Will creating a Mu Alpha Theta chapter look good?

UnleashedFury
Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:42:19 +0000

So I was going to try to go through Poseur’s post and point out the most sarcastic parts of it to show how absurd it is that they didn’t catch on, but I really couldn’t. Every single line reeked of sarcasm. So here’s the whole thing.

Poseur:

Impaler 19:

First of all, I would like to you know that I am very impressed. Your thinking is absolutely on the right track! The first thing that you should think before making a decision in any scenario is this: “WWCL?” (“What Would Colleges Like?”) I am incredibly impressed that you’ve already caught on to this incredibly important mantra at this stage in your life. By always keeping your resume in mind, you will guarantee yourself a successful and fulfilling life.

Now, onto your question. As you must know, colleges love to see leadership. In fact, there’s a common rumor that colleges don’t read your application; after making sure that your scores are within a reasonable range, they run your application through a computer program that counts the words “founder,” “president,” “co-president,” “secretary,” etc., and uses a complicated quadratic equation to calculate the exact extent of your leadership ability. This, in conjunction with your statistics, is used to calculate your probability of admission. (Then – or so the rumor goes! – dice-rolling is used to make the final decision. Ah, yes, there is a bit of arbitrariness – but such is life, Impaler19. Such is life.) This is just a rumor, of course, but there is certainly merit to it! Every time a college admissions officer sees the word “founder” or “president” (and this applies doubly if you are both the founder and the president), his or her thought process is this, verbatim: “Wow, this student takes initiative. I love to see a student that takes initiative. This student must be very passionate about this club. I love to see a student that is passionate.” The exact structure of the sentences varies according to the educational background of the admissions officer, of course (I suppose “verbatim” was a poor word choice), but the content is exactly the same. Then, the officer proceeds to think (and this part is an exact quotation): “This looks good.” Check.

So, yes, this looks good. You’ve got this, Impaler19. You’re ahead of the game.

Now, as for your other questions: My knowledge is not infinite, of course. I’m not sure exactly how one would go about founding a chapter of Mu Alpha Theta in your particular school. You see, the administration of each school – and the way that each school chooses to run its clubs – varies. So I think you’re on your own for this one, Impaler19. But I think you can handle it, really. Talking to your guidance counselor would be a good first step – perhaps this counselor could point you in the right direction: guide you, if you will. Your counselor, too, will be impressed by your initiative and your passion. He or she will henceforth support you in every step of the college admissions process. You’ll get another leg up! Good choice, Impaler19.

Now, I believe you asked one more question, regarding, if I recall correctly, “responsibilities.”

I’m gonna let you in on a little secret, Impaler19. You know the rumor about how colleges just count leadership-related words in your application? Well, you see, nowhere in this procedure is your actual devotion to the club taken into account. All that matters is the word “founder” appearing on your resume. Therefore, you are technically absolved of responsibilities. You must keep up appearances, though, implying that the club exists, so I would recommend at least bi-monthly meetings and a project or two per year. As president, naturally, your responsibility would be to conduct these meetings and organize these projects. Alternately, you could elect a secretary to take care of this for you. It really doesn’t matter. Having founded a club will prove your passion enough, believe you me!

Good luck, Impaler19! Once more, I am impressed with your foresight, and I wish you the best of luck in your college-related endeavors.

Poseur