Can someone explain how kids aren't getting into clubs?

[Anonymous]

I have read several references to how kids at top schools aren't getting into "THE investment club" or something like that.

If so many kids aren't getting into the investment club, why wouldn't the students just start a new club? Then there would be 2 or 7 or whatever number of clubs until everyone who wanted to be in one would be in one? What am I am I missing?

[Anonymous]

You’re not missing anything. It’s this bizarre overhyped, overly competitive nonsense where kids think that their life is ruined if they don’t get into THE club. It can be really easy for some to fall into the trap that there’s only space for a few prestigious clubs and that nothing else matters. It’s these kids that are missing it.

They haven’t spoken to actual alums or hiring firms that don’t care about these clubs.

—parent of a Cornell student who thankfully has not engaged in this. Already has a great internship lined up for the summer. And she is in clubs that she enjoys and are not hyper competitive.

[Anonymous]

At JMU you have to attend so many initial meetings, which my son didn't do, and then didn't get in. Makes sense though that they want committed members.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’re not missing anything. It’s this bizarre overhyped, overly competitive nonsense where kids think that their life is ruined if they don’t get into THE club. It can be really easy for some to fall into the trap that there’s only space for a few prestigious clubs and that nothing else matters. It’s these kids that are missing it.

They haven’t spoken to actual alums or hiring firms that don’t care about these clubs.

—parent of a Cornell student who thankfully has not engaged in this. Already has a great internship lined up for the summer. And she is in clubs that she enjoys and are not hyper competitive.

Substitute “colleges” for “clubs” and you have DCUM in a nutshell. This kind of club culture exists because our children have been listening to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’re not missing anything. It’s this bizarre overhyped, overly competitive nonsense where kids think that their life is ruined if they don’t get into THE club. It can be really easy for some to fall into the trap that there’s only space for a few prestigious clubs and that nothing else matters. It’s these kids that are missing it.

They haven’t spoken to actual alums or hiring firms that don’t care about these clubs.

—parent of a Cornell student who thankfully has not engaged in this. Already has a great internship lined up for the summer. And she is in clubs that she enjoys and are not hyper competitive.

Substitute “colleges” for “clubs” and you have DCUM in a nutshell. This kind of club culture exists because our children have been listening to us.

This is spot on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’re not missing anything. It’s this bizarre overhyped, overly competitive nonsense where kids think that their life is ruined if they don’t get into THE club. It can be really easy for some to fall into the trap that there’s only space for a few prestigious clubs and that nothing else matters. It’s these kids that are missing it.

They haven’t spoken to actual alums or hiring firms that don’t care about these clubs.

—parent of a Cornell student who thankfully has not engaged in this. Already has a great internship lined up for the summer. And she is in clubs that she enjoys and are not hyper competitive.

Agree. Parent of a different ivy kid, not in any super-competitive engineering clubs, got one of the most competitive research internships after sophomore year and a top industry one the next year. The freshmen think it matters; the sophomores and juniors and seniors learn each year how little clubs matter. There are plenty of less or non-competitive clubs to join and find leadership roles if they want

[Anonymous]

there are 27 or however many investment club, but the most prestigious investment clubs with the best name recognition among high finance recruiters / alumni network will naturally be limited in quantity.

[Anonymous]

The more "prestigious" the school, the lower the admission rate, the more likely it will admit the kids with the highest performance (stats/ecs/leadership) who are intense type As. That is the peer group of who gets in. Unfortunately, that peer group will dominate the culture of clubs and the school.

If you drop a tier in the so-called rankings, there will be a more normal mix of kids and students who have the drive and interest to seek out clubs will get the opportunity to get in.

So keep that in mind. It's much harder to get into top clubs at Penn, UCLA, UChicago, Brown than UW, Wisconsin-Madison, BU etc.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes it's the professional frats that are like this. They have them for business, pre-med, engineering, etc. They ask freshman who have been in school 2 weeks what other orgs on campus they are involved in and then mostly let in sophomores or people who have connections.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:there are 27 or however many investment club, but the most prestigious investment clubs with the best name recognition among high finance recruiters / alumni network will naturally be limited in quantity.

What’s the evidence that recruiters and alumni care about this when hiring?

[Anonymous]

Smaller schools, not a problem- although creating a new club will likely be denied by college staff, who have to administrate them with the student.
Larger schools, you have to audition, basically. Freshmen not likely to get in but should try so they have better chance sophomore year.

It seems silly to have two clubs for same thing, they’d be competing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The more "prestigious" the school, the lower the admission rate, the more likely it will admit the kids with the highest performance (stats/ecs/leadership) who are intense type As. That is the peer group of who gets in. Unfortunately, that peer group will dominate the culture of clubs and the school.

If you drop a tier in the so-called rankings, there will be a more normal mix of kids and students who have the drive and interest to seek out clubs will get the opportunity to get in.

So keep that in mind. It's much harder to get into top clubs at Penn, UCLA, UChicago, Brown than UW, Wisconsin-Madison, BU etc.

Disagree, it's actually quite hard to get into top clubs at Wisconsin

[Anonymous]

The good clubs are always competitive - but equally important are internships and summer positions so if the clubs don’t work out focus on those.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’re not missing anything. It’s this bizarre overhyped, overly competitive nonsense where kids think that their life is ruined if they don’t get into THE club. It can be really easy for some to fall into the trap that there’s only space for a few prestigious clubs and that nothing else matters. It’s these kids that are missing it.

They haven’t spoken to actual alums or hiring firms that don’t care about these clubs.

—parent of a Cornell student who thankfully has not engaged in this. Already has a great internship lined up for the summer. And she is in clubs that she enjoys and are not hyper competitive.

Substitute “colleges” for “clubs” and you have DCUM in a nutshell. This kind of club culture exists because our children have been listening to us.

you can substitute "Goldman Sachs" for clubs and you have life in a nutshell. It aint hard to get into a regional trainee program with Wells Fargo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:there are 27 or however many investment club, but the most prestigious investment clubs with the best name recognition among high finance recruiters / alumni network will naturally be limited in quantity.

What’s the evidence that recruiters and alumni care about this when hiring?

hiring patterns out of these colleges