With college admissions becoming increasingly selective, the pressure to be involved in as many extracurriculars as possible rises. Among these activities, creating a club has been viewed as a one-way ticket to a top college. As more clubs emerge amidst the extracurricular scene at Portola High, students should create clubs driven by genuine passion and interest rather than only as a way to enhance their resume.
Throughout the years, the number of student-run clubs has steadily increased. In the 2024-25 school year, Portola High hosted a total of 140 clubs. This year, approximately an additional 50 clubs were added, bringing the total number of clubs to 185, according to ASB Club Commissioner and senior Audrey Shiono.
In addition to the rise in newly formed clubs, most clubs have been academic in nature, according to ASB Club Commissioner and senior Jiwon Kim. Kim said a common trend among academic clubs is that their main purpose is to enhance students in their college applications, rather than to pursue genuine academic interests.
“One of the trends I’ve been observing is that people honestly started to you know, look better on the college [applications],” Kim said. I think that’s the authentic purpose, but I feel like that’s the most often case.”
A club also isn’t necessarily successful by its number of members—rather, the impact the club makes is much more important, according to junior Gisselle Ramirez. When a club is formed or joined out of external interests, such as enhancing college applications, the club may grow in size but lack true contributions and impact on the community.
“Do something you think is meaningful to you, and impactful that would help you out, and something you don’t think is just a chore,” Ramirez said.
Some argue that creating or joining many clubs can be beneficial for a student’s college applications. However, joining clubs that do not align with an individual’s passion is not beneficial. Kim said that college admissions value genuine passion over surface-level involvement in a student’s extracurriculars. While students might believe that joining many clubs is beneficial to their application, in reality, spreading themselves too thin across too many clubs shows colleges that the student’s involvement is not passion-driven.
“If you are passionate about something, and you think you have something that could add value to our school campus, whether that be because other people are interested or because you want to find a safe space for you, then you could start the process and maybe petition for a club,” Shiono said.
As academic pressure rises to be accepted into a top university, students must have the space to pursue their passions on campus. Rather than joining clubs solely to strengthen their resume, students should join clubs that allow them to explore their passions.” Whether it be through shared interest, cultural appreciation or artistic expression, every student should be able to find a welcoming community on campus.
