In recent posts about UF and Georgetown, posters have lamented that getting into clubs is competitive. I've seen that about other schools, as well. When we've gone on tours, every school has talked about their variety of clubs and made them sound like they were open to anyone who wanted to join. "I signed up for 50 clubs!" "If there isn't a club for what you want, you can start one." Can someone provide some insight into these "competitive" clubs? No one is talking about this on tours. |
There are only certain clubs that are competitive, usually all the club sports though some have social participation that accept anyone. Usually business related clubs like investing clubs are competitive and maybe the school paper etc. The vast majority are not. |
Anyone have insight on business fraternities? Any hazing issues? |
Omg! No! Club sports are cutthroat at so many schools. Kids that play travel their whole lives often don’t make a squad. They travel to other colleges to play. |
Our neighbor played on a top team in the DMV- standout - and didn’t make the club team. Very large OOS school. |
My son joined the Jefferson Society at UVA first semester of first year. Wildly competitive. He also joined Madison House—- open to all, community volunteering.
He left Jeff Soc after two years, informally and quietly. It was a little too smug for him. But he volunteered with Madison right up to graduation. UVA has both types of clubs. I imagine most schools do? Kids find their people. |
Club sports are very competitive. You’ll have people who could be D1 or D3 at a different school choose to give that up to attend their top choice where there isn’t a D1 spot for them. Then they play club. Or maybe they don’t want the D1 athlete lifestyle and its constraints and choose to play club. Rec sports teams are low key and for nearly any level. There are also performance clubs, which may not technically be clubs. You have to audition for productions, and scholarship kids get first pick because they are the most talented and vetted. |
Not sure why you responded this way, i said club sports are competitive… |
Interesting. My DC's sport is usually open to everyone for club. One the one hand, it would be nice if it were more serious/competitive, but on the other hand, it's nice that they can stay connected to the sport without insane practice hours. |
My child is a member of DSP, the business fraternity, and it was competitive to get into and obtain a leadership but absolutely no hazing. Nothing but support. |
The best part is when competitive doesn't mean the best. When I was in college, a couple of frats and sororities essentially captured clubs. They would only ever allow their own members or people closely associated with them to join. The investing club looked really competitive and was prestigious, but every member was in one of four houses |
Competitive clubs is more like getting into the school newspaper or consulting club — you have to apply and go through a trial process often for the full semester with projects, articles etc for evaluation before you are accepted or denied. This is not club sports (though some of those have their own competitive process like PPs are familiar with from middle school). And also assumes meritocracy vs the good point about captured clubs above. |
The banking/investment and consulting clubs at Wharton and Cornell and Vanderbilt…. |
NP here Yeah, I thought that was a weird response ("Omg! No!"-when they seemed to be affirming what you said.) |
All Project Teams at Cornell. |