Last year, Northwestern accepted only seven percent of undergraduate applications. Yet even after securing a coveted spot at NU, many new students are met with grueling applications, several rounds of interviews and cutthroat competition to gain entry to certain student organizations on campus.
Weinberg freshman Bill Zhu, a member of the Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences program, arrived this fall hoping to join some business clubs.
Zhu was not accepted to many of the clubs he applied to. Although he had low expectations, Zhu said he was left wondering what the clubs were looking for in applicants.
“It’s very inconsistent,” he said. “The major issue for me is the ambiguity, not knowing what they were looking for and then not knowing why you got the result that you got.”
Zhu is considering applying to the clubs again for the next application cycle but acknowledges the outcome may be the same.
Other students should keep an open mind to avoid being overly disappointed by rejections, he said.
“At the end of the day, we’re in a very prestigious institution where we have a lot of ambitious individuals pursuing the same opportunities,” Zhu said. “As students and as club organizers, we just have to be very aware of the atmosphere to keep it non-toxic and non-competitive, even though it has to be a selective process.”
Recruitment processes for clubs at NU can include written applications, interviews and auditions, adding another stressor to many students’ already busy days filled with classes and other commitments.
Communication freshman Shona Dave recalled having to complete “extensive” applications with lengthy essay prompts and presentation slides for certain clubs — all to to be left with a rejection email and no explanation.
Dave, who has no prior experience in consulting, still felt inclined to step foot into a new field. She received only a few interviews after applying to four consulting clubs and found the process not conducive to healthy competition between students, she said.
“I think it does pit people against each other,” she said. “When these clubs are so selective, the only option is to be going against each other, and there’s no way to fully work with peers when you are trying to get positioned into clubs.”
While student groups at NU range in their selectiveness, consulting and business organizations are known to be particularly competitive. Many students also compete for limited spots in prestigious clubs like Mayfest and A&O Productions — which put on student-run events and performances — as well as performing arts groups like Refresh Dance Crew and Fusion Dance Company.
Weinberg freshman Jeffrey Tu saw some success in his club applications. He applied to an array of consulting clubs and business fraternities, including Alpha Kappa Psi, Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations and the Global Research and Consulting Group.
In his first few weeks of college, Tu had to weigh many components in the application process, he said. From attending information sessions and completing application questions to preparing for interviews, he felt stressed by the fast-paced environment.
Tu said he has toyed with the idea of joining the business industry following graduation. After being accepted by only one club after applying to six, the reality of the industry culture on campus hit him.
“I never expected clubs to be more competitive than school itself,” he said. “(Northwestern) is also a highly selective school, and it almost seems like an extension of the college application culture.”
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the student organizations Bill Zhu applied to and was accepted to. It also misstated the number of student organizations Shona Dave received interviews from. The Daily regrets the errors.
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