"Comping"?

<p>Over the past few days, I've read "comp" in relation to extracurricular activities on this board pretty frequently. Could anyone explain what it is? From I what gather it seems to be a sort of application process for activities, but could a current student provide more insight?</p>

<p>It’s totally different for different activities. For the Crimson, anyone can do the comp, and pretty much everyone who completes the requirements becomes an editor, but the comp has serious requirements. For example, they’ll give you story assignments you have to complete. For many groups, the “comp” is just a training period for new members – they’re open to everyone. For other organizations, like the Lampoon, they only take a fraction of the applicants, and the comp is truly a competition among the interested students.</p>

<p>Don’t worry about being able to get involved. In almost every case (sports, music, publications, theater, etc.), there are elite, highly selective groups, and then organizations that do similar projects but are open to all.</p>