Lauren Winkelman has a packed resume.

She's the president of Duquesne University's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, vice president of the Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society, a member of Campus Ministry, a freshman retreat leader, the advertising manager for the student newspaper, The Duke, and the list goes on.

"It's a really good way to make friends and set the tone for your college experience," she said.

Miss Winkelman, a senior, is very involved but not unique at her university, where many students participate in not just one, but multiple activities.

But with area colleges already charging thousands of dollars for annual tuition, will being involved outside the classroom break the bank?

Miss Winkelman said, no, she has not had to pay much to be an active college student. Her memberships in national honor societies and trade organizations tend to cost more, but these dues don't exceed $200 a year. Most of the clubs and activities she is part of are free.

Many universities offer an array of free or low-cost clubs, movie nights, concerts, festivals, intramural sports and other activities.

"It's easy to find something to do almost every night of the week if you want," said Kerry Tallarico, a University of Pittsburgh senior.

Duquesne has more than 160 student organizations on campus, the University of Pittsburgh has more than 350 and Carnegie Mellon University has more than 225.

Ms. Tallarico also said her activities cost little, and as a member of the Undergraduate Economics Society, she even gets free pizza and lectures.

Students also can find free events even if they're not part of a particular organization. Most campus events coordinated by Duquesne groups are free for other students, Marc Grandillo, the assistant director of programs and activities at Duquesne, said.

"Students feel that they are already paying to go to college and get an education," he said. "We shouldn't be charging to go to events as well."

There is a hidden cost at most colleges -- a required student activity fee that is usually tacked on to tuition, like the $160 a year charged at Pitt or the $184 a year at Carnegie Mellon. Duquesne does not charge an activity fee.

The activity fees help make it possible for students to participate, for free or a reduced cost, in whatever piques their interest -- a chess group, volleyball or a young entrepreneurs society.

Kushal Bhatt is getting his money's worth from Duquesne extracurricular-wise. The fifth-year senior from Mumbai, India, is the president of the International Student Organization.

His group's goal is to help incoming international students feel more at home when they arrive in Pittsburgh, including putting on International Week, one of the most attended events at Duquesne.

His best advice for incoming freshmen: "Try to get involved with as many clubs as you can to start."

The University of Pittsburgh urges students to become involved from the beginning of their freshman year, said Kenyon Bonner, director of student life.

One of the first events of every school year is the student activities fair, when most student organizations set up tables to promote their groups. Involvement in activities outside the classroom can, at some levels, help students do better academically, he said.

"Students who are more involved tend to come back each year and graduate at a higher rate," he said.

Campuses often offer more than just clubs and intramurals, however. Students can go Greek and join sororities and fraternities, which usually means paying dues, though amounts differ.

Or they can take advantage of social events the campus offers, such as the film series and craft nights at Duquesne.

Some events do cost money, but they come at a discount. Duquesne's outdoor adventure series offers trips to go white-water rafting, rock climbing or skiing at $10 per trip, including transportation and lunch.

If nothing looks appealing, students have the option to create their own club. A couple of years ago, students started a Four-Square Club at Pitt to play the popular playground game, Mr. Bonner said.

But if students are just looking for clubs that already exist and events on campus, they can turn to resident assistants in the dorms or read the student newspaper or campus Web site.

Charles Vargo, a Pitt junior, is part of the Undergraduate Economics Society and the Emerging Leaders Program and also plays intramural basketball. He joined the economics club and basketball program his freshman year to complement his economics and history majors and to stay active.

Now he works in the First Year Experience office, helping plan programming for underclassmen. With so many free activities, it can sometimes be overwhelming, he said.

"It's definitely a balancing act, because sometimes you are passionate about activities and excited about them, but the main thing you are here to do is get educated and get good grades," he said.

Mr. Grandillo, who attended Duquesne as a student before he became assistant director of programs and activities, said he thinks students will get more out of college if they get involved.

"A lot of the friendships I have now are people I met and became very good friends with when I was involved on campus," he said. "There is so much more to learn outside of the classroom that you can gain when you get involved."

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