Tips on starting a club/organization

[iluvassdeeanne]

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For those of you who are presidents or founders of some organization or clubs, please offer some tips on how you did it.
Thanks!

 

[ponybreeder4]

basically one of the most important things is getting in touch with a funds advisor/grants and making sure you dont miss any of the deadlies otherwise you will have to pay out of pocket for everything. you have to petition to start it..contact whoever is in charge of your schools organizations council

 

[thejarb]

I'd say contacting departments directly can also work if you ask very nicely. They will provide your with some small funds at least to get you started. Also, make sure you network with other groups at the school that can help you in many ways (advice, funds, cooperation, etc)

Hope that helps,

JARB

 

[neuro1617]

Get a few people together that are passionate about starting it too-you need an executive board. These few people then email everyone they know about setting up initial, unofficial meetings. Contact professors/other people that could potentially be your advisor. Make sure it's someone reliable & organized. Then, at our school anyway, the members draft a preliminary Constitution & submit a packet of funds papers, Const, etc to the Student Activities Board, with appointed advisor papers. Then you have to go through a long process trying to get funding & becoming recognized (hopefully).

 

[silverlion]

Most of the above + Have a well organized base and clear plans on how to organize and manage everything. A strong constitution which lays out things clearly is important but there are little problems that creep up once the club/organization is established. Communication through email is the best way but to rally everybody to stay on the same page by making sure that emails are actually read and responded to became a problem for me...

Delegating responsibilities to people who are serious about getting things done is also quite important...

 

[Myuu]

Requirements vary by school and the type of organization you're planning on starting. Some require only that you have two members, others require a minimum of X members, an executive board, a constitution, a boatload of paperwork, a human sacrifice (batteries not included), and are then subject to approval by a student activities office. The good news about these more involved types is that they usually have a system for obtaining and managing funds.

Having interested people is a good place to start, though.👍

 

[enjoydrywax]

Probably the best tip I can offer is don't start a club for the explicit purpose of padding your resume with leadership experience. I've seen this happen with a friend of mine and he really got burned when it came time to interview; the passion was not there and as you know interviewers just love to jump on opportunities to put you in a tight spot.

Additionally, make sure your club is addressing an unoccupied niche and not just a rehash of another pre-med club.

Disregard all my advice if your club has nothing to do with volunteering/premed/community service/etc.

 

[iluvassdeeanne]

Probably the best tip I can offer is don't start a club for the explicit purpose of padding your resume with leadership experience.

Then I guess I should never start a club but fail to get into med school.

 

[Myuu]

Then I guess I should never start a club but fail to get into med school.

😕

You could become actively involved in existing clubs and then run for office.👍

 

[iluvassdeeanne]

😕

You could become actively involved in existing clubs and then run for office.👍

But again, if you don't have passion for those clubs, you're toast during interview.

 

[SirGecko]

But again, if you don't have passion for those clubs, you're toast during interview.

...which is why you should do what you are interested in instead of resume padding.

Take away message: don't start a club to say you started a club. Start a club only if it is something you really want to do and there isn't already something that could cover the interest. (also don't start one unless you know of some other people that would be interested)

 

[Myuu]

But again, if you don't have passion for those clubs, you're toast during interview.

You were serious about starting one just to look good to med school?😕😕😕

 

[iluvassdeeanne]

You were serious about starting one just to look good to med school?😕😕😕

I have no choice because I'm not interested in anything worthwhile.

 

[Myuu]

I have no choice because I'm not interested in anything worthwhile.

Worthwhile? Just interested would be enough. Surely there's something interesting, if not "worthwhile" that attracts your attention. Hobbies, guilty pleasures, curiosity... anything?😱

 

[randombetch]

This thread was funny.

I'm also trying to start an student organization next semester (but I definitely have a genuine interest in having fun/some kind of impact with it).

 

[flip26]

This thread was funny.

I'm also trying to start an student organization next semester (but I definitely have a genuine interest in having fun/some kind of impact with it).

Why? Just like the OP, to look good to med schools?

I think this sort of thing is a pretty transparent app padder...nothing about this sort of thing is impressive to me.

 

[Abby_Normal]

1) It helps to find one or two people to help you before you unveil your idea to the entire school. Get a friend/acquaintance (or two or three) who shares your interest, find a faculty adviser (if appropriate), and plan how you want to launch the club. If you can, start drafting by-laws. That way, when you present your club to the college at large/have your first interest meeting, you will seem organized and already a legitimate group. It makes you seem more promising and less likely to fizzle out in a few weeks.
2) Be flexible. Once you have a few members, try to be accommodating to their needs and interests...the more included they are, the more of a stake they'll have.Come to the first meeting with a list of suggested activities/what you are hoping to do this year, but also really ask for their input. This probably goes without saying, but rather than simply announcing 'we'll always meet on Day X at Time Y,' ask your first few members to suggest what days/times are best for them.
3). This also goes without saying, but free food.
4) Try to incorporate some social/getting-to-know-you element into an early meeting.
5) Once you have your interest meeting, getting things off the ground quickly is important. IF there's a big gap between it and doing anything else, people will loose interest.

 

[Dr McSexy]

Why? Just like the OP, to look good to med schools?

I think this sort of thing is a pretty transparent app padder...nothing about this sort of thing is impressive to me.

So, student orgs should only be started by people not interested in applying to medical school?

 

[Myuu]

Why? Just like the OP, to look good to med schools?

I think this sort of thing is a pretty transparent app padder...nothing about this sort of thing is impressive to me.

Well, that's great for you, I suppose.

I started one to address a giant communications/networking gap among people who shared a common interest on campus. It had nothing to do with med school.

Pre-meds, or any other conveniently labeled group of people for that matter, are quite capable of engaging in activities for reasons other than applying to med school...

 

[flip26]

So, student orgs should only be started by people not interested in applying to medical school?

Go back and read his goals - to "have some fun/impact with it" - It? What is "it?" Doing what? Filling what need? Sounds like a social club idea of some sort, but don't they have frats for that?

And he is doing "it" next semester, just in time for filling out AMCAS I suppose. Wow, I can't wait to hear more about "it." Just wonder when he will figure out what "it" is?

 

[Myuu]

Go back and read his goals - to "have some fun/impact with it" - It? What is "it?" Doing what? Filling what need? Sounds like a social club idea of some sort, but don't they have frats for that?

And he is doing "it" next semester, just in time for filling out AMCAS I suppose. Wow, I can't wait to hear more about "it." Just wonder when he will figure out what "it" is?

What business is it of yours what it is?

 

[Dr McSexy]

Go back and read his goals - to "have some fun/impact with it" - It? What is "it?" Doing what? Filling what need? Sounds like a social club idea of some sort, but don't they have frats for that?

And What's wrong with that? Seriously. Not everyone wants to join a frat (which takes time and money). Many people just want hang out with people who have common interests and if something worthwhile comes of the student org, then so be it. I don't see anything worthwhile needing to happen to establish the validity of a student org.

Since when did student orgs have to fill a "need" of some sort?

 

[randombetch]

Why? Just like the OP, to look good to med schools?

I think this sort of thing is a pretty transparent app padder...nothing about this sort of thing is impressive to me.

Lols? I never said I was unsure of what the organization would be doing (has to do with education, which I think is the most fundamental part of society, and economics, my favorite subject/my major, and urban high schools with high dropout rates). But I suppose you're right - since I'm applying to medical school I shouldn't allocate my time to something that may help my application despite my genuine interest in it. Instead, I should be getting good grades, studying for the MCAT, getting clinical experience just like you. Oh wait, those are all beneficial for med school too... guess I need to drop out of college to get into medical school.