Club Involvement

[crandmat]

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Hello all,

I was just wondering, how much emphasis should I place on club involvement? A lot of my peers seem to be involved in 3+ clubs, but don't actually seem to do anything with it, just pay the requisite 5 dollars and write it down on their resume. This is really the reason why I don't have an interest in joining any clubs at my university, because I know I wouldn't do anything with it besides check off a box on my application. Besides from that, I do volunteering with local hospice and home health organizations, and am going on a aid trip to Mozambique this next summer. Is it really important for me to be involved in clubs, or should I focus on doing other things?

Thanks.

 

[bluepeony]

Hello all,

I was just wondering, how much emphasis should I place on club involvement? A lot of my peers seem to be involved in 3+ clubs, but don't actually seem to do anything with it, just pay the requisite 5 dollars and write it down on their resume. This is really the reason why I don't have an interest in joining any clubs at my university, because I know I wouldn't do anything with it besides check off a box on my application. Besides from that, I do volunteering with local hospice and home health organizations, and am going on a aid trip to Mozambique this next summer. Is it really important for me to be involved in clubs, or should I focus on doing other things?

Thanks.

I would say it's worth it if you can get a leadership position out of it. At the end of the day, quality>quantity. It doesn't matter if you're involved in many clubs if you can't write or talk about it passionately in your application/ interview.

 

[Catalystik]

I was just wondering, how much emphasis should I place on club involvement? A lot of my peers seem to be involved in 3+ clubs, but don't actually seem to do anything with it, just pay the requisite 5 dollars and write it down on their resume. This is really the reason why I don't have an interest in joining any clubs at my university, because I know I wouldn't do anything with it besides check off a box on my application. Besides from that, I do volunteering with local hospice and home health organizations, and am going on a aid trip to Mozambique this next summer. Is it really important for me to be involved in clubs, or should I focus on doing other things?

I think you'd be better off keeping the $5. Clubs are helpful to a med school application if they lead to leadership and volunteer opportunities. They might be useful in signalling special interests to adcomms to start an interview conversation (but without adding to your candidacy).

 

[ChymeofPassion]

Did 0 clubs in college. Felt like a waste of my time. But I am also in a large city where there are plenty of things to do

 

[Moko]

I see most club activities as being fluff and filler, unless there are actual accomplishments to prove otherwise.

Being the leader of a club means nothing if there's nothing to show for it.

 

[The Deep]

I see most club activities as being fluff and filler, unless there are actual accomplishments to prove otherwise.

Being the leader of a club means nothing if there's nothing to show for it.

Exactly. Most of the clubs at my school have presidents who are solely there to pad their application. What is worse is that they just pick their friends as their successors, rather than anyone genuinely interested in the club’s goals.