<p>Hmmm…I’m not an active member in any of the clubs you listed (besides innertube water polo, which doesn’t count since most people participate in one way or another, if only by cheering), so I can’t really offer wonderful first hand experience. Here’s some observances from a distance:</p>
<p>Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company - will eat your life. The tour team is absolutely incredible (nationally recognized), but the people on the team are always off dancing. Campus team is a little more relaxed, but still sucks time (4 hours a week, I think?) and is still fairly tricky to get onto as a girl. That said, you don’t have to be on the team to benefit from its presence at the colleges, especially if you don’t have epic dance skills. They host weekly Blues (Sat), Salsa (Fri), and Swing (Th, off campus?) nights, as well as larger multi-dance events once a twice a semester. These events generally have free half hour lessons at the beginning, so its definitely an opportunity worth snatching. If you are willing to pay $30/semester(cheap!) there are also a variety of ballroom dance classes taught by the head coach, who is awesome. So…I’ll never officially be a member of CCBDC due to lack of skillz and time, but I can still enjoy its presence on the 5Cs in a big way.</p>
<p>Strauss Internship for Social Understanding - this isn’t really a club. Basically, you plan to do some awesome volunteer work over the summer, then apply for the scholarship, and if you get the money then you basically get paid to do nonprofit work all summer. Pretty cool. I have a couple of friends who did this last summer - one worked at an orphanage in Mexico and the other worked at a local Red Cross. I think both of them were planning on doing what they did before they even heard that they got the “internship” money.</p>
<p>HWCC - Mudders can get discounted passes to the nearby rock gym ($90-160 / semester, depending on how many people sign up, so they’d love it if you signed up). I’m guessing this club arranges the rides. You don’t need experience.</p>