At my school joining clubs can be kind of expensive (atleast for me and my family) since they charge close to 20$-25$ a club, that sums up to nearly 100+ I have to spend on the clubs and activities I want to join. Some clubs don’t really have any financial aid or anything since they really need funds in order to keep going since few people join clubs at my school being that it’s in a rural area. I’m very low income and people like my family can’t really afford to spend 100$ or more on clubs and activities since it really takes a big toll on our income, I also am barely a sophomore and most places around here don’t offer a job till I’m 16 and I also don’t have the time to work while at the same time focus and do well on my school work till I buy a car and get my license. My question is would top universities like the ones I’m hoping to attend after high school understand this? Or would I need to somehow beg my parents for the money and/or get a job?
We have the same problem, right now I have a couple of hundred dollars in class and club fees that I need to come up with for my oldest son, that is in addition to all of the senior expenses that are hitting constantly(senior pics, grad invitations, cap & gown, etc.). I also have 1 in braces and another one needing braces, one taking piano lessons, and class fees for one. It is expensive with 3 kids and less than $20,000 in income.
My suggestion would be to talk to your parents and find out what they can or would be willing to pay, if it is $40-50 then pick the 2 activities most important to you. Check into the possibility of getting a job and if you are too young now, try again when you are closer to 16. It is possible to have a job and keep up with schoolwork, my son has done it, and I did it when I was younger. I think it actually helps you learn how to handle multiple things which will come in handy as you get older. After you have a job then you will be able to contribute and join more things if your parents can’t afford all of it right now.
At my children’s high school, they had initial fees at less than $5 because each club would try to find a community sponsor.
If the club could find a sponsor (car dealers, local shops, insurance agencies), the sponsor would handle incidental proposed estimated fees for the year. If they couldn’t find a sponsor, then the clubs would get creative and hold garage sales, baked potato sales at games, etc.
In exchange for sponsorship, the club would provide a 3’ x 5’ sign, (written in the budget) which would be posted at football and baseball fields, and on gym walls, advertising the sponsor.
They still do this at the local high schools.
Do they not do this at your school?
Why do you need a car? Can you use public transit? A car is a big money suck, especially if you are low income. Can you babysit or pet sit in your neighborhood for the money for clubs? As suggested above, pick just 1 or 2 to keep the cost down.
Or can you figure out a way to start a club without fees? (Not sure what they are using them for, though — if it pays a teacher advisor or something, that could be a problem). Maybe you could talk to an administrator at your HS and see if you can come up with some fundraising ideas the school can help support to pay for clubs, since this is probably a problem for a lot of low income students. Maybe the school could could purchase some car wash supplies and let clubs use them.
Or what about activities that might not be clubs? Like school newspaper is an acadrmic class at some schools — so maybe no club fee. Same with yearbook.
Our high school does not charge to join clubs. There is some fundraising depending on the club which tends to be car washes. Can you talk to your principal or club adviser privately. They might have special funding to help out.
Our high school also doesn’t change to join clubs. Many do fundraising activities, though, and competitive clubs require a uniform or tee shirt.
You should ask your GC which clubs are fully funded, or if an accommodation can be made, at least for one club. Also, does you school have a booster club that can help?