<p>No, you don’t have to president of a school club. Admin officers see hundreds of editors, club presidents, and team captains, which creates the impression that you need to be one too. Don’t bother: Find something you care about and do it with creativity and intelligence. It’s more interesting, you will learn more, have more fun, and as a bonus, it will make you stand out from the crowd. </p>
<p>I interview for an HYPMS, and I find the kids who have chosen to do something ‘off the beaten path’ a lot more interesting than those who do what everyone else has done before them. I suspect the admin folks feel the same way.</p>