No matter what society you’re applying to, there tend to be some common issues that trip people up. Here are four such issues, and the ways to avoid them.
- Hating the society. Yes, this happens and more frequently than you’d think. People often don’t attend meetings before joining and end up feeling a pressure to join from a friend or out of a sense of duty to their ancestors. It is fine to ask to attend an event as a guest before committing to membership. It helps both you and the society to determine that you’re a good fit. And if you’re not, there may be other options. Some societies have multiple sub units, often called chapters. A different chapter may be a better option. There also may be another society with a similar mission.
- Not understanding the costs. Costs go beyond just the membership fee, and it’s important to plan accordingly. Here are some of the factors to consider.
- Not understanding the time and effort entailed in assembling the application. Be sure to talk to multiple people about the application process! If your friend joined years ago, the process likely won’t look the same today. That’s especially true if they joined as a legacy, which means they were able to rely on someone else’s papers. Most societies now require that birth, death, and marriage records be requested, which can make the process slow.
- Starting out with the wrong ancestor. I’ve never quite understood why, but some societies don’t release the list of ancestor qualifications automatically to applicants. If you have questions about who is qualifying, be sure to ask! It will save you significant time and frustration. Here are a few other common reasons they may tell you not to use someone.
What is the best way to avoid these issues? Honestly, it’s asking questions! It can be awkward, but it helps everyone going forward.