CSF Frequently Asked Questions
How does my child become a member of CSF?
At the beginning of each new semester, the CSF adviser holds a membership drive that is promoted to the student body. Students must fill out and submit an application during the enrollment period only. Late applications are not accepted and there is no retroactive membership. Applications may only be submitted to the school. No applications are accepted in the state office.
Membership is based on the previous semester’s grades. Each chapter has an application that the student uses to compute his/her points. The completed application along with a copy of the student’s transcript or report card, and membership fee is submitted to the Finance office prior to the deadline.
Who is eligible to apply for CSF membership?
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 or Lifetime membership.
What about 9th grade students?
Associate members are those students who are applying based on grades they earned as a freshman (apply 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 or Lifetime membership.
What is required to be a member?
- Students need a total of ten points based on the lists of courses offered.
- A minimum of seven of the ten points must be from Lists I and II courses, with four of these points from List I.
- The additional three points may be from List III. Students may use up to five courses to apply for membership.
- However, a D or an F in any subject, even if not being used for CSF points, disqualifies the student for that semester.
- List I are the academic, college prep courses that are within the state framework. List II are also academic courses that are not on List I, and List III are almost all other courses offered at the school with a few exceptions.
- For more specific information on the Lists, please refer to the CSF Bylaws, Article IV, Section 6.
- Good citizenship is also a membership requirement.
Who maintains the membership information for my student?
All membership records are the responsibility of the chapter’s CSF adviser Ms.Bernal. The state organization never receives the names of the members. There are over 150,000 students in CSF each semester so the organization must rely on the chapters to keep track.
What is a CSF Life Member (Sealbearer) and how is this earned?
A Life Member or Sealbearer is a student who has earned at least four semesters of membership based on grades earned in 10th through 12th grades, with one of the semesters based on senior grades. This is not automatic and is only granted to those who have submitted their applications and qualified for membership. If the student needs to use his/her final senior grades to earn the fourth semester of membership, the CSF adviser must give him/her an opportunity to do so. How this is handled is up to the chapter adviser.
What recognition does a Life Member (Sealbearer) receive?
Students who are Life Members (Sealbearers) are to receive a CSF lamp pin, a gold seal on their diploma, and notation of the honor on the transcript. In addition, IHS students will receive a gold stole and tassel to be worn at graduation.