Points System

Verify and track your achievements!

Verify and track your achievements! NSDA Honor Society recognizes middle and high school students for participation in speech and debate competitions, as well as, community service, public speaking, and leadership activities. NSDA Members receive merit points for their training accomplishments, which accumulates in the NSDA membership system.

How Do I Earn Points?

Member can earn points by attending any of our tournaments or tournaments that are listed as verified on our website. After you attend, one of our staff members will enter the points into your account, so that you can see your points as you earn them, and the total number of points earned.

Debate

Debate ResultMerit Points Earned
Winning a round of DebateNSDA Events*: 6 in HS, 4 in MS non-NSDA Events: 4
Losing a round of DebateNSDA Events: 3 in HS, 2 in MS non-NSDA Events: 2

*NSDA “Main” Debate Events are Policy Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, World Schools Debate, and Big Questions

Congress

-pt scale30-pt scale60-100-pt scaleMerit Pts/speechTourn. placeMerit Points Earned
828-3097-10061st24
6-723-2790-9652nd23
4-518-2284-894 OR3rd22
313-1777-8334th21
28-1270-7625th20
11-760-691(and so forth)

Speech

RankRatingRatingRatingGradeMerit Points Earned
1Superior2595-100NSDA Events*: 6; non-NSDA Events: 5
2Excellent2490-94NSDA Events: 5; non-NSDA Events: 4
3 orGood/Exceeds Expectations20-2371-89ANSDA Events: 4; non-NSDA Events: 3
4Fair/Meets Expectations15-1942-70BNSDA Events: 3; non-NSDA Events: 2
5 or lowerAverage/Does Not Meet Expectations14-Oct10-41CNSDA Events: 2: non-NSDA Events: 1
0-9**0-9

*NSDA “Main” Speech Events are: Extemporaneous Speaking, Original Oratory, Humorous Interp, Dramatic Interp, Duo Interp, Program Oral Interp, and Informative Speaking

**Severe deficiency, and therefore, not worth any points

How Many Points Do I Need For Degress?

The more points you earn the higher degree you get!

The more points you earn the higher degree you get!

DegreePoints
MemberLess than 25 points
Merit25
Honor75
Excellence150
Distinction250
Special Distinction500
Superior Distinction750
Outstanding Distinction1,000
Premier Distinction1,500
Donus D. Roberts Recognition (Coaches)10,000
1st Diamond (Coaches)15,000 and 5 years
Additional Diamonds (Coaches)each 15,000 and 5 years