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Emory students, many of them burdened with student debt, understandably want to ensure they ​can secure a post-graduation job worthy of their investment. Consequently, students seek various resume enhancements, including Emory’s honor societies. These societies operate on the national and departmental level, typically based on standards of outstanding academic achievement. We at the Wheel question the value of these honor societies as they currently exist beyond simply acknowledging student success and encourage their administrations to make a more worthwhile use of students’ money.

The concept of honor societies is not inherently wrong. Many Emory students deserve rewards for their dedication. In particular, departmental honor societies are beneficial, motivating students with potential and rewarding students that have achieved within their specific field. However, many societies charge students substantial fees in exchange for another line on a resume, with little substance or genuine activity.

It is natural for students to seek out societies like these. After all, the standards for excellence, especially at a prestigious university like Emory, keep increasing and many worthy students turn to honor societies as a reward for their handwork. Herein, however, lies the problem: honor societies take advantage of this desire for recognition with a sticker price.

We at the Wheel feel that this is a lost opportunity for honor societies. They could offer more academically stimulating programs, inquiry-oriented seminars, discussions and guest speakers that will engage students beyond a simple line item as a reward for their hard work.

We also advise students to be aware of such groups and societies on campus, and to choose their memberships mindfully. This phenomenon permeates the space of student clubs, some of which are established for the explicit purpose of resume building and professional skills. Our campus would be more enjoyable if we looked for clubs and student organizations in the pursuit of true learning. Pre-professional, career-focused clubs have their place, but they are not sufficiently extracurricular — an extracurricular club helps students to learn skills outside of their coursework. While pre-professional and resume-building clubs may fit this category in some aspects, they should exist on the margins of our purview.

Given that, marketable skills are still very important. It is Emory’s duty to prepare students for life beyond these four years and beyond our first job. But perhaps they are better suited for the classroom setting than the extracurricular setting.

Many departments already offer at least one mandatory class focused on resume-building, interview preparation and self-marketing. If the University adequately integrates pre-professional skills into a section of department coursework, students will have more opportunities to pursue unique, out-of-the-box extracurricular activities. Crucial pre-professional skills do not necessarily have to be at odds with Emory’s liberal arts agenda and shouldn’t outshine each other. If Emory can adapt this idea into regular coursework, students will feel less pressured to seek out pre-professional clubs and societies, which in turn will result in a more enriching, valuable college experience.

The above staff editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel’s editorial board.

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The Emory Wheel was founded in 1919 and is currently the only independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University. The Wheel publishes weekly on Wednesdays during the academic year, except during University holidays and scheduled publication intermissions.

The Wheel is financially and editorially independent from the University. All of its content is generated by the Wheel’s more than 100 student staff members and contributing writers, and its printing costs are covered by profits from self-generated advertising sales.