<p>I thought colleges could already see through resume-padding of the “many clubs, few achievements” variety? </p>
<p>The clubs should welcome the extra funds.</p>
<p>**I honestly can’t believe that people would lie on their college application. Really. This ticks me off. A LOT. **</p>
<p>And if they get in from their fudging of ECs or whatever, and beat someone who really deserves the spot… then colleges really need to rethink how they go about admitting people. </p>
<p>And I bet that these people who lied probably don’t feel bad at all. God dammit. Like roylikeswaffles said, “integrity anyone?”</p>
<p>this wouldn’t be good…
Students will join clubs and do things that they don’t really want or like to do…</p>
<p>For example a student will join the key club(he doesn’t really want to) and spend time earning “points” to make his app look good, but he could use this time to do things he really like. </p>
<p>I think the right way is for clubs to set a “entrance exam” and test if the student is really interested in the activity.</p>
<p>^ Students are going to pad their resumes with clubs whether or not they have a genuine interest in the club.</p>
<p>And an entrance exam wouldn’t work. Feigning interest is not that difficult.</p>
<p>^ But an entrance exam may deter some of them from even trying. :p</p>
<p>Seriously, in my club I’d say there’s about 10 people that are actually involved in doing community service. Last year, it got the club of the year award and when people hear club of the year + community service, you get an influx of people that just want to pad their resume. It’s pretty irritating when people join 4-5 clubs just so “it looks good for college.”</p>
<p>^ yep</p>
<p>but I guess the colleges don’t pay a lot of attention on this because they only accept students with a concentration on a certain activity.</p>
<p>As many people have already pointed out, there isn’t a real way for enforcing this. People will write what they want on their apps. Its a shame for those that lie.</p>
<p>However, I trust the admissions process and the questions they ask. I’ve spoken to several admission officers and while they each have their own methods, they seem to work. Of course there will always be ones that game the system but by and large, the US higher education is second to none (by a long long shot) for a reason.</p>
<p>it does suck because i know people who put clubs on their app, and then quit after sending it in. </p>
<p>however, i do think if a club is really important, somehow that will come through. hopefully, your gc will mention it if you’re really involved. also, the ec short answer on the common app makes it so that you actually need to know something about at least ONE club.</p>
<p>but still, it is pretty easy to work the system and its really really frustrating. as if everyone’s odds weren’t already so slim…</p>
<p>The idea can better be implemented if resumes sent to universities are read by the high school counsellors which will then compare it with the “clubs score database”. If there are discrepancies then the resumes will be rejected, as well as the applicant.</p>
<p>Obviously, regardless of the system favourtism will always exst. Like many have said, people can just create their own clubs… but the school president is usually elected because of his friends…</p>
<p>As the president of a few clubs, I agree that there are tons of members who show up the first meeting, pay, and then leave (which is especially bad for competitive teams). To counter this, my school requires that club presidents compile a list of active members at the end of each semester and submit it, which then goes into the same database that records student grades. While I think this is a good program, it’s unbelievably frustrating to determine what counts as “active membership.” And because of the points systems at my school’s volunteer clubs (which always seem to malfunction), I just think it’s too bothersome to join clubs like Beta or NHS. After all, if you are genuinely interested in helping others, do you really need to join a club to volunteer?</p>
<p>As for college admissions, if someone doesn’t do anything in the club, I’m willing to bet that he or she won’t know what to say when an interviewer asks “So, what do you do in your club?”</p>
<p>In my opinion, club membership doesn’t show much for college admissions until you have significant honors, awards, and projects that you can write essays about. So it doesn’t matter whether they write it on their resumes or not.</p>
<p>I wrote it down on my resume although I didn’t participate that much… I tried but I never felt like I really fit although I signed up for it, paid my dues, etc. but it really doesnt break or make your resume, it’s just nice to write something there more than anything!</p>
<p>well atleast some schools r making an effort.
wish my school did the same.</p>
<p>In this day and age, anything that holds a person accountable is a good thing. What is really annoying to me is the lack integrity that is so easily accepted and even promoted when someone says, well I paid my dues and so it counts. And others agree.</p>
<p>And while leadership and awards are nice, I also don’t think being in the running for these things should be the motivation to be involved. Additionally, without followers who would all these leaders lead? I think meaningful involvement is key, but to say it doesn’t count unless you’re an award winner is disheartening. The intention is to be involved in your school or community, not for an opportunity to receive awards and recognition.</p>
<p>I feel bad now… I kinda wish I would have done more in the spanish honors society. I did practiacaly(sp) nothing junior year and I still put it down. I was technically a member though… oh well. If the scholarship people ask me about it, I’ll tell the truth.</p>
<p>I think I know how this is supposed to work. They use the points to confirm clubs for transcripts, which all colleges get of course. My school puts clubs on transcripts, I think the article one does also. Then, if the student puts something on their app. about being in the club and its not on their transcript, that is an immediate red flag. So I think that is how it works.</p>
<p>Wombat is right. That’s how some school’s transcripts work; they post the activities, major awards, SAT/AP/ACT scores you’ve received, so if you post something and it’s not on the transcript, they would know you were lying.</p>
<p>…that’s terrible.
Not the posting awards and scores to catch liars, but assigning a point system for clubs and then not letting you say you were in it if you don’t qualify? That’s ridiculous. I’ve had clubs where I go to every meeting and clubs where I can’t make the weekly meetings very often but contribute to the organization in other ways. It would be SO easy to sabotage someone by moving the meeting dates to a day that he/she can’t come.</p>
<p>One of my friends said he was a varsity football player…
I didnt really mind because it was a small, non competitive school to gain admissions to.</p>
<p>But im sure that hurt someone elses chances of getting in</p>
<p>i think this is dumb. cursory club involvement has little to no impact on admission anyway. if kids lie about participation it’s not really going to help them or hurt anyone else…</p>