required for induction? If not, you’ll end up paying for a membership you never activate. Are the scholarships relevant to you? If you’re eligible and willing to apply, access to $400,000 in annual award funding could easily justify the fee. Do you need resume builders? The leadership certificate and letter of recommendation have some value, especially early in your career, though they won’t substitute for internships or work experience.
If your school also has chapters of ACHS-accredited honor societies you qualify for, those may carry more recognition with employers and graduate programs. But if the NSLS leadership curriculum genuinely interests you and you’ll engage with the program, the membership can offer tangible skills and networking opportunities that go beyond a line on your resume.