[3][1] Loflin founded NSCS to recognize students who performed well academically during their first years in college and to provide members with an opportunity to take a leadership role in the organization.

Its headquarters are at 2000 M Street NW in Washington, D.C.[5] NSCS's symbol is a torch emerging from an open book, surrounded by three stars and a laurel wreath.

[2] The National Society of Collegiate Scholars has active chapters at nearly 300 colleges and universities in the United States, including Puerto Rico.

[4][3] Membership is open to freshmen and sophomore students with at least a 3.4 GPA who are ranked in the top twenty percent of their class.

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars has been criticized for charging a membership fee for opportunities that are available for free, with one campus newspaper calling it a "scam".