<p>hey i heard about this program called the international student volunteers inc. It sounds really cool and worthwhile but i'm wondering.. on an app. could this be looked at as a bad vlunteer e.c. or w/e because u have to pay and essentially be rich enough to afford going to one of the countries to volunteer ur time? i've always wanted to volunteer for causes that i find more rewarding to give to rather than like. ones here where you don't feel like ur helping THAT much by . i dunno ... selling at a thrift shop...</p>
<pre><code> but i could always wait till college to do this if it wouldn't help out my app. anyways. coz in college i'd be able to get into it more instead of worrying about apps. and stuff
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<p>why bother go to to another country to do community service when u can spend the money (plane tickets,etc.) to help homeless people right here at home?</p>
<p>I've read that adcoms are beginning to look down on this; its a way of flaunting family wealth, really, when you go overseas to help someone when there's plenty of needy families right here in the US.</p>
<p>There really is no need to "adopt a country", for lack of a better term, by travelling around the world and spending hundreds of dollars on plane tickets and such when there is probably a lot to be done around your own home. There must be a homeless shelter, soup kitchen, hospital, Habitat for Humanity, or something similar closer to where you live where your help would be just as much appreciated as spending so much money to go to other countries to do similar projects.</p>
<p>If you want to make a big difference to others and impress colleges, the best way to do that is in your home community by getting involved in a project that interests you or starting a project and running with the opportunity. This also means meeting and solving the inevitable challenges.</p>
<p>Think about it: Just how much do you think that you -- a stranger -- could accomplish for others while on a short trip to another country? Really think about it -- how much do you think a group of teens from another country could do to make a difference in your own hometown? </p>
<p>While you may learn a lot by traveling abroad and doing some volunteer work, that doesn't mean that your experience will open doors at the top colleges, which know that in general, it's far harder to start something meaningful at home than to participate in a packaged program that's far away.</p>
<p>Yeah, agreed with everyone above that though it's really cool to travel elsewhere, it won't necessarily help your college application. Since oksannadog613, you seem kind of interested in volunteering I encourage you to check out <a href="http://www.projectlit.org%5B/url%5D">www.projectlit.org</a> and see if you'd like to start a chapter/initiative in your community.</p>
<p>It's something that I started in my own area that raises money to build libraries in other countries. I guess it's a mix of doing something at home and doing something internationally because at the end, you can go to the country and lead the opening ceremony etc.</p>