Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are clubs really essential for college apps? Our junior absolutely refuses to join any.

No, not essential. They just should be doing something outside the classroom that interests them. I think people tend to use "club" as shorthand for school-based ECs. My kids were not in any "clubs" but DD was in symphonic and marching band for 4 years and volunteered with an outside-of-school organization. DS worked stage crew and volunteered at our church. Both also have personal hobbies they spend significant time on, which continued into college.

Doesn't every kid do something outside of the classroom that interests them? Unless they are comatose. Why should what they (legally) do in their free time it matter for a college application as long as they have the smarts and their parents have the money?

There are colleges where they don't care about your ECs but reality is the more selective ones do care that you are doing something other than videogames and hanging out with friends. Which is a totally valid way to spend your time but if that's all you are doing, you aren't likely a candidate for a more selective school.

Unless you're working your butt off and getting straight A's in a bunch of hard AP classes and just need some down time in your free time.

Which is great but be realistic -- at very selective schools you are competing against students who have the same academic profile PLUS engagement in clubs, volunteer work, sports, etc. Still, there are plenty of schools that would be very happy to have you.

Greek life is not popular as much in the past
Clubs are alternatives to Greek

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was under the impression it’s a new thing? When I was in college, I only had one friend in a club, and we all used to tease her!

+1

I’m 53

I'm 53, and I'm glad there are more clubs today for various interests. I would've liked to have joined one while in college. Instead, all I did was work and go to school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended a state university. I majored in STEM. I was incredibly social- partied 5-6 nights a week, etc. I went to exercise class, etc. I was always busy.

I got into grad school with a teaching stipend that covered full tuition.

I get clubs in high school- people need to develop interests and essential in college apps—but college? I mean do an internship, etc.

Not to blow your mind or anything, but some of us partied most nights, exercised, did clubs, had internships and jobs, and graduated with honors and had grad school fully paid, too.

It was fun.

Sorry you were a slacker, OP.

did you cheat or use test files tho

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are clubs really essential for college apps? Our junior absolutely refuses to join any.

No, not essential. They just should be doing something outside the classroom that interests them. I think people tend to use "club" as shorthand for school-based ECs. My kids were not in any "clubs" but DD was in symphonic and marching band for 4 years and volunteered with an outside-of-school organization. DS worked stage crew and volunteered at our church. Both also have personal hobbies they spend significant time on, which continued into college.

Doesn't every kid do something outside of the classroom that interests them? Unless they are comatose. Why should what they (legally) do in their free time it matter for a college application as long as they have the smarts and their parents have the money?

There are colleges where they don't care about your ECs but reality is the more selective ones do care that you are doing something other than videogames and hanging out with friends. Which is a totally valid way to spend your time but if that's all you are doing, you aren't likely a candidate for a more selective school.

Unless you're working your butt off and getting straight A's in a bunch of hard AP classes and just need some down time in your free time.

Anonymous wrote:Wonder if it is age-dependent. We had virtually no clubs in college. Greek life and intramural sports were most common, along with some career based clubs. Most kids were working PT jobs.
If you look over the past 30 years, colleges have been putting more and more $ into ‘student services and amenities’, other than academics.

I went to a SLAC more than 30 years ago and we had clubs of various sorts, maybe because of the lack of Greek life. I did Club Rugby for a few seasons, also intramural softball (very high student participation in that one, skill was not required). I was also in a political club. Also did one varsity sport but in those days it was just for the season, not a year round thing. They were all fun/interesting and a way to connect with different people on campus.

Anonymous wrote:Wonder if it is age-dependent. We had virtually no clubs in college. Greek life and intramural sports were most common, along with some career based clubs. Most kids were working PT jobs.
If you look over the past 30 years, colleges have been putting more and more $ into ‘student services and amenities’, other than academics.

I recall a lot of "clubs" around when I was in college -- public university in late 80s-early 90s. They were mostly 1) professional/major related organizations 2) cultural groups 3) rec sports teams 4) arts groups. I guess some of this depends on how you define a club. Some rec sports are called "clubs", some aren't. But not really a difference. I was in a music group that was a for-credit class but not really different from a club socially. I participated in the "American Marketing Association" student group aka club. Many professional organizations had student groups on campus.

Wonder if it is age-dependent. We had virtually no clubs in college. Greek life and intramural sports were most common, along with some career based clubs. Most kids were working PT jobs.
If you look over the past 30 years, colleges have been putting more and more $ into ‘student services and amenities’, other than academics.

I did not but wish I had.

Business majors who do not join consulting clubs etc. will find it detrimental to their their internship and job searches.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are clubs really essential for college apps? Our junior absolutely refuses to join any.

No, not essential. They just should be doing something outside the classroom that interests them. I think people tend to use "club" as shorthand for school-based ECs. My kids were not in any "clubs" but DD was in symphonic and marching band for 4 years and volunteered with an outside-of-school organization. DS worked stage crew and volunteered at our church. Both also have personal hobbies they spend significant time on, which continued into college.

Doesn't every kid do something outside of the classroom that interests them? Unless they are comatose. Why should what they (legally) do in their free time it matter for a college application as long as they have the smarts and their parents have the money?

There are colleges where they don't care about your ECs but reality is the more selective ones do care that you are doing something other than videogames and hanging out with friends. Which is a totally valid way to spend your time but if that's all you are doing, you aren't likely a candidate for a more selective school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are clubs really essential for college apps? Our junior absolutely refuses to join any.

No, not essential. They just should be doing something outside the classroom that interests them. I think people tend to use "club" as shorthand for school-based ECs. My kids were not in any "clubs" but DD was in symphonic and marching band for 4 years and volunteered with an outside-of-school organization. DS worked stage crew and volunteered at our church. Both also have personal hobbies they spend significant time on, which continued into college.

Doesn't every kid do something outside of the classroom that interests them? Unless they are comatose. Why should what they (legally) do in their free time it matter for a college application as long as they have the smarts and their parents have the money?

Clubs are more common especially at schools where Greek is weaker.
My kids prefered that.

My kid joined a rec sport club in school because it's hard to find people who play that sport, and you need a specific location to play it. They also want to join an academic club that does national competitions. They enjoy that particular academic area. I don't think an internship would be quite the same.