application/resume question

#1 05-19-2011, 02:30 AM

Is it advisable to include your fraternity membership and offices held on a resume or application for graduate school if you either resigned from or were expelled from the chapter? I am going into my senior year and am relatively sure that I just don't have the energy to put another year into it so I think I won't be returning to the house, but I definitely want to include my membership and the numerous offices I held on my med school applications, and am not sure if it is advisable to do so if I either just resign or move out of house and get expelled (chapter policy calls for an expulsion vote to be held for any members who move out of house, and as I am not the most popular member due to my loud and confident personality I don't stand a chance of getting voted to remain a member if i move out hahaha). So my dilemma is, do I list all my fraternity involvement on my application since I know this will bolster my application, or is there too great of a risk that the med school would check with Nationals, find out that I resigned/got expelled, and actually end up hurting my application as a result?

als463 · #2 05-19-2011, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacobqb

Is it advisable to include your fraternity membership and offices held on a resume or application for graduate school if you either resigned from or were expelled from the chapter? I am going into my senior year and am relatively sure that I just don't have the energy to put another year into it so I think I won't be returning to the house, but I definitely want to include my membership and the numerous offices I held on my med school applications, and am not sure if it is advisable to do so if I either just resign or move out of house and get expelled (chapter policy calls for an expulsion vote to be held for any members who move out of house, and as I am not the most popular member due to my loud and confident personality I don't stand a chance of getting voted to remain a member if i move out hahaha). So my dilemma is, do I list all my fraternity involvement on my application since I know this will bolster my application, or is there too great of a risk that the med school would check with Nationals, find out that I resigned/got expelled, and actually end up hurting my application as a result?

Are you serious? Why would you come on to GC and ask a bunch of Greeks whether or not you should include on your resume an organization that you felt the need to abandon during your senior year? If you don't have "time" for your commitment during senior year of college-what makes you think you will have "time" for medical school? Greek life teaches you about balance. Apparently taking an oath means very little to you. To be honest, I have a very hard time taking anyone serious or giving anyone respect that chose to just deactivate from their GLO (unless it was a VERY good reason).

Don't include it. If your resume came across my desk and I found out you had disaffiliated, it would go straight in the garbage because you would be lying and trying to get away with claiming to be a member when you aren't.

unicorn · #3 05-19-2011, 07:47 AM

I'm a recruiter and I go through thousands of resumes every week.

If you resign or "allow" yourself to be kicked out of your org, it's tacky and misleading to include it on your resume. What message are you putting out there by saying "unlike everyone else, I couldn't hack it in my fraternity through Senior year"?

33girl · #4 05-19-2011, 08:59 AM

You don't have the ENERGY???!?!? Give me a fucking break.

The previous two posters pretty much said it all. I can understand why your brothers think you're a dick. I only wish I could forward this thread to them (and to every place you will ever apply for employment in the future0.

DeltaBetaBaby · #5 05-19-2011, 09:14 AM

Welcome to GreekChat!

Don't put it on there. Not only would you be lying, but Greek affiliation can be as much as a liability as an asset depending on who is reading your resume.

IrishLake · #6 05-19-2011, 09:17 AM

And what exactly would you do if you DID put your membership on your applications and resume, but the person/people reviewing your info also belong to the same organization and they look you up with HQ only to find you disaffliated/dropped out? I'm going to guess you'd wouldn't be extended an invitation to that medical school.

AnotherKD · #7 05-19-2011, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

You don't have the ENERGY???!?!? Give me a fucking break.

The previous two posters pretty much said it all. I can understand why your brothers think you're a dick. I only wish I could forward this thread to them (and to every place you will ever apply for employment in the future0.

@33girl, I'm sure Delta Chi at Oklahoma State has a contact on their homepage...

But anyhow, you don't have the energy for this, yet you want to go to med school. I'm not a doctor, but I hear that med school and residency and everything is one of the most grueling things that a person could go through, as far as schooling goes. You may want to rethink your intended profession.

Gusteau · #8 05-19-2011, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnotherKD

@33girl, I'm sure Delta Chi at Oklahoma State has a contact on their homepage...

He's actually from the Delta Chi Chapter of Delta Tau Delta at Oklahoma State. I'm not trying to claim homeboy as a brother - lol - sorry Delts...

AnotherKD · #9 05-19-2011, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gusteau

He's actually from the Delta Chi Chapter of Delta Tau Delta at Oklahoma State. I'm not trying to claim homeboy as a brother - lol - sorry Delts...

My bad!

Gusteau · #10 05-19-2011, 09:46 AM

No worries, I'm just glad I checked before I raged on him, lol.

AnotherKD · #11 05-19-2011, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gusteau

No worries, I'm just glad I checked before I raged on him, lol.

Haha! I saw one of his posts and didn't read thoroughly- I'm chalking it up to being under the weather today.

But the rest of my post stands.

AOII Angel · #12 05-19-2011, 10:40 AM

Okay...I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt because I've been there. Senior year is stressful when you're worrying about trying to get into med school, but you've just shown serious lack of judgement on this board. If you really have no interest anymore in your fraternity, go ahead and drop, but do it the manly way and deactivate rather than slither out the door. You can include your work with your fraternity on your application. You did the work. They may be impressed, but if they do find out that you quit in the end, that shows that you were just there to impress them. I'm not so sure they'd be impressed. With hundreds of applicants each year to go through, I doubt they are spending time calling HQs to verify membership in fraternities. I've gotta tell you, though, first year of medical school will eclipse senior year in the first week. Third year will kick your butt. Intern year (while nothing compared to the 120 hour work weeks I contended with thanks to the 80 hour work week law) will make you wish you were back in senior year in your fraternity house. Life only gets harder from here with more responsibilities. Don't I wish I could just move out of the house and have someone just vote a responsibility off of my shoulders.

DrPhil · #13 05-19-2011, 11:18 AM

I strongly recommend not putting your fraternity on your graduate school application for 3 reasons:

1. You are deactivating. Quitter. Regardless of the reason.

2. I don't think anyone should put GLO membership on graduate school applications. If they do, that's fine, but I would never recommend it unless you did something that directly relates to the graduate degree.

3. Your accomplishments while in that fraternity are at the collegiate chapter-level (unless you did something that was beyond the chapter-level). For many people, such accomplishments are expected, so some people (such as myself) do not find them noteworthy for an application unless (again) they directly relate to the graduate degree.

Therefore, save that space on your application for accomplishments that are more academic and community-based without CONVENIENTLY trying to use your deactivated fraternity membership as social capital.

***
When committees read through graduate school applications, they are often rushed and are looking for the applications that really stand out. An application that references Greekdom may only standout to fellow Greeks--and particularly those who aren't just "Greek when I was in college." WOMP WOMP, if someone was to put your application on top because you have a good application that includes Greek affiliation, only to find out (you'll be surprised) that you deactivated.

***
We aren't talking about a professional organization that you can put "presented at conference" or "2009 committee chair" on your application even if you didn't pay dues for the current fiscal year. Even then, there are instances where people are called out for not being currently active (if their name isn't on the fiscal year roster) if the people reading your application or resume` care so much.

LatinaAlumna · #14 05-19-2011, 11:44 AM

I agree with Dr. Phil--greek affiliation should generally not be listed on a graduate (especially medical school) application. Medical schools are primarily looking for undergraduate research presentations/publications, summer institute participation, paid or unpaid internships in the medical field, etc. Even being president of your chapter will mean little to an admissions committee when you are competing with students who have been cranking out published papers throughout undergrad.

Kappamd · #15 05-19-2011, 12:05 PM

^^^As someone who has gone through the med school admissions process with my affiliation on my application, I respectfully disagree. I was asked about my involvement in Kappa at every interview. Medical schools are looking for well-rounded students above anything else. Yes, those accomplishments you mentioned would be impressive and helpful, but it takes more the pure academics to be accepted to medical school.