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A Comprehensive List of High School Clubs Students Can Join or Consider Starting

The Importance of High School Clubs

Versatility of Club Participation

List of High School Clubs

Starting Your Own Club

How to Start a High School Club

Most high school students know that joining, leading, and starting clubs is a great way to make friends, do something you feel good about, explore a passion, and stretch yourself beyond your day-to-day classes.

Of course, you also probably know that club participation looks great on your college application, which means it’s worth considering the benefits different kinds of clubs offer in terms of personal growth, skill building, etc…

But time constraints, lots of classwork, or the simple challenge of having too many clubs to choose from may make it hard to get started…If you have questions like:

Is joining a club worth it?  

How do I decide what kind of club to join?

What’s more beneficial — joining a club or starting my own club?

then keep reading…

In this post we’ll help you feel more confident about choosing a club that matches your interests and college aspirations.

The Importance of High School Clubs for Students

You know high school isn't just about hitting the books, right? This is a time when you can expand your horizons and explore your passions and the world outside of school with peers who share your interests.

1. Exploring Interests and Building Character

One amazing way to do that is by diving into extracurricular activities — those fun and engaging things you do after school and to make the most of summertime as well. Let me tell you why they're not only a great chance for some group fun but also incredibly important for your personal growth and future college dreams.

First off, extracurricular activities help you grow as a person . By joining a club or starting one yourself, you're stepping out of your comfort zone, learning new skills, and meeting people who share your interests.

2. Developing Essential Life Skills

According to the National Center for Education Statistics , students who get involved tend to have better time management skills and higher self-esteem. When you're part of a club, you're basically leveling up your teamwork, leadership, and communication skills without even realizing it.

3. Making an Impression on College Admissions

Now, let's talk about the college dream and getting into top colleges . Selective colleges are highly competitive, but they also value well-rounded individuals who can contribute to their campus community.

Amy Thompson, a high school counselor in New York wants students to know that  “Admission officers can see through the applicant who joins a million different clubs in their junior or senior year” so it’s important to “use your [extracurricular] activities to show colleges who you are.”

Thompson’s best advice: “don’t just join something to pad your resume. Pick something you’re genuinely interested in… and show…some level of initiative or leadership.”

That’s right, alongside your grades and test scores, colleges want to know how your values, passions, and interpersonal skills will enhance campus life.

Extracurricular activities are one key ingredient of high school success and your chance to let prospective colleges all the genuine passions, commitments, and abilities that make you special — all the personality traits that are going to elevate your personal essays !

• Further reading: What Do Colleges Look For In Students & How To Stand Out

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The Versatility of High School Club Participation

So, there’s not much debate when it comes to the benefits of club participation, club leadership, starting a club among other kinds of valuable extracurricular activities . And, if you’re motivated to learn and grow, and improve your chance for getting into a great college AND increasing your chances for succeeding in college , you’re probably already involved in a club or trying to figure out your next steps — for picking a club, joining a club, or getting more involved in club leadership.

Choosing Clubs Based on Personal Interests and Goals

But you still have to consider what kinds of clubs offer benefits that match your personal passions and your college aspirations…

Kevin's Story: Balancing STEM with Literature

Let’s imagine a student named Kevin, and let’s suppose Kevin is a sophomore interested in STEM subjects at school. Kevin really needs opportunities to escape from the rigor of his classes, so he’s looking for a club experience that’s fun and social and doesn’t involve science, but that will also elevate his college profile. Based on that, Kevin decides that joining a Literature Club, not a science club, is the way to go.

Dana's Journey: Paving the Way in Engineering

Let’s imagine another student, Dana, who is also on a STEM track. Suppose Dana has an itch for real-life tinkering and experimentation and believes that as a woman she needs to really “lean in” when it comes to forging a path in engineering, a field where women are less represented .

The only science club at the school that Dana finds interesting is an Environmental Club. But Dana wants something more hands-on and engineering focused, so after finding a supportive teacher to be the club advisor, she convinced some classmates to join together to launch the school’s first Robotics Club.

How to select a high school club right for you?

As you can see, there are lots of directions you can take when it comes to choosing a club and finding clubs with the benefits that are right for YOU…

Use the high school clubs list below for help, so you can quickly sort out what clubs are the best fit for you. The list includes popular clubs and some more unique clubs and highlights some of the unique benefits that set different kinds of clubs apart!

And, if the clubs that interest you aren’t available at your school… what then?... Don’t worry, after you check out the high school clubs list in this post, you’ll see some tips to help you decide if starting your own club is the right way to go, along with the steps you’ll need to follow to start a club.

Extracurriculars Around the World

Comprehensive List of High School Clubs and Their Benefits

Academic clubs.

If colleges are looking for “well rounded” applicants, then are academic clubs even a good idea?

Glad you asked… Colleges actually know darn well that some of their top academic achievers are not going to be so well rounded. In other words, a diverse student body at an academic institution is going to include some students with very intense academic passions and commitments and some more well rounded students.

So, being a fanatic for an academic subject doesn’t mean you won’t be a strong candidate for college! On the contrary — it’s just that colleges want to know what your real passions are, and they’re going to also recruit some more well-rounded applicants so campus life is more diverse and balanced.

So, if you’re aiming to showcase an exceptional giftedness for a specific subject or just have an unquenchable passion for the subject, then pursuing those interests in an academic club could be a good choice.

Key Benefits of Academic Clubs

• You demonstrate exceptional motivation for self-directed learning in a subject you’re passionate about
• Creative activities may help you discover new insights, perspectives, or passions related to the subject you’re obsessed with
• May involve opportunities to participate in stimulating academic competitions or project fairs — and even win awards
• You’re turbocharging your academic credentials before applying to college

Popular Academic Clubs

• Math Club — From study groups, to research projects, to exploring new math concepts and theories, math clubs are a great way to explore math with more freedom and creativity!
• Science Club — Science clubs offer you an opportunity to explore the science topics you’re most passionate about, conduct experiments, organize projects addressing real-life problems and solutions, or attend or promote a science fair.
• History Club — Dive deep into historical events and periods, organize museum visits, explore new books on topics of interest, pursue a creative project, such as a historical re-enactment of an important event.

Arts and Culture Clubs

Clubs on the arts and culture club list cover lots of ground: visual arts, music, theater, literature, and more. Arts and culture clubs are great for anyone who wants to take advantage of extracurricular activities that offer enrichment and a platform for self-expression, creativity, and personal growth.

These clubs often allow you to make friends while participating in activities that honor individual self-expression and diverse viewpoints, talents and interests.

If you’re looking for a respite from rigorous academic classes or you just want a space to embrace and explore your individuality alongside like-minded peers, arts and culture clubs offer lots of possibilities.

Key Benefits of Arts & Culture Clubs

• Cultivate self-awareness and cultural awareness
• Explore expressive and creative activities you don’t experience in your regular classes
• Discover and develop innate creative talents
• Build confidence, self-esteem, and self-discipline from completing artistic projects or putting on performances
• Be able to showcase holistic talents and interests when you apply to colleges

Popular Arts & Culture Clubs

• Drama Club — Develop acting skills, escape into fictional settings and events, have a ton of fun playing different roles, try out script writing and develop creative writing abilities, practice putting yourself out there and building confidence by performing on stage, or strut your teamwork skills helping out backstage
• Art Club — Explore various art forms, enjoy and learn from peers with diverse talents and creative interests, explore your inner creativity in the company of supportive peers, organize exhibitions or visit art museums or exhibits, volunteer as a mentor to facilitate art-related extracurricular activities for grade school kids.
• Literature Club — Host book discussions, explore one author or literary genre, write book reviews to submit to the school paper, organize vocabulary competitions, work with school staff to invite authors to speak at school assemblies, or put on your own book talks in the school library.

Sports and Physical Activity Clubs

Sports and Physical Activity Clubs are great if you want to get in shape, stay in shape, or enjoy an extracurricular activity that lets you get physical activity after a full day of classwork.

Like athletes, these clubs come in all shapes and sizes, so you can join or start a club focused on a niche activity that you’re interested in — with lots of options, such as basketball, soccer, and track, or trying out more niche activities like rock climbing, yoga, or ultimate frisbee…

These clubs also instill qualities of resilience, perseverance, and determination, and that fact won’t be lost on admissions officers when you apply to college down the road. Who knows, your passion and commitment can also pave the way to a rewarding sports scholarship !

Key Benefits of Sports & Physical Activity Clubs

• Get more balance in your school day with some refreshing and healthy physical activities
• Develop new friendships with peers who have different academic interests
• Build your teamwork skills
• Stay healthy and fit, and build self confidence
• Boost your college profile by demonstrating resilience, perseverance, and time management skills

Popular Sports & Physical Activity Clubs

• Soccer Club — Learn teamwork, participate in tournaments, hone your understanding of soccer techniques, rules, and strategy.
• Yoga Club — Focus on mental and physical well-being, seriously de-stress from school work, and explore the benefits of a healthy mind-body connection along with potential new friends.
• Running Club — Make new friends, build amazing stamina and perseverance, push your limits and develop resilience — enduring qualities you can also apply in academics and that will help you stand out when you apply for college down the road.

Social and Community Service Clubs

Social and community service clubs offer you opportunities to make a positive impact on both your immediate surroundings and the broader world.

Participating in these clubs will be a great way to extend your collaboration, communication, and leadership skills.

Social and community service clubs allow students to investigate and advocate for various social policy topics, and organize activities such as debates, community service projects, educational forums, or book discussions.

Wondering what kinds of issues and policies to put at the center of your club…? Usually, students focus on issues they feel passionate about or see as a concern in their community. Some great “causes” to consider include homelessness, climate change, public health issues, education, fighting poverty or hunger, and more.

By participating in these clubs, you’re going to cultivate a sense of empathy, compassion, and social responsibility.

Social and community service clubs can help you develop a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by different communities. And, as you wrestle with the challenges of spearheading social change with the support of other club members, you’ll discover the power you can have in helping shape a better world.

Your teamwork and collaboration efforts — as you organize events, fundraisers, and initiatives — will also nurture leadership skills, tactical communication skills, and problem-solving abilities, setting you up for success in many different future endeavors.

Additionally, these clubs give you many opportunities to enjoy belonging and connection as you collaborate with peers with similar values and aspirations.

Key Benefits of Social & Community Service Clubs

• Practice coordination, communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills
• Find opportunities to channel your social justice passion and empathy into action and heighten your awareness of the power you have to make the world better
• Your experience will help you showcase great qualities when you apply to college, such as empathy, initiative-taking, social responsibility, and an ability to connect academic learning with social action

Popular Social & Community Service Clubs

• Debate Club — Enhance your public speaking poise and confidence, learn new critical thinking skills you can apply to other subjects and later in college, and enjoy a form of competition that’s intellectually stimulating.
• Community Service Club — Organize charity events, volunteer at local nonprofits, find fun and creative ways to raise money for worthy causes as you make friends and build community with other students.
• Environmental Club — Promote sustainable practices, organize clean-up drives, learn practical advocacy skills — like how to advance a petition or policy, how to do community outreach to promote an event for community awareness  or to recruit new members to your club.

Some Unique Special Interest Clubs

• Benefits include polishing your resume, especially if you plan to apply to college as an engineering major.
• Benefits include cultivating a more well-rounded personality and enriching your perspectives on culture and society.
• Benefits include developing and demonstrating exceptional curiosity and mature communication, critical thinking, and problem solving skills.

Starting Your Own Club: Pros and Cons

Some students think it’s essential to start their own club because it’s necessary if you want to stand out when it’s time to apply to college. But maybe your decision-making should consider the bigger picture… It makes more sense to focus on your passions, genuine community interests and needs, and the interests of peers at your school.

So before diving into the deep end when it comes to the demanding work of starting a new club, ask yourself the following:

• Do I have the time and energy to take this on?
• Will this kind of club have meaningful benefits for participants? For others?
• Will it attract enough of my peers to be sustainable?
• Will I be able to earn the support of a teacher advisor and school administrators?

Now let’s get into the real PROS and CONS of starting a club in high school…

Starting a high school club can be a rewarding experience, but it also comes with its share of challenges. Here are some important pros and cons to consider:

Pros of Starting a High School Club

1. Your interests are front and center: You can create a club that aligns with your interests, passions, and hobbies, allowing you to connect with like-minded peers.

2. Exceptional Leadership Training: Starting and leading a club helps develop valuable leadership skills that can be beneficial in future endeavors, including college and career opportunities.

3. Impact: Your club can make a positive impact on the school and local community through various activities, events, and initiatives.

4. Networking: You'll have the opportunity to connect with students from different grades and potentially collaborate with teachers and other staff members.

5. Resume Booster: Being involved in starting and running a club can enhance your resume and go a long way in helping you demonstrate initiative, organization, and commitment on your college apps.

Cons of Starting a High School Club

1. Time Commitment & Time Management: Managing a club can be majorly time-consuming, especially when it comes to planning meetings, events, and coordinating with members!

2. Startup Hurdles: Starting a club from scratch can be exciting, but the minutiae of paperwork, forms, charters, budgets, finding an advisor, and gaining administrative approval, can feel bureaucratic and tedious.

3. Finding Members: It might be challenging to attract and retain members, and maintaining their interest and engagement over time can be tricky.

4. Conflict Resolution: This might not be the first challenge that comes to mind, but depending on what type of club and the personal interests of those who participate, moderating conflicting interests and opinions to forge consensus among the founding club members can be difficult.

How to Start Your Own High School Club: Six Steps to Follow 

If you decide to move forward and start a club, here’s what you’ll need to do next:

• Identify a niche or interest
• Gather a small group of like-minded fellow students to be trailblazers with you
• Seek approval from school administration and find a supportive club advisor (usually a teacher or other staff member)
• Organize a couple of initial meetings to work on and build consensus around planning and goal setting with an eye to the activities, and structures that will help make the club fun, beneficial, supportive, and rewarding for all involved
• Come up with a club mission statement and meeting schedule
• Publicize your club, and include: the name, mission, and goals, how to join, and the meeting times and location

Once your new club is off and running, remember to create time for gathering some member feedback to guide future planning. 

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been thinking about joining a club or starting a new club, or wondering whether club activities are even worth it then we hope the list of high school clubs and our discussion of the unique benefits clubs offer will make it easier for you to take your next steps and get involved before high school passes you by…

As an extracurricular, your club activities don’t have to take up lots of time. And, for the time you do put in, you should get lasting friendships, memories, and benefits…

Finally, motivated students thinking about applying to selective schools should also remember that club participation is a great way to become more well rounded or showcase unique commitments, passions, and interests — all of which have a positive impact on your college admissions prospects and on college life as well!

Like most things, taking the next step and taking initiative get easier with practice. So now it’s your turn…

Here are some action steps you can take right now:

• Review the list of clubs above, make your own “short list” of prospective clubs to join or start, decide what your next step is and give yourself a deadline for action!
• Get connected with Crimson Education for more information on individualized college prep support.

Key Resources & Further Reading

• Join our free webinars to ace your university applications
• Free eBooks and guides to help with the college application process
• Which Summer Activities Do Colleges Like?
• 10 Passion Project Ideas for High School Students
• The Key to Choosing The Right Extracurricular Activity
• 18 Examples of Great Extracurricular Activities For Colleges
• Top 10 Benefits of Extracurricular Activities in High School

About the Author

Keith Nickolaus

Keith Nickolaus is a former educator with a passion for languages, literature, and lifelong learning. After obtaining a B.A. from UC Santa Cruz and exploring university life in Paris, Keith earned his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, and then worked for 16 years in K12 education before setting up shop as a freelance writer.

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Extracurriculars.

70 High School Clubs You Can Start Now

What’s covered:, things to remember when starting a club, community service clubs, identity and affinity clubs, business and economic clubs, art and music clubs, writing and humanities clubs, language and cultural clubs, political clubs, hobby and miscellaneous clubs.

• How Do Clubs Impact your Admissions Chances?

Most college applicants know that when they apply to college, their academic record and standardized test scores will be under the microscope. What many applicants don’t realize, though, is how other factors on their applications will ultimately set them apart.

Many universities in America now receive far more academically qualified applicants than they have space for. At ultra selective schools like Yale, there could be six or seven academically qualified applicants for every slot in their incoming class. So, how do admissions committees decide who makes the cut? As college admissions become increasingly competitive, extracurricular activities are becoming a more and more critical piece of the admissions process.

Many applicants get into the college of their dreams by building great extracurricular profiles. While it’s possible to do extracurricular activities completely outside of school, clubs inside the school are often important as well because they are easier to execute and show engagement with your school community.

Joining an existing club at your school is a great option, but an even more beneficial one is starting your own club. Starting and sustaining your own club in high school bears a lot more weight in the admissions process and can set you apart from the rest of the crowd. For some great tips on how to get started and what type of clubs you might establish, don’t miss this post.

When starting your own club in high school, you need to choose something unique from other available options. This means either establishing your own chapter of an organization that already exists at other high schools, or creating a club that is something completely different from any other club at your high school.

In any case, the club that you start should be something you’re genuinely interested in and passionate about, and hopefully something that generates that same passion in others. Ideally, the club will align with other activities on your resume, making it feel more focused and authentic, rather than simply an admissions gimmick.

To get started, you will need to navigate whatever official process is required by your school. This usually means formally appealing to your school’s administration and fulfilling certain administrative requirements. Sometimes you might need to write bylaws or file a petition. Learn your school’s regulations ahead of time so that you can be certain to follow them precisely.

Next, try to recruit a wide base of members. A legitimate high school club will consist of members beyond your own friend group. You should aim to have at least 10 people per meeting, which will generally mean a group of 40 or so members with sporadic involvement or a group of 10 to 15 members who are consistently committed.

In its general operations, your club should go beyond just meeting regularly. To add legitimacy (and weight to the admissions process) your club should also do things like participate in competitions, hold events, and fundraise.

Finally, your club should be sustainable enough that it will continue to run even after you’ve moved on. Find a teacher to serve as your club’s advisor. This should be someone already involved in the activity or subject area that your club specializes in. This person will be instrumental in helping to sustain the club after you’ve left campus. Ultimately the club will be your legacy to your school.

Here are 70 examples of clubs you can start in high school along, with a brief description of each. Look through the list and see if any of these clubs would be worth starting on your high school campus.

1. Amnesty International Club

Work to support various human rights causes in your community and around the world by establishing an official high school chapter with Amnesty International, an international human rights organization. For more information about getting involved with this grassroots organization, see Amnesty International: A Human Rights Extracurricular For High Schoolers .

2. Key Club Chapter

If your school is not already registered with Key Club, you could try and get a chapter started at your school. Key Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a very popular student-led organization whose goal is to encourage leadership through serving others.

3. Soup Kitchen Club  

Organize volunteer opportunities for your club members by visiting a local soup kitchen. You could also hold donation drives through the club to try and help out your local soup kitchen and/or other shelters in your community.

4. Operation Smile Club

Operation Smile is an organization that provides free surgeries to children with a cleft lip. You can help by setting up a chapter at your school that supports them. You can organize various fundraisers to donate to Operation Smile, organize a walk to raise awareness about the cause, or have networking chats with a member or someone the organization helped to see how impactful the organization is.

5. Human Rights Club

If you are passionate about addressing human rights violations and advancing universal rights, you can start your own chapter of a human rights NGO such as the Human Rights Watch . You can discuss various human rights topics at meetings, create campaigns like posters or social media posts to address urgent issues, and organize fundraisers or drives.

6. Roots and Shoots

Created by Dr. Jane Goodall, Roots and Shoots is a non-profit organization that empowers students to be environmentally conscious and protect the planet. You can start your own chapter to participate in projects, be a part of challenges, and teach other students about sustainability and conservation. 

7. Midnight Run

Midnight runs are events when volunteers who have collected items like clothing or prepared meals go into a nearby city and deliver them to the homeless population. These runs normally happen at night, hence the name Midnight Run. This is an incredibly rewarding club to bring to your school that will make a huge impact for those who are less fortunate. Preparing for, and going on, a run does require a lot of organization, planning, and adult chaperones, so make sure you know the full responsibilities before you begin.

8. Tutoring Club

An easy, yet meaningful, way to give back to your community is to start a tutoring or mentorship club that pairs high school students with middle or elementary schoolers who are struggling in a particular subject. You can recruit tutors from your classes and reach out to your previous teachers to find students who could benefit from a tutor.

9. Pride Club

You can start a pride club or LGBTQ+ Alliance club at your school to create a safe space for students of all gender and sexual identities to connect, learn, and advocate. Maybe you want to organize letter writing campaigns and marches to urge political action, or maybe you just want to have discussions about topics you don’t cover in class.

10. Girl Up  

For young females who want to empower other girls and lead the charge for change, starting a Girl Up club is a great first step. With the mission of educating and advocating for gender justice, this organization has over 6,500 clubs in all 50 states. You can start your own club to bring together other young female leaders and organize events to support girls all over the world.

11. Black Student Alliance

If you are passionate about racial justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion, then you can start a Black Student Alliance chapter to join students across the country in sharing the experiences of Black students and creating change for the future. Your club can organize advocacy campaigns, bring in speakers, and host fun events to bring together Black students at your school.

12. Latinx Club

You may want to start a Latinx club if you are looking to create a larger sense of community for the students of Hispanic and Latin descent at your school. You could make the club more of a social space to celebrate Latinx culture or you could choose to focus on advocating for important issues to the Latinx community.

13. Computer Science Club

Starting a computer science club might make sense for you if you are fascinated by coding and want to share your love with other students. You can host workshops and lessons that teach comp sci principles, bring in alumni who are CS majors or work in CS fields to speak, and come up with fun activities to do like creating your own app or coding a computer game.

14. Robotics Club

For students who can’t get enough of engineering and robotics, try starting a robotics club. You can experiment with different building materials, practice your coding skills with different commands, and host competitions to see who can build a robot the fastest or who can make the biggest robot. The great part about robotics is you can always find something new to build, so this club will never get boring!

15. Girls Who Code  

Girls Who Code is an international organization dedicated to educate and support future female engineers to level the gender gap in STEM professions. Whether you have experience coding or you’ve never heard of Python or HTML, you could make a huge impact on your school community by starting a Girls Who Code chapter. The organization provides you with all the tools you need to establish your club; all you need is to sign-up and get started.

16. National Science Bowl

Create a team to compete in the Department of Energy’s annual National Science Bowl . This national, quiz-style competition tests student knowledge in all areas of math and science. Teams are composed of four students and an alternate, along with a faculty advisor. Competitions begin regionally and winning teams progress to the national finals, held annually in Washington, DC.

17. HOSA – Future Health Professionals 

Start your own chapter of HOSA , a national career and technical student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education. It provides unique leadership development, motivation, and recognition for students enrolled in health science education or who have interests in pursuing careers in health professions. Membership provides access to an extensive network of curriculum and leadership conferences. You could have doctors and nurses come in and discuss their professions, volunteer as a group at a local hospital or clinic, or arrange to have members shadow doctors and nurses.

18. Conrad Challenge  

Form a team to take on this annual innovation and entrepreneurial competition. The Conrad Challenge will inspire you to develop a solution to one of the world’s most complex problems in eight categories, including things like Aerospace & Aviation, Cyber-Technology & Security, Energy & Environment, and Health & Nutrition.

19. National Ocean Sciences Bowl  

If you’re interested in a fast-paced quiz style competition featuring questions in the fields of biology, physics, geology, chemistry of the ocean, and more, the NOSB might be for you. You can compete in regional and national events with teams of four or more, or host your own mini competitions among club members in your school.

20. Envirothon

More than just a competition, Envirothon offers an involved curriculum including classes in Aquatic Ecology, Soil/Land Use, Current Events, Wildlife, and Forestry. Your team can apply the knowledge gained from these classes towards regional competitions and beyond.

21. Technovation  

If you get excited about writing code and using technology to solve problems, consider starting your own team for the Technovation challenge. This challenge provides a curriculum and tasks teams with creating, building, and selling an app that solves a problem in their community. Technovation’s goal is to support girls and help them leverage technology to make the world better.

22. Chemistry/Biology/Physics/Astronomy Club

Have a particular passion for one of your science classes? Why not turn it into a club! Bring together your fellow students interested in a specific topic and delve into it outside of the classroom. You could do hands-on labs, read and discuss journal articles, or work on independent projects based on your interests.

23. Math Olympiad

For students who just can’t get enough of their math classes, starting a Math Olympiad club would be the perfect way to practice challenging and enriching math problems. You could host your own mini math olympiad competitions within your school, or you could use the club to help other students practice for the official international competition .

24. Small Business Club

Starting a small business club would give you and your peers experience in running a local business. Depending on your interests, you could choose to seek out local small businesses and offer your assistance with things like social media marketing, book keeping and inventory management, and growth strategy. Or, your club could start it’s own small business and the members of the club could take on various roles like CEO, CFO, Marketing Director, etc.

25. Charitable Investment Club  

Gain experience investing actual money for a good cause. Have a faculty advisor or teacher manage a fund controlled by your club’s vote. Start with an initial donation or grant from your school and research trading options to make your money grow. Donate the proceeds to a local charity at the end of the year. 

If you want to bring a well-known and respected business club to your school, DECA is for you. With nearly 250,000 high school members and regional, state, and international competitions to attend, this is a great place for students interested in business to grow their skills. DECA has six key areas of business that you can teach about in weekly meetings and choose to compete in at competitions: Business Management and Administration, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality and Tourism, Marketing, and Personal Financial Literacy.

27. Young Entrepreneurs

There’s no age requirement when it comes to starting your own business, so why not start a young entrepreneurs club to foster that entrepreneurial spirit while you’re in high school. The goal of this club is to have members learn about starting and running a business from hands-on experience. Whether the entire club works on one idea of a start-up or each member cultivates their own idea individually, there’s so much to learn from being a young entrepreneur.

28. Women in Business

By starting a club for aspiring businesswomen, you can be part of a movement to level the playing field in the world of business. Only 10% of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are women, so there’s still lots of work to be done. You can share lessons about important skills like communication and negotiation, bring in prominent women in business to talk to the club, and support one another in your individual business endeavors.

29. National Economics Challenge

Founded by the Council for Economic Education, the National Economics Challenge is a great choice if you want to demonstrate your academic savvy in these fields. Through a combination of critical thinking questions and a quiz-bowl round, your team will demonstrate knowledge of Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, International issues, and current events at competitions ranging from the state-level all the way up to the national finals.

30. Future Investors Club

It’s never too early to learn about ETFs, the S&P 500, and stocks and bonds. Why not start a club for students who are interested in investing, or who simply want to learn more. You could play investment games, create a mock stock market scenario, or learn about investing tips and tricks. Start getting that cash!

31. School Store

A fun way to get practical experience running a business in high school is to start your very own school store. You can set up a booth to sell merchandise at sporting events, sell refreshments at school events, or sell school supplies and necessities during the school day. 

32. Art Review Magazine  

For those who enjoy both art and journalism, an art review magazine is a great option to consider. You could start a school-wide publication that features work from student artists at your school or features critical reviews of famous works of art. 

33. Photography Club

If you’re really into photography or taking pictures, you’re probably not alone in your high school. You could create a club where people discuss famous photographs or take pictures of your school, community, and other memorable places/moments. You could even have a showcase or fundraiser during the year where the best photos from your club are featured and/or sold.

34. Art History Club  

This club is all about admiring and critically analyzing famous pieces of art throughout the world and throughout history. In this club, you could have critical discussions about famous pieces of artwork, take trips to museums to see historic pieces of art in person, and even organize grand trips to famous museums where the best paintings are held (e.g. The Louvre in France). You could even put out a quarterly magazine, newsletter, or blog. 

35. Graphic Design Club

Graphic design is a useful skill to have under your belt, not to mention a great way to express your creativity without needing physical materials. Consider starting a club where you play around with Photoshop, Illustrator, and Canva. You could even choose to make logos for local businesses, designs for your school website, or photoshopped images for the newspaper!

36. Sport Broadcasts  

If you’re interested in video production, why not start a sports broadcast for a school sport that doesn’t receive as much attention as some of the more mainstream sports? Club members would learn about video production and editing as they produced monthly sports broadcasts for less popular sports at your school. Televise them through a local public access channel, or create your own channel on Youtube or Vimeo. 

37. Drama Club

Calling all theater kids! Starting a drama club at your school might not be as good as Broadway, but it’s pretty close. You can recite monologues, put together a student-directed showcase, perform routines along to showtunes, play improv games, and even write your own play or musical. Depending on the size and budget of your drama club, you could even get the rights to a show and put on a full-scale musical.

38. Acapella Club

Let’s face it: who doesn’t want to have their Pitch Perfect moment? Acapella clubs are such great ways to connect with people who also love to sing and perform. You can pick what music genre you like—pop, musical theater, etc.—and find just about any song online to practice and perform.

39. Jazz Ensemble

If you enjoy playing the saxophone, trumpet, piano, bass, or clarinet, consider starting a jazz band with other musicians in your school. You can pick songs to play, experiment with improvisation, and perform at concerts held by your school. 

40. Digital Music Club

For the aspiring DJs and music producers out there, a digital music club could be an amazing way to explore your interests that typically aren’t covered in a traditional high school music class. Using programs like Garageband, you can create new songs or remix old ones.

41. Dance Team

Most high schools don’t consider dance to be a sport, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start your own club or team to dance after school with. Whether you want to focus on hip hop, jazz, ballet, contemporary, or another style, you can choreograph and teach other students routines. Maybe you’ll even be able to host a recital or perform at school pep rallies and sporting events.

42. Book Club 

You could arrange a club where the club members read one required book a week/month and then can come together in a meeting to discuss it. You’d be amazed at the intellectual conversations and debates you can have about a theme or plot line of a novel. You could also go out into the community and promote literacy by donating books or organizing a book drive for a local library or homeless shelter.

43. Literary Magazine 

Start a school literary magazine to nurture creativity and a love of both reading and writing in your school community. Meet weekly to review submissions, offer feedback, and create the magazine layout. You could also consider hosting short story or poetry competitions to bolster student interest.

44. Sports Blog for your School  

Most schools already have a student newspaper that covers sporting events, but a sports blog would be more comprehensive and would post real-time updates as sporting events unfolded. Send reporters to travel with the team and update scores and stats as games unfold. Write and post recaps the same day as sporting events so students who can’t attend the games can get the most up-to-date information. Prepare for a career in sports journalism!  

45. Slam Poetry Club

Slam poetry is an exciting way to express yourself, and could make for a fun addition to your school. Organize slam poetry nights at your school where members of the club can share their work with audiences. 

46. Creative Writing Club

Do you enjoy coming up with short stories, writing fanfiction, or imagining fictional worlds in your mind? A creative writing club is the perfect outlet for you and your peers to work on whatever stories come to mind, bounce ideas off of each other, and share finished works with. You may want to host mini competitions within the club or even submit what you wrote to magazines and literary competitions.

47. History Bowl

The National History Bowl offers history buffs the chance to compete on teams to answer history questions from any time period and place. If that sounds like your cup of tea, you can start your own history bowl club that prepares to go to the national competition. There are questions and study guides you can find online to use for your own mini bowls during club meetings.

48. Philosophy Club

Many high schools don’t offer philosophy classes that touch on the brilliant works and ideas of thinkers like Socrates, Aristotle, Confucius, Locke, and more. If you find yourself particularly interested in exploring and discussing philosophical concepts, get together a group to meet weekly to engage in centuries-old debates. Since this club will be primarily discussion based , make sure you have a general structure to keep everyone on track.

49. Foreign Language Club

If you have been taking a language for a while and have really enjoyed it or if there is a unique language that you speak at home that isn’t represented at your school, you should consider starting a club that revolves around that language. Only speak that language in club meetings, offer tutoring in that subject to students who are trying to learn, host events that promote the local culture where that language is spoken, and even try to plan a trip out to a country that speaks that language.

50. Foreign Literature Club

A foreign literature club is like a book club, but for books in other languages. Depending on the skill level of club members, you could choose to read books in their original language or look for translated texts in English. Either way, starting a club like this is a great way to expand your horizons and have meaningful discussions about a different culture.

51. Multicultural Club

There are so many unique cultures out there, but starting a multicultural club is a fantastic way to broaden your horizons and learn about new cultures. This is also a great way for students from different backgrounds to engage with one another and find a community. You can take turns sharing about different cultures, host multicultural fairs and events at your school, and even organize trips to experience new cultures first-hand.

52. Multicultural Food/Cooking Club

Food is one of the facets that define a culture, so what better way to experience new cultures than through food? You can have themed days where people bring in food from one specific culture or you find a similar food that each culture has made its own (ie. dumplings, pierogies, ravioli, empanadas, etc.). This club could also teach fellow students about food insecurity and organize food drives or collect donations to help cultures that have less access to healthy food.

53. Young Democrats/Young Republicans/Party Affiliation Clubs 

In this club, you could not only discuss political issues from the lens of a certain party’s ideology but you could mobilize to support the party’s efforts. This includes things like volunteering to help a campaign, planning a political rally, and getting signatures to garner support for a particular bill. You can also engage your fellow students who aren’t part of the club by handing out voter registration to 18 year olds.

54. High School Political Review 

A blend of politics and journalism, the politically aware students at your school could write content that comments and reports on the top political issues of the day. You could publish their work on an online website or perhaps even in the form of a print publication to be handed out at school.

55. Debate Club

Debate teams are popular high school clubs, but if your school doesn’t have one then you can make your own. In this club, you turn public speaking into a competition. Students can debate in pairs or on their own and can choose from a variety of topics. If you love public speaking, or if you want to get more confident speaking in front of crowds, you would enjoy debate.

56. Model Government

Whether you’d rather emulate the United States Congress or the United Nations, participating in a model government club builds important skills like communication, teamwork, and creativity. The chance to embody a government official or country in the discussion of an important topic like nuclear proliferation, refugee crises, or more is a great activity for aspiring politicians and changemakers. Your club can travel to regional competitions, often hosted at colleges, and win awards.

57. Mock Trial

Love the idea of being part of a model professional setting but more interested in law than politics? Mock trial is for you! In this club, you and your team are given a fake legal case and get to act it out as the defense, prosecution, and witnesses. If your mock trial club decides to compete in regional and national competitions, you can go to actual courthouses and have real judges preside over your cases.

58. Current Events Club

There’s so much happening in the world that it can be hard to stay up-to-date. If you enjoy learning about current events though, you can start a club to look into recent events and inform others about what is going on. You could write and send out daily or weekly newsletters to your school informing them of the top current events and organize fundraisers or drives for causes you care about.

59. Chess Club 

Not only could you practice and perfect your chess skills, but you could also have your club participate in local, regional, and national competitions. You could even host a competition yourselves and have weekly discussions about the best strategies. Gain even more legitimacy by participating in events sponsored by The United States Chess Federation . 

60. Cooking Club  

This club could be all about learning new recipes and perfecting good cooking skills. You could perhaps have everyone learn one new recipe per week, try it out at home, and then bring it to a club meeting for everyone to try and give feedback. You could also discuss best cooking techniques, plan trips to local restaurants, and watch cooking shows together.

61. Film Club  

In this club, you could watch films and then discuss them and even have the club create their own short films to submit to film festivals. For more information, see How To Start a Film Club in High School.

62. Social Media Club 

Start a school Instagram, Blog, or other Social Media account. Feature lighter, feel-good content to bolster community spirit and highlight all the good that happens in your community. Write features, edit content, and learn about marketing strategies during club meetings. Make sure you’re above board with the administration to make this a legitimate and valuable extracurricular. 

63. Gaming Club 

This club is for all those online gamers out there who want to create a space for themselves and other students to enjoy the computer, phone, and Xbox games they love. You can bond over games you like, play together as a team, and share your strategies with one another.

64. Board Game Club

Settlers of Catan, Monopoly, Risk, Battleship. If you love to play board games and just want to spend some time after school playing with other board game enthusiasts, why not start a club? Members can even bring in their favorite “underground” board game for people to try, or you might want to create an entirely new game.

65. Sports Club 

Odds are your high school already has common sports teams like soccer or track, but if you’re interested in a less conventional sport, you might consider starting a new club for it. Need some inspiration to get started? Some options might include curling, cricket, badminton, or even quidditch .  

66. Hiking Club

Hiking is an enjoyable hobby for many people who like to be active and in nature, so it would make for a great club. You can organize hikes to go on around your school if you live near nature trails or preserves. If you don’t have good hiking paths readily available near your school, your hiking club could organize trips an hour or so away that you go on once a month.

67. Fashion Club

Whether you want to be a fashion designer one day or you are obsessed with the newest fashion trends, a fashion club is a great opportunity to connect with other like-minded students and discuss fashion. Maybe you have watch-parties of fashion events like the Met Gala and share trend analyses and fashion news at weekly meetings. You could even organize a fashion show for your school, sponsored by local stores and boutiques!

68. Yoga Club

With all the stress high school brings, you aren’t going to be the only one looking for some peace. That’s why a yoga club is an awesome way to relax and meditate. You could even choose to meet in the mornings before school to start your day off strong. 

69. Gardening Club

For students with a green thumb, starting a gardening club is a nice way to engage with their hobby. You can ask your school to dedicate a plot of land to a school garden where you could plant decorative flowers to brighten the grounds up or fruits and vegetables that your school cafeteria or a local food shelter could use. This would also be a great club to share with your local elementary school to get younger kids excited about taking care of the planet.

70. Quiz Bowl

Obsessed with trivia? Have you always dreamed of being on Jeopardy? Starting a quiz bowl club is a fun way for you and your friends to answer trivia questions and host mini competitions. You can also have quiz bowl competitions with nearby schools or attend larger state-wide bowls.

How Do Clubs Impact Your Admissions Chances?

Why should you even start your own club? Well, extracurricular activities are an important part of your application, but not every extracurricular is created equally. To understand how different extracurriculars affect your application, we use a conceptual tool called The 4 Tiers of Extracurricular Activities . The 4 Tiers are as follows: 

• Tier 4: These activities show up most frequently on applications and have the weakest impact on your application. Your involvement in Tier 4 activities is peripheral—you participated but never gained leadership positions or recognition. These activities won’t make your application “pop,” but they can establish your interest in a given field.
• Tier 3: These activities are slightly more impressive. Tier 3 activities involve some level of distinction or achievement, like a small award or leadership position (things like being treasurer of your school’s finance club). Tier 3 activities highlight skills in a particular area, but they aren’t especially unique or exceptional.
• Tier 2: For many students, Tier 2 activities show their highest accomplishments. Tier 2 activities are accompanied by impressive achievements and establish your skills, dedication, and leadership (things like placing in a startup competition or being on the national board of NBHS). Having two or three Tier 2 activities on your application will help you stand out.
• Tier 1: These activities demonstrate the highest level of achievement. They involve truly extraordinary accomplishments (things like earning a spot at a highly prestigious summer program or founding a highly profitable business). Few students achieve Tier 1 accomplishments, which makes this sort of exceptional accomplishment likely to catch admissions committees’ attention.

Starting your own club, and subsequently holding an executive position like president, is considered a Tier 2 activity. Not many students have the passion for a topic, the organization skills to create a club, and the leadership skills to grow membership and impact others with their idea. However, if you are able to do all that, you are sure to impress admissions officers.

Curious how the club you start will impact your chances of admission to your dream school? CollegeVine’s free chancing engine will let you know your specific chances at over 1600 colleges and universities in the US. By taking into account GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data, the chancing engine predicts your odds of acceptance. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 39 best clubs to start in high school.

Extracurriculars

Thinking about starting a club? It's a great way to meet people with similar interests, do an activity you enjoy, learn more about an activity you're interested in, and gain leadership experience for your college application ! But what are good clubs to start in high school? In this article, I'll give you a list of dozens of clubs you can start!

Why Would You Want to Start a Club?

There are many good reasons to want to start a club. I mentioned some reasons above such as meeting new people, doing an activity you enjoy, and gaining leadership experience.

However, another reason you may want to start a club is if you have no opportunity at your school to pursue an interest you have. For example, you may have a passion for film, but your school may not offer any film classes or have any film clubs. If that's the case, start a film club to pursue that passion!

Even if your school has a class or club in your general area of interest, you may want to focus your attention on a more specific topic. For example, perhaps your school offers an art course, but you're passionate about sculpture specifically. In that case, consider starting a sculpture club.

List of Clubs to Start at Your High School

Now that you know why you should start a club, what are some potential club ideas? I've sorted the clubs into ten main categories: eight subject area clubs, hobby clubs, and charity clubs.

• Subject area clubs are clubs that come from an interest in a subject area taught in school. I've identified eight subject area club categories: Art, Drama, Film, Science, Math, Literature, History, and Language .
• Hobby clubs are clubs that stem from an interest in a hobby that most likely wouldn't be taught in high school (such as chess, anime, video games, and skiing).
• Charity clubs are clubs that are linked to a specific charity with the goal of raising awareness, working for that charity, or raising money for that charity (such as Operation Smile, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer, and Becca's Closet)

NOTE: The category a particular club has been placed into is not important. I simply created these categories to organize this list. No one category is better than another. It's best to create a club you're passionate about no matter the category.

Below, I'll give you club name ideas along with a few ideas for activities the club could do. When you start your club, you don't have to do all of these activities. You may want to do the simpler, smaller activities first before trying to plan one of the bigger activities (such as an international trip).

Art Club Ideas

Sculpture Club

• Analyze famous sculptures
• Work on your own sculptures
• Get feedback on your work from other club members
• Plan a trip to a local museum
• Plan a spring break trip to Florence, Italy to view sculptures in person

Photography Club

• Analyze famous photographs
• Take group trips to picturesque spots to snap some photos
• Create a dark room where you develop photos

Art History Club

• Members can present one of their favorite pieces of art for the club to discuss
• Visit local museums
• Plan a club spring break trip to Paris to view art in person at the Louvre

Art Review Magazine

• Start a magazine
• Review famous pieces of art
• Hold contests for student artwork to be published in the magazine
• Write reviews of local art shows

Drama Club Ideas

Shakespeare Club

• Each semester read a different Shakespeare play and put on a production of that play
• Plan a club spring break trip to Stratford-upon-Avon
• Hold a Shakespeare festival
• Host a contest for the best Shakespearean monologue or a writing contest for a Shakespearean sonnet

Classics Club

• Each semester read and perform a new classics play
• Plan a club spring break trip to Italy and Greece to see where Classical writers lived

Monologue Club

• Help students find classical and modern monologues they like
• Have students perform their monologue in front of the group
• Give them feedback and ideas on how to improve the monologue performance
• Perform all the monologues once per semester

Comedy Sportz Club

• Host competitive improv games
• Split into different improvteams and hold a competition at the end of the semester or year
• Bring in judges who will score each team (similar to Whose Line Is It Anyway )

Improv Club

• Teach club members improv (either by hiring an improv teacher or by reading a book like the Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual)
• Play improv games
• Put on improv performances once per semester

Film Club Ideas

Foreign Film Club

• Watch a new foreign film at each meeting and discuss it
• Host a foreign film festival, encourage club members to create their own short foreign films
• Plan a club summer break trip to the Cannes film festival

Screenwriting Club

• Read a famous screenplay every week
• Analyze why the screenplay was a success or failure
• Read a book about screenwriting (such as Save the Cat )
• Have each member pitch loglines and develop outlines for a screenplay
• Give them feedback, then read the screenplay drafts to the club
• Host a staged table reading of each member's screenplay

Directing Club

• Watch and analyze the works of famous directors (Hitchcock, Fellini, Spielberg, etc.)
• Hold a film festival for student's short films
• Host a movie marathon fundraiser for charity

48-Hour Film Festival Club

• Organize a 48-hour film festival (over a weekend or school break) where teams are given a topic for a short film and then have 48 hours to write, shoot, and edit the film
• Screen the short films at a festival

Science Club Ideas

Future Scientists Club

• Bring in scientists to discuss their profession
• Plan a club trip to a local lab
• Discuss the latest scientific research at meetings, plan science fair projects, get feedback from other members on your science fair project

Marine Biology Club

• Bring in marine biologists to discuss their profession
• Watch videos about interesting sea creatures
• Plan a club trip to a marine biology center
• Set up a volunteer beach clean-up (if you live near a beach)
• Hold a letter writing campaign or get signatures for the Save the Whales Foundation

Future Medical Professionals Club

• Bring in doctors and nurses to discuss their professions
• Plan club volunteer activities at a hospital
• Set up job shadowing with a hospital for club members
• Host a toy drive for your local children's hospital

Math Club Ideas

Math Homework Club

• Host a free tutoring service for students who need math help
• Volunteer at middle schools to help kids with their math homework
• Hold contests for who can memorize the most digits of Pi
• Hold a Pi day lecture on the concept of pi
• Hold a Pi day bake sale where you sell pies for charity

Literature Club Ideas

Literature Magazine Club

• Start a literature magazine
• Write reviews of newly published books
• Hold a contest to publish a student's short story

Creative Writing Club

• Members can present a piece of creative writing they wrote or enjoyed reading
• Give feedback and advice on other members' writing
• Publish the best creative works in a magazine at the end of the year
• Assign a book each month for the club to read
• Meet and discuss that book the following month
• Hold a book donation drive for the local homeless shelter

Foreign Book Club

• Enjoy reading books in translation? Consider starting a book club where each month the club reads a different translated book (try to read a book from a new country or continent each month)

History Club Ideas

• Discuss different aspects of WWII each week
• Bring in a WWII veteran to discuss their experience or a WWII historian to discuss their knowledge
• Plan a club spring break trip to Normandy, Paris, and Berlin to visit important WWII sites
• Host a WWII trivia contest where teams compete to see who has the most WWII knowledge

Ancient History Club

• Discuss different ancient cultures at each meeting
• Bring in an Ancient History specialist to discuss their knowledge
• Plan a club spring break trip to Egypt, Rome, or Greece
• Host an ancient civilizations costume contest for Halloween

Language Club Ideas

French/Spanish/Chinese/Foreign Language Club

• Speak only in that foreign language at club meetings
• Host traditional cultural events for (i.e. Chinese New Year Party)
• Offer free tutoring to students who need help with that foreign language
• Plan a club trip to a country that speaks that foreign language
• Read a book written in that language each semester

French/Spanish/Chinese/Foreign Cooking Club

• Learn to cook a new dish from that culture
• Host dinner parties or trips to restaurants

Hobby Club Ideas

• Learn to speak some Japanese
• Read anime and discuss it as a group
• Watch anime tv shows and movies
• Plan a club trip to an anime convention
• Host a chess competition between members
• Bring in chess masters to discuss chess strategy
• Watch famous chess movies and documentaries

Video Games Club

• Host a video game competition
• Discuss the evolution of video game technology
• Bring in a person who works at a video game company to discuss possible careers in the video game world

Skiing Club

• Plan a club trip to go skiing
• Watch skiing competitions together
• Bring in a professional skier to learn about their experiences

Democrats/Republicans/Independents Club

• Discuss new political events
• Volunteer for a campaign
• Host a public viewing of a political debate
• Plan a political rally
• Gather signatures of support for a bill

Political Magazine

• Start a magazine to analyze campaigns
• Discuss important bills and political issues
• Interview local politicians

Religion Club

• Start a club where people from different religious backgrounds can discuss their similarities and differences
• Each week a different person can present information they think other members may not know about their religion
• Bring in religious leaders (Imams, priests, rabbis, etc.) to discuss their jobs

Adventure Club

• Plan weekly or monthly outdoor activities (hiking, biking, camping, fishing, etc.)
• Plan a club spring break camping trip to a National Park
• Volunteer to plant trees in a local park
• Bring in a conservationist to discuss their job

Charity Club Ideas

Operation Smile Club

• Host fundraisers to raise money for Operation Smile to provide free surgeries to children with a cleft lip
• Organize a walk to raise awareness for cleft lips
• Bring in (or Skype with) a child who received help from Operation Smile to talk about how the surgery changed their life

Breast Cancer Awareness Club

• Help plan a walk to cure breast cancer in your area
• Host a school-wide fundraiser
• Bring breast cancer survivors in to talk about their experiences.

Children's Hospital Volunteer Club

• Organize volunteer opportunities at a local children's hospital
• Host a book donation drive to collect books to donate to the children's hospital
• Host a bake sale to raise money to donate to St. Jude Children's Hospital

Soup Kitchen Volunteer Club

• Organize volunteer opportunities for club members at a local soup kitchen
• Host a toiletry collection drive to donate to your local homeless shelter
• Host a food collection drive to donate to the soup kitchen

Save Endangered Species Club

• Organize volunteer opportunities for club members at local animal shelters
• Host a fundraiser to donate money to the WWF
• Visit a wildlife rescue center
• Plan a club spring break trip to see endangered species in another country

Top 3 Tips for Starting a Club

Now that you have some ideas for clubs to start in high school, how do you go about actually getting one up and running? I'm going to give you my top three tips for starting a club, but for more details, including recommendations on brainstorming a club idea, registering the club with your school, running meetings, and more, check out our full explanation of how to start a club .

Tip #1: Make Sure You Have the Time and Effort to Dedicate to Your Club

When you start a club, you're not only going to have the duties of President of that club (organizing meetings, delegating tasks, etc.), but you're also going to be responsible for developing the club. You'll need to figure out the rules and purpose of the club, recruit members, plan events, etc. You need to put in a lot of work to start an effective club that will continue running after you graduate.

Tip #2: Start a Club That You're Passionate About

If you're going to be spending all of this time starting a club, make sure it focuses on something you enjoy! You need to be excited about the club in order to convince other people to join. If you don't like your club, why would other people join?

How can you decide what type of club you would be passionate about? First, think about what you enjoy doing. What is your favorite class? What are your hobbies? Do you have a new skill you'd like to explore further? Is there a topic you'd like to learn more about? Is there a cause you care about? It's likely that one or more of your answers can be developed into a club.

Tip #3: Follow Through on Your Club

Make sure to register your club with the school. Next, plan the first meeting, and post fliers with the meeting date around your school to spread the word about your club. At your first meeting, discuss the purpose of the club, what major events you'd like to plan, and then hold an election for board members (president, treasurer, secretary, vice president). You're now well on your way to running a successful and interesting new club!

What's Next?

Once you've decided on your club, how do you actually start it? Check out our step-by-step guide on the 8 steps to starting a club for everything you need to know!

Interested in learning more about other potential extracurricular activities? Learn about Model UN and how to join your high school newspaper .

Looking to get started on SAT/ACT preparation? Check out our ultimate SAT/ACT study guide schedule and plan !

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography.

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