Why school clubs are the bare minimum

We’ve worked with countless students and almost all of them have come to us with one of these activities.

In the past, these roles would have set you apart in college applications.

Today, they’re the baseline.

Just being a leader at a club won’t stand out anymore. Here are three reasons why school clubs are not as impressive as they used to be.

#1: Clubs follow an established structure.

School clubs already have fixed roles, routines, and established agendas. If you’re a younger student, this is a good place to begin developing your leadership skills.

However, if you want to stand out at a top institution - almost every applicant is engaged in their school community. With a school club, you’re working within an existing system.

Compare two students who lead similar initiatives about fast fashion.

While both students took the same action, Student B appears more impressive because they worked outside of school’s built-in resources.

They identified a problem that they’re passionate about, had to outreach to people outside of the school community, and had to resolve issues that came along with that decision. Student B demonstrates more independence and initiative.

#2: Initiatives may be limited by school rules & structures

School clubs give you a more stable foundation to start taking action - but that also means your actions & ideas need to pass through school approval processes. This can mean submitting proposals, filling out forms, or gaining permission from faculty advisors, administrators, or even student councils.

While approval processes are part of any organization, schools can restrict certain topics or events if they feel it does not completely align with their values or public-image.

For example, an environmental club might be barred from conducting an off-campus cleanup event due to liability concerns.

These restrictions can prevent you from fully exploring topics or organizing impactful events that push boundaries.

On the other hand, an independent initiative can allow greater freedom and flexibility. Without school-imposed limitations, you have the opportunity to:

• Directly engage with community leaders and local organizations who may support or sponsor your events without the need for school oversight.

• Experiment with non-traditional methods or topics, offering innovative solutions without concern for school rules.

• Pivot quickly when obstacles arise, as you aren’t bound by lengthy approval processes or institutional policies.

#3: Your story is limited

Ultimately, relying on your school club and community can restrict you from thinking bigger. You start from a box.

Building a successful external initiative based on your own interests forces you to:

• Take on an issue you’re interested in and constantly think of more new, innovative solutions to it

• Demonstrate your ability to create bigger collective impact rooted in a larger community far outside of the classroom.

The way you grow, reflect & reiterate over this process makes you feel like a much more genuine individual with a compelling story.

That being said, you won’t necessarily stand out just because you start an initiative outside of school.

Instead, use this as a way to think bigger and how you demonstrate more independent thinking in your different commitments.

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