Club vocabulary

Words you'll see on club pages and in recruiting emails, in plain English. How a specific club works is on its own page — these are only the general meanings.

Comp: Short for “competition”: a trial period, often a few weeks, in which you learn the club's work and do some of it (write articles, sell ads, build a project) before the club decides. Some comps take everyone who finishes; others are selective. Having a comp says nothing by itself about how many people get in.
Application: A written form (short answers, sometimes a résumé), often followed by one or more interviews.
Audition / callback: Performing groups hear you sing, play, dance or act; a callback is a second, shorter round for some of those who auditioned.
Tryout: For teams and club sports: a practice or skills session the team uses to pick members.
Open membership: Anyone can join, usually by signing up for the email list or coming to a meeting. Some open clubs still select leaders or teams later.
Info session / coffee chat: Recruiting events before an application: a club presentation, or a short one-on-one conversation with a member. Usually optional; the club's page says if not.
Case interview: An interview, common in consulting and finance clubs, where you work through a business problem out loud.
Board: A club's student leadership (president, treasurer, comp directors…). “Joining the board” is usually separate from joining the club.
Punch: The invitation-only recruiting process of final clubs and some other social organizations: you can't apply, you're invited to events.
Rolling: Applications are reviewed as they arrive, with no single deadline.