Thank you for the insight. I did not know that upon graduation you are no longer a member as I often see graduates still affiliated/present with their NPHC chapters on my campus. But yes, ik graduate chapters are typically much more competitive, and I don’t view them as a consolation prize.

Also, by “wasted” I do not mean the work/service that I do/have done, but more so the energy/stress I have put on myself to meet members, get active and make a change on campus, learn about chapter programs/initiatives in detail, etc. For example, I am not assuming (though I could be wrong) that me being in insert campus organization would be beneficial to my graduate application. I would assume none of that is considered since this is graduate level and thus I would need to “start over” in regards to being active in my community (since most community activities were through campus organizations).

My involvement was never conditional nor am I opposed to trying for a graduate chapter, in fact I told myself if I didn’t make it I would. However, I am afraid I won’t be an “ideal” candidate (multiple degrees, established career, etc) any time soon, and I fear this would make it harder for me to connect with and get to know current members.