Phi Beta Kappa

Selection for membership in Phi Beta Kappa remains one of the few nationally recognized marks of scholastic attainment. It seems appropriate to bring interested Arts College faculty and students up to date concerning the procedures followed at Cornell for selection to and induction into Phi Beta Kappa. We give a short procedural timetable below:

1. Early in the spring semester (February), the Arts and Sciences Registrar's Office and the Cornell Chapter officers will review the course grades of graduating seniors who have completed 7 terms (and those who have accelerated their graduation and will complete less than 8 terms). Grades from terms with Cornell Abroad do not count in the calculation of a student's GPA for consideration into Phi Beta Kappa, although participation in this program does not make a student ineligible for membership.
2. Selection is based on grade point average only and membership is reserved only for students within the College of Arts and Sciences. Only students whose G.P.A. falls within the top 10% of their graduating class are eligible for membership. 3.65 is the lowest possible qualifying G.P.A. at the bottom of the top 10% range. However, the qualifying G.P.A. is a calculation of the top 10% relative to the overall G.P.A.s of each particular graduating class and therefore fluctuates each year.
3. Transfers to Cornell will be considered only after 4 complete semesters at Cornell.
4. Only Cornell grades will be considered.
5. After graduation, a check will be made to see if any graduating senior's eighth term brought him/her above the G.P.A. minimum set for the top 10% after 7 semesters. That senior will be elected retroactively to Phi Beta Kappa
6. The annual induction ceremony will be held on the Saturday of commencement weekend.

The official Phi Beta Kappa website can be found at www.pbk.org.

If you have any questions regarding the selection of students to PHI BETA KAPPA, please feel free to contact:

Michelle Stepanok
mlb94@cornell.edu
College of Arts & Sciences, Dean's Office, 147 Goldwin Smith Hall
Phone:(607)255-1097