CSF Information

Upon completion of the first semester of the sophomore year, students may apply for membership. This is the first semester that counts towards CSF honor graduation.

Associate members are those students who are applying based on grades they earned as a freshman (applying in the spring after first semester freshman grades and the following September based on second semester freshman grades). These semesters of membership do not count towards graduating with honors. An incoming 9th grader who was a CJSF Honor graduate from his/her middle school is granted immediate membership in CSF. The student must provide proof of the honor to the CSF adviser during the first membership drive. No other incoming 9th grader may be a member of CSF.

Students need a total of ten points based on the lists of courses offered at the school.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SEMESTER MEMBERSHIP
Students earn membership in CSF if they apply and have earned 10 (ten) CSF points. Points are earned on grades from the previous semester according to the following scale.
A = 3 CSF points*
B = 1 CSF point*
C = 0 CSF points
D or F in any course, even if not counted for CSF, disqualifies the student from membership.

• 4 (Four) of the 10 (ten) points must come from List I courses.
• 7 (Seven) of the 10 (ten) points (including the four List I points) must come from List I and II courses. Of course, all seven points may come from List I.
• The last 3 (three) points may come from any list.
• Only 5 (five) courses (or 25 credits) may be used to earn the 10 (ten) points.

Good citizenship is also a membership requirement. A referral, N, or U disqualifies a student.

Poor citizenship may disqualify students from membership. It is the adviser and principal’s prerogative to determine disbarment.
There are no other requirements for CSF membership. A chapter may not have a service or activities requirement for membership. However, some do choose to differentiate between active and inactive members by offering additional recognition during the year and/or at graduation.

All membership records are the responsibility of the chapter’s CSF adviser. The state organization
never receives the names of the members. There are over 150,000 students in CSF and CJSF each semester so the organization must rely on the chapters to keep track.
LIFE MEMBERSHIP
Seniors may achieve Life Membership (Sealbearer status at graduation) if they have been a member of CSF for four semesters during second semester of sophomore year through second semester of senior year. A senior must qualify for second semester of senior year even if they have four prior semesters of membership because one semester must be based on grades earned in the senior year. A senior needing one additional semester to qualify for Sealbearer may use final grades in the last semester of senior year if they qualify and complete a CSF application in May/June. Highest Honors = six semesters or 100%