How to Politely Decline an Honor Society Invitation

The Awkward Faculty Nomination

You are a sophomore with a 3.4 GPA. Your favorite English professor pulls you aside and says, "I nominated you for the Sigma Tau English Honor Society. Look out for the email."

You receive the email. The society requires a $120 fee, and after researching it, you realize it provides absolutely no resume value for your specific career path in Corporate Finance.

You want to decline, but you don't want to insult the professor who went out of their way to nominate you. How do you handle this?

The Financial Excuse (The Best Route)

Never tell a professor that you think the society is a scam or a waste of time. They clearly value it, and insulting the society is insulting their judgement.

The easiest, most polite way to decline is to use the Financial Excuse.

Send a polite email: "Dear Professor Smith, I am incredibly honored that you nominated me for Sigma Tau. It means a great deal to me. Unfortunately, I am currently on a very strict budget to pay for my tuition, and I cannot afford the $120 induction fee at this time. I will have to respectfully decline, but I deeply appreciate your support."

No professor will ever argue with a student claiming financial hardship. It preserves the relationship perfectly.

The Time-Commitment Excuse

If the society has no fee, but requires 20 hours of volunteering per semester that you don't have time for, use the Time Excuse.

"Dear Professor Smith, I am deeply honored by the nomination. However, between my 18-credit course load and my part-time job, I am completely maxed out on time. I don't want to join Sigma Tau unless I can dedicate the hours required to be an active, contributing member. I must regretfully decline so I can focus on my core classes."

This makes you look responsible, mature, and dedicated to your studies, completely saving face with the faculty member.