Kids at T5/T20 are competitive

[Anonymous]

My dd was accepted to HYP and a top SLAC - after visiting both and spending the night at each, talking to lots of current students, etc., she chose the SLAC. The social and club culture just felt toxic to her at the Ivy - and not just for pre-professional clubs. Some kids thrive in that environment, but my dd knew she would not. She wanted intense academics, but enjoyable and laid back social life and activities. This is so kid-dependent, so I say let them get to know the school as best they can and then decide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This has changed significantly since my time there, but yeah clubs at the school I went to are so competitive now and pre-professional, like tryouts to be part of the consulting club, or the investment club. In my day, the clubs were pretty relaxed and nobody cared about pre-professional clubs.

Freshmen are also WAY more intense because the recruiting cycle for jobs starts in your sophomore year fall.

I'm so old, I don't even remember clubs being a thing on campus. Part time jobs or work study was common, but zero percent of my friends did any kind of pre professional networking thing. And yes this was a T20 school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always hear that the tough part is getting in and then it's easy. That doesn't seem to be the case for DD. She's at a T5 and the environment is intense. Getting in was step one, then it's the competition for the clubs etc. She has a good group of friends and is doing well but the pressure doesn't let up. Is this the case for all T5-10/20s because colleges are so preprofessional now? My friend's daughter went to Tufts and it was the same. She had a miserable college experience because she was always competing for the next internship. She landed a dream job post-graduation but paid the price during college.

I was really worried about this for my DC who plans to major in econ. He was interested in Penn but it felt so miserable to me. I was glad when he pivoted and chose Chicago. Despite the hate on DCUM, I think it's too nerdy to be super cutthroat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This has changed significantly since my time there, but yeah clubs at the school I went to are so competitive now and pre-professional, like tryouts to be part of the consulting club, or the investment club. In my day, the clubs were pretty relaxed and nobody cared about pre-professional clubs.

Freshmen are also WAY more intense because the recruiting cycle for jobs starts in your sophomore year fall.

Can you help me understand this? The recruiting for jobs start sophomore year? So, if a student falls short in that process, what does that mean? They never have a chance at a good job?
Sorry I’m so obtuse, I’m new to this mindset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This has changed significantly since my time there, but yeah clubs at the school I went to are so competitive now and pre-professional, like tryouts to be part of the consulting club, or the investment club. In my day, the clubs were pretty relaxed and nobody cared about pre-professional clubs.

Freshmen are also WAY more intense because the recruiting cycle for jobs starts in your sophomore year fall.

Can you help me understand this? The recruiting for jobs start sophomore year? So, if a student falls short in that process, what does that mean? They never have a chance at a good job?
Sorry I’m so obtuse, I’m new to this mindset.

Companies come on campus and interview first-semester sophomores for summer intern positions (which will be completed after their junior year) that will likely turn into full time jobs (most of their full time class will be filled with former interns). That means right now they are extending offers for their 2027 entering employee class.

Yes, there are chances to fill additional spots later especially since not every former intern will accept and there are plenty of opportunities later on at places that are smaller, but the easiest way to land a job in certain places (like Goldman Sachs) is through sophomore recruiting. In this process, you are competing based on your resume after freshman year.

That means you need to start building your pre-professional resume the minute you step on campus with clubs (investment club, consulting club, etc.), many of which have competitive recruiting processes--you can't just join. And while the summer after freshman year used to be a time to geta summer job doing something like lifeguarding or retail (what I did at my T5), now it's a time to get some sort of real internship.

[Anonymous]

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

I think this is a big appeal of the Yale/Rice residential college system. the biggest "club" you'll be in is assigned randomly before you even set foot on campus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a big appeal of the Yale/Rice residential college system. the biggest "club" you'll be in is assigned randomly before you even set foot on campus

Notre Dame too, I like the model

[Anonymous]

I attended a WASP 30 years ago and don’t remember preprofessional clubs being a thing- not even amongst the students who were set on investment banking, finance, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a big appeal of the Yale/Rice residential college system. the biggest "club" you'll be in is assigned randomly before you even set foot on campus

Notre Dame too, I like the model

This was a huge factor for my DC’s list. Residential college means less exclusionary social life and no scramble to find a roommate the minute you are admitted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at an Ivy. Straight As, lots of friend, club sport, club and so much more relaxed than HS. He was at a private HS.

He loves that everyone in his classes are really smart—that is what he said. Lots of lovely discussions. His friends are all really funny- witty.

So happy for your DS! You’ve described our DC’s dream, including the really smart and fun/funny kids and the club sport.

I’d genuinely love to know which school you’re describing, if you’re willing to share. Not to try to identify your DC (obviously!), but because our DC seems to be dismissing all Ivys because of the general competitive/grind reputation. (Plus what we’ve heard directly from friends’ kids who are currently at Princeton and Penn.)

We’re fine if DC chooses nor to apply to an Ivy, of course. But we also don’t want them to dismiss the whole group of schools based on the reputation and stereotypes (and two kids’ personal experience.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I attended a WASP 30 years ago and don’t remember preprofessional clubs being a thing- not even amongst the students who were set on investment banking, finance, etc.

Because it wasn’t in 1995.

But that’s historical information. OP and the rest of us are looking for current information.

(BTW, my memories are consistent with yours, PP. Not WASP, but a pre-professional-heavy T10. It might be fun to start a different thread to reflect and reminisce about the 90s.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended a WASP 30 years ago and don’t remember preprofessional clubs being a thing- not even amongst the students who were set on investment banking, finance, etc.

Because it wasn’t in 1995.

But that’s historical information. OP and the rest of us are looking for current information.

(BTW, my memories are consistent with yours, PP. Not WASP, but a pre-professional-heavy T10. It might be fun to start a different thread to reflect and reminisce about the 90s.)

[Anonymous]

Reminiscing is an effort to reassure our kids (and ourselves) that most of us did just fine without pre-professional student clubs. That being said, it is 2025 and I’m also interested to hear about how kids are navigating the pressures of the student club scene on campus today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reminiscing is an effort to reassure our kids (and ourselves) that most of us did just fine without pre-professional student clubs. That being said, it is 2025 and I’m also interested to hear about how kids are navigating the pressures of the student club scene on campus today.

This is typically only an issue for clubs angled toward certain fields, like IB or consulting. This does not affect the majority of students in a university.