Students explain mixed motives for joining CSF

Danielle Anton,
HUB Correspondent–

This year nearly 400 students signed up for the California Scholarship Federation, CSF, club at Davis High. But every year, there is the debate about whether students sign up because to volunteer or just to look for that special something to make them stand out in the college application process.

“Some kids participate in CSF because they want to give back and volunteer, but others just sign up so they are able to put it on their college applications,” CSF adviser Fern O’Brien said.

As a state run organization, members of CSF volunteer their time to help out at community events such as the turkey trot, graduation night, and many fundraisers.

But not all kids who sign up actually participate. Some just join and are not active members because they think it will look good to college administrators.

“I know so many students that just sign up for CSF because they think it will help them look more impressive to colleges, but I think if you don’t actually participate you won’t actually learn anything and it won’t be worth it,” senior Izzy Leamon said.

Moriah Dunning, admissions representative from the University of Oregon, agrees with Leamon.

“Being in the Federation doesn’t really impact your chances; it depends on how the students write about it in their essays. Representatives pay attention to specifically their roles in the group and the experiences they had and how it affected their lives,” Dunning said.