Community Service hours

Applying to College
1

<p>Do you really need to fulfill a certain number of hours-- 250 hours, whatever, in high school for community service? What if, let's say, you organize a fantastic annual fund-raising event or concert at school and donate to a local non-profit? It shows leadership and community service. It's still a lot of work but will not fulfill a regular weekly, punch-the-clock sort of community service hours.
Does it suffice to do this type of community service? </p>

<p>Thanks in advance.</p>

2

<p>There is no, repeat, NO community service requirement for college admissions.</p>

3

<p>read this thread</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1443707-suggestions-hours-volunteering.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1443707-suggestions-hours-volunteering.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>Thanks. Why, then, all this talk of 250 hours, 300 hours. Also the talk of certain colleges preferring students having done community service. I even know someone with strong academics whose college counselor dissuaded him from applying to Harvard because he had no community service. He applied elsewhere early admission and got in. By this argument, if one wants a shot at Harvard, she should do some community service. In that case, does she need to fulfill 250+ hours? Hope you get my drift.</p>

5

<p>Thanks. Helpful post.</p>

6

<p>My kid got in EA at U of Chicago with less than 40 hours of community service. I suggest you have at least some, and a committment to the same cause over at least a couple of years is good. But there is no hard and fast requirement for a lot of hours.</p>

7

<p>That’s what I mean. Organizing an annual benefit event/concert at the school would be some hours of community service per year. Not just putting in hours but actually even better in some ways since it shows leadership. Wouldn’t you think? I was just confused by all the talk of 200+ volunteer hours.</p>

8

<p>Yes, I think that would be a very good EC. It happens to also fall in the volunteer category, so could count as that as well. Don’t worry about the hours. There are people out there with hundreds of volunteer hours who don’t get in, and people with a small number of hours that do. It is more about showing a committment and passion for something over time than anything else (I mean ECs in general, not just volunteering).</p>

9

<p>Thanks so much! I’ve been agonizing over this. Whoever gave me that hard number of 250+ hours just lost her credibility with me. Humph!</p>