Study Bytes : Being President of 10 clubs won't land you a Job

You may think the title is a little over the top, but I believe there are somewhere in this country, there are students who stress out themselves by participating in multiple clubs. Most of the students are under the illusion of "the more the merrier", but in reality, it is "less is more". In my school, there are students who join numerous clubs in order to power up their resume. 


The Mirrage
Majority of students in school try to participate in as many clubs as possible. It also their motto to "obtain as many positions as possible". I can tell you this group of students is very conscious about their achievements and is determine to land a spot in notable universities or prestigious position in multinational companies.
Let me show you the path taken by most students in school:

Situation A ( Joining clubs for the sake of resume )

1. Join any clubs I like which includes computer club in the list because i like to play game and open Facebook. 
2. I will try fight for positions in club
3. I will not go for any meetings after being elected as .......
4. Finally, I will include all my "co-curriculum positions" into my resume and hope that the university will be impressed.

Situation B ( students who are really committed )

1. Join the clubs I planned to excel in 
2. Work hard and contribute to the clubs
3. Go for every meeting 
4. In the end grades slide down 

Some of you might argue that an excellent student should be able to juggle between co-curriculum and studies. This is a matter of how you judge one's academic achievements. If marks is the only parameter, then you are seriously wrong. Let me put it this way, two students can achieve excellent marks but an excellent student will spend less time and have more time for his personal activities.  

The Ugly Truth

Let's clear away the cloud. Firstly, excellent grades will  enable you to pass through the screening. According to my research, NTU _ (Nanyang Technology University) does not really take co-curriculum into consideration. What follows is the interview where you are questioned in terms of achievements, personal projects, contribution to the society. You may possess a very good co-curriculum background but,  what are your achievements ? The achievements speak of excellence and devotion to your cause. This will help to filter those students who are truly passionate from those who merely try to expand the resume. 

What you should do ?
My advice: find your niche which you really excels in and give your 101% of commitment. I have seen many students who excel in their field and receive scholarship for their innovation and passion. For example, you can follow this link at Study Hacks to learn more about others who are achieving more with less.  

Something more for you...
Maybe you are interested to read this article:   
Dangerous Ideas: College Extracurriculars Are Meaningless