Out-of-state students at the University reported feeling disproportionately disadvantaged during club recruitment compared to in-state students, according to a survey released to approximately 4,000 second-year students Oct. 8 by Student Council second-year College representative Hayden Matay. The survey aimed to examine perceptions of competitiveness, favoritism and accessibility within student organizations. Out-of-state respondents were far more likely to agree that club involvement depends on personal connections rather than individual qualifications.
The survey was created by Matay, who said that the project was prompted by personal experience and repeated conversations about exclusivity in student organizations. Many clubs on Grounds — especially business clubs — require students to submit applications and go through rounds of interviews, but Matay said the survey results showed that students feel acceptances are often based on prior connections to club members rather than the application they submit.
According to Matay, the survey also highlighted disparities in how students experience involvement in organizations on Grounds. He said that many students left the club recruitment process feeling discouraged and uncertain about their sense of belonging at the University.
“After the excitement of the club fair wears off and interview seasons for those competitive clubs blow over, I think a lot of students are a little bit disappointed, confused and disillusioned with the feeling maybe [they] didn’t belong at U.Va,” Matay said.
Matay created the survey to explore what he saw as two related but distinct issues — a lack of available positions in selective organizations and a broader perception that the University’s club culture is excessively competitive and exclusionary. He explained that this first issue is inherent in the sense that there are too few spots in clubs to accommodate the number of students interested, but beyond that, according to Matay, club culture itself is described as competitive and “toxic.”
Matay said he wanted to understand whether individual student perceptions align as a student body and identify where the most significant frustrations were concentrated.
The survey was structured to distinguish between general perceptions of club culture and students’ firsthand experiences, with questions ranging from respondents’ views on inclusivity to whether they had personally witnessed favoritism during their club recruitment process. It received 286 responses and Matay emphasized that although the survey was self-selecting, it nonetheless revealed notable trends within club culture at the University.
According to the results, 60 percent of respondents held leadership roles in student organizations, and nearly 45 percent had participated in recruiting new members. About 70 percent of respondents were in-state students, while 30 percent were out-of-state — mirroring the University’s enrollment demographics.
Matay said that one of the most significant findings was a divide between in-state and out-of-state students. Out-of-state respondents were far more likely to agree with the statement that “club involvement at U.Va is more about who you know than what you bring to the table.” According to Matay, the gap suggests that students who enter the University without established social networks may feel disadvantaged during club recruitment.
Matay said respondents also cited perceived racial and socioeconomic disparities within selective organizations, particularly in business-oriented clubs and Greek life, where respondents pointed to executive board connections and social networks as barriers to access.
Further, the survey repeatedly reported concerns regarding potential honor violations, including students sharing interview questions and applicants receiving preferential treatment due to personal connections in the clubs. Students also frequently identified commerce and consulting organizations as more competitive compared to other student organizations. However, Matay even noted volunteer organizations can be incredibly competitive as well, according to survey results.
While many respondents described feeling excluded by the club recruitment process, an anonymous respondent wrote that competitive recruitment reflects the realities of professional networking.
“It’s about networking, which spoiler alert is how you get a job anywhere in the country,” the respondent wrote. “You don’t have to know someone to be able to network into a club. I think club recruitment should stay as it is.”
Another anonymous respondent wrote that they had considered transferring from the University due to difficulties getting involved. Other responses said that the competitive culture discouraged people from applying to clubs altogether.
Paige Ramsey, president of Profit with Purpose and second-year College student, discussed with The Cavalier Daily her personal experience joining finance and consulting clubs. Ramsey is an in-state student, and she said she sought opportunities to develop client relationships and analytical skills through Profit with Purpose — a consulting club she described as a smaller, intentionally tight-knit club of around 50 members.
Ramsey completed a business administration internship prior to college, which she said helped her better understand the structure of interviews and the expectations placed on applications. She added that while technical knowledge from internships can provide a foundation and participating in interviews can help build skills, neither ensures acceptance into consulting clubs. According to Ramsey, the competitiveness of consulting clubs is a reflection of the business world.
“I think candidly the answer is yes [that recruitment is competitive]. There’s many students drawn to pre-commerce or [economics] majors at U.Va. … It’s similar to business-related jobs in the future — they’re very competitive,” Ramsey said.
Ramsey pointed to Profit with Purpose’s application data between the fall and spring semesters as evidence of both demand and selectivity. During the fall recruitment cycle, the organization received 95 applications, conducted 49 interviews and accepted 27 students — a 28.4 percent acceptance rate — with 23 students ultimately joining as new members.
During the spring recruitment cycle, Profit with Purpose received 39 applications, interviewed 29 candidates and accepted 21 students, resulting in a higher acceptance rate of 53.8 percent despite a significantly smaller applicant pool, reflecting a contrast in semester interest.
Ramsey encouraged students to approach recruitment by understanding each club’s mission statement and determining how their own skills or experiences align. She also advised students to showcase skills like working with a team through collaborative activities such as sports or summer jobs.
Anna Bartlett, research analyst for Smart Woman Securities and second-year College student, described her experience with The Cavalier Daily navigating commerce clubs as a student without a traditional business background. Bartlett is an out-of-state student, and she said she initially entered the University intending to pursue medicine but shifted toward finance after seeking a faster-paced, applied academic path.
She said that SWS differs from other highly competitive clubs as it is structured to support newcomers, providing a beginner-friendly environment that makes the organization feel more welcoming for women entering a male-dominated field.
“I think this is one of the only clubs that is only women, which I think really does push me,” Bartlett said. “Banking is such a male-dominated industry that it can be intimidating. I was able to fully be myself and ask questions that I would be too scared to ask in a room full of men who had already been doing this for forever.”
Matay shared the survey’s findings with Student Council and Student Affairs administrators in the fall. While administrators expressed interest in the issue, they noted that institutional action would require more comprehensive data from additional surveys.
Moving forward, Matay said he plans to continue discussions with representatives from the Honor Committee and the University Judiciary Committee to explore potential reforms. Despite these challenges, Matay said he remains committed to pursuing incremental change, acknowledging that club culture reflects an internal student issue that must be addressed by students.
“This is a problem that is driven by students and needs to be solved by students,” Matay said. “The problems that we’re feeling are mirrored in the real world, and it’s our job to start fixing them now.”
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