I’m posting on this forum because I want to know how admissions officers compare these situations.
If I start a club at my high school and it becomes really successful and goes on to competitions, will colleges admire what I did more if I started it/managed it alone or will they treat it the same if I started it with a friend? Thanks!
What’s so innately unique about this club that it’s not been done before? Why are you re-inventing the wheel? You’re obviously chasing the “I was a club founder” myth which so many HS students feel is their “ticket”.
To answer your question (which realy reveals more about your mercenary motivation behind this club), it’s neutral. Top colleges will scoff at both resume padding scenarios equally — that is unless you truly are a driven person, wanting to see a goal fulfilled outside of yourself and your resume. But I kinda doubt that…
I’m being very cynical, I know. But if I could have a nickel for each “club founding” that I hear about, i’d be rich.
I find it fascinating that you seem to be honestly considering cutting a “friend” out of the formation of a school club in order to potentially claim more credit on a college app., years later.
Suggestion: consider starting a club because you enjoy it, without regard to whether it might be worth reaping potential glory. Also, consider whether you would think someone who asked this question of you was a “friend” or not.
^ Here’s a litmus test for you: if this club’s goals are so lofty, what are your succession plans? Don’t have any? Club’s gonna fold after you leave cuz it was just a resume padder?
Ask yourself these simple questions – or perhaps let them guide your choices. I’d recommend you find a great club/organization/community charity that could use your energies and skills and join up with them.
I’m not actually starting a club, but it’s a hypothetical question because I see so many people asking the same question. Thanks for the input.
And the reason one may want to cut a friend from being a founder is because the friend only wants to be a founder for the ‘glory’ perks, not because he/she is driven towards club goals.
@krvenkat,
I don’t see the friend here asking whether being a club founder would help to pad their application. I just see you asking that. Specifically, your OP asking whether cutting your friend out would make YOU look better.
Again: consider what kind of “friend” does that. Seriously.
While you’re at it, consider what a university admissions program would think of someone who does that.
It looks like you didn’t read my other comments. I’m asking if it’s moral to cut someone out because he/she only wants to join for the ‘glory.’ I provided the constraints; you don’t need them from anyone else. I’m not sure why you’re still referring to my original post when I’ve added onto it. Also, I never stated whether we were good friends, or whether I considered him/her a good person or not.
If you are starting the club JUST for college applications, then forget it. Start clubs for PASSION. Not for college apps. So many kids these days start random clubs and top colleges can see through it.
Yes, it would only be started if it was something I was truly interested in.
You’ve danced all over the floor on this topic already OP. Just let it go. Do what your conscience leads you to; heed or choose not to heed the advice here
Yup, I’ll take worcestershire’s great advice into great consideration. I wouldn’t label stating the same thing over and over again as ‘dancing,’ but sure.
As someone who started a club on her own at the beginning of junior year, I would say that you have to weigh whether the person you are considering co-founding it with will actually help or, as some people said, whether they will just list it on their resume to “pad” it. I worked very hard with my club, which is associated with a national organization, especially for the two events I organized this year- and I did it because I was very passionate about it. At the beginning I was considering bringing someone else on to the leadership team but the two friends I was considering had no real interest and just wanted it on their resume to look like they were leading something when in reality they weren’t. So honestly, do whatever works best for you. My club turned out to be very successful with just me at the wheel, but I’ve seen many clubs in my school with two or three leaders that do very well- it all depends on the people.
Krvenkat, at this point 3 different people have given you the same advice: if your concern about other students ‘stealing your glory’ is transparent enough to shine through in a single discussion forum post, just imagine how it’s going to look to an admissions officer.
Move on. In the future, you may wish to reconsider asking the questions if you do not want to hear the answers.
It looks like you haven’t read any of my responses, D.