Best Types Of Organizations/Clubs To Join As A Grad Student

By Elana Goodwin on June 23, 2016

This article is brought to you by Kaplan, the leader in test prep for over 90 standardized tests, including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT.

As an undergraduate, you were probably involved in multiple clubs and organizations throughout your time at school — and being a grad student shouldn’t be any different. Joining student organizations is also an important part of graduate school — and here are some of the best types of clubs to be a part of as a grad student.

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Religious. Pretty much all schools will have student organizations for different religions — and graduate schools will have them too. Whether you’re Jewish, Christian, Catholic, Muslim, etc., there is almost sure to be a graduate club for other students who share your faith. These types of organizations can be some of the best for grad students as it allows you to find people who share the same religious views as you — and you may even make some friends you could go with to church, synagogue, and elsewhere.

Ethnicity/Nationality/Race. Similar to joining graduate student clubs based on your religion, joining an organization created for people of your ethnicity/nationality can also be a good idea as a graduate student. There are grad organizations made for lots of different kinds of people, from Asians to Africans, and more. These can be some of the best clubs to join as a grad student as people who share your ethnicity, race, and or nationality will likely share a similar background and culture as you, which may make it easier for you to make connections and build friendships. You could also benefit when it comes to networking, as alumni from your school who were also in that group may help you out more since you have that commonality.

Interests. If you’ve got a particular interest or hobby, there’s most likely a graduate student club dedicated to that very passion. There are organizations for those who are interested in dance, music, singing, writing, theatre, computers, reading, photography, sports (both competitive and intramural leagues), and more. Joining clubs that revolve around something you love is a great way to meet other grad students who share your passion and can provide a nice outlet for you when you need to get away from studying. Additionally, these groups can either help you better a skill you have or help you gain a new ability, which may prove to be useful to have on resumes and in interviews.

Area of Study. Grad students who are studying for the Masters, JD, MD, etc., in a certain field can join clubs and organizations catering to students like them. In these types of groups, you’ll meet fellow students in the same area of study, many of whom you will share classes with and who may be people you can lean on throughout your time in grad school. By joining a club geared toward your specific degree, you’ll make valuable connections with others who’ll be in your field and great networking contacts and friendships. You’ll also improve many of your abilities, like working with a team, leadership skills, and more, all of which will look good on your resume or CV.

Community. Many student organizations are dedicated to giving back to the local community — whether it’s through tutoring, volunteering, community outreach, social justice, etc. Whatever you’re passionate about, from children’s literacy to cancer awareness to working in a community vegetable garden, there are so many different volunteer opportunities graduate student organizations are devoted to at every grad school across the country. You can join whichever group or groups sound the most interesting to you and which allow you to give back to the community in whatever way you like best or you think will be most beneficial.

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Even though school’s not in session, summer is a good time to start thinking about what graduate student clubs and organizations you’ll want to join this year at your school. If you’ve been a part of a group in the past but didn’t love your experience in that group, perhaps it’s time to reflect on why and explore other clubs that may be a better fit for you this fall. Don’t feel pressured to remain a part of a group just because you were a member in the past — make sure whatever organization you’re a part of really benefits you and is something you enjoy.

Besides being a great resume booster, being part of a club will help you gain or improve valuable skills, provide you with a way to socialize with fellow grad students and make friendships, and allow you to get a break from your studies and schoolwork. So whether you’re going to be starting or returning to grad school this fall, take a look at your university’s graduate student organizations, and figure out which ones you want to join and be a part of.

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