Polaris Society · University of Georgia
Polaris identifies and develops outstanding student potential at UGA, preparing members to compete for selective opportunities nationally and internationally. Through Discovery and Catalyst, students develop career knowledge, a credible narrative, substantive experience, relevant skills, and purposeful connections.
The hierarchy of recruiting needs
Students develop across several layers at once. Mentorship helps identify what needs attention next.
Knowing a field, contributing to real work, and explaining that contribution reinforce one another. Each layer strengthens the preparation a student brings to recruiting.
Understand career paths, investigate the work, follow relevant issues, and take initiative.
Explain what interests you, why it matters, and how your experiences inform your direction.
Contribute through research, projects, involvement, or internships. Build evidence of what you can do.
Develop and demonstrate the abilities your intended work requires, including communication, analysis, and organization.
Prepare purposeful conversations with mentors and alumni. Seek information, feedback, and relevant opportunities.
Two programs · A shared development model
Primarily first-year students
Investigate your possibilities.
Build career knowledge, follow issues that interest you, and turn exploration into meaningful involvement. Develop an emerging narrative and an involvement plan you act on.
Primarily second-year students
Strengthen your preparation.
Focus a developing direction, pursue substantive experience, and strengthen relevant skills. Build a credible recruiting narrative and prepare for targeted opportunities and alumni conversations.
Development objectives
Connect a career interest to meaningful involvement, abilities to develop, and specific next steps. Revisit the plan with mentor guidance as you learn.
Pursue work where you can take responsibility. Identify what you contributed, the abilities you used, and what the experience taught you.
Connect your interests, experience, and demonstrated skills into an explanation of your direction, supported by examples you can discuss.
Meetings connect preparation to action: choose a useful next step, check follow-through, and use what you learn to strengthen your plan.
Recruitment & people
Check each program’s recruitment information for confirmed dates and next steps.