Applications won't take the fun out of it, but they'd give us a better idea of who we're getting in. The application would ask a few questions is all, and perhaps give the applicant a chance to tell us what they're like. Someone's communication ability or post-tone can give you a good idea on what their personality is like, and if they're a good fit for the atmosphere of FSE.  Right now we can boast a pretty mature guild of adult type players, no anxious loot addicts, no over zealous spazzes (well, except maybe for me) , no WTF'ing  temper tantrumers and all that. Just cool people trying to get together and play. But as we grow, it's harder to keep that coolness sometimes in these games. :) I don't want to lose sight of our great atmosphere in our effort to fill up some classes!

As officers and council members, we can be more active in how we shape the guild. The power of the sun.....in the palms of our hands. 

I guess I'd mostly like to see the recruits ran through officer/council approval rather than just any member. It seems we need to get to know some players better before letting them in. 

I hope that doesn't take any fun out of it, because it's just a game, but we wouldn't want to invite a bunch of Rabites in. But someone might meet a Rabite and ask in guild "I know someone who wants to join, he's awesome" and we're like "oh kay, you vouch for him, he's in" and suddenly.....Rabite has joined the guild. :)

Sponsors, council/officer scrutiny, and application processes greatly negate that chance occurance from taking place!

See, someone can group with us, and each member they come into contact with gives them an impression of what FSE stands for. If they group with one of us and think that one player is a gimp, they're going to think "FSE plays with gimps in the guild!". But if they group with a random member and think they're stand-up citizen type, then maybe we'll attract more of the right kinds who're also in similar mind set. 

It is hard for adults to find guilds that don't have that child-like atmosphere (and it's seemingly worse on Boulderfist as a pvp server, in my experience). 

Wow, that's some rambling, but you gets my drift! I guess I'm the blue muppet that has a hawk-like beak telling the news. :(