Community Service Worries

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Alright, look. I'm starting my junior year next week and it's sure going to be an important year. Academically, I blew my first two years. My current gpa is like a 1.82 no joke. So obviously I have to do well this year academically but I have to do some EC's to aid my low GPA to show colleges that I'm an all around person. But the problem is - TIME. </p>

<p>I'm planning on doing at least 200 hrs of community service before I apply to college but the problem is -</p>

<p>1) There's really nowhere in my town to volunteer. There was a hospital but it recently got closed down. Won't open ever again. I'm interesting in volunteering at a hospital. So the closest one from where I live is around 20 minutes away.</p>

<p>2) I really won't have the time. From Mondays-Fridays 2 hours after I end school, I have to go to a SAT prep class for 4 hours. (So 4-8 PM). On Saturdays, 9 AM to 1 PM. And rest of the time on Saturday, I will be forced to stay in my room and do hw + study school work + SAT work all day. Sunday, I have church.</p>

<p>3) There's summer of 2009 and trying to get 200 hours of community service will be hard. I probably won't have time anyways cuz I'll have to be going to SAT classes for 8 weeks (Mon-Fri 9 AM-5 PM) starting from the week after school ends. </p>

<p>I know 200 hours is a lot but cmon - I have the confidence to do well academically junior year (3.5 or above) and my SAT's and I will join 2-3 clubs but doing 200 hours big time will sure aid my low GPA. But I need the TIME! I'm definetely worried about my low GPA issue but now I have other things to worry about like joining clubs and doing community service. Oh lord please help me. All I want is a decent college, a fresh new chapter to my life.</p>

<p>No time, No hope. What do I do?</p>

2

<p>Well.. just a suggestion... first thing that came to my mind.
Since you're going to church (hopefully regularly) why don't you try volunteering there. For example, teaching sunday school.
You can log it at an hour.. and it looks good. </p>

<p>For me, my church was in need of "teachers" so my friend and I do that. Basically hanging out with cute little kids for a while. It's really fun!</p>

3

<p>I second the Sunday School help idea. That's an easy 1 hour/week, which can add up.

[quote]
So the closest [hospital] from where I live is around 20 minutes away.

[/quote]

Just so you know... 20 minutes is not very far. I'd keep that hospital on the list of places to volunteer. Even if you only did it once a week for an hour or two, again, it adds up.</p>

<p>Plus.. whyyyy are you doing so much SAT prep? It boggles my mind how people go to "SAT classes" [which personally, I think that completely defeats the purpose of the SAT, but whatever].
You could also find some time to tutor people in whatever your best subject is.</p>

<p>
[quote]
). On Saturdays, 9 AM to 1 PM. And rest of the time on Saturday, I will be forced to stay in my room and do hw + study school work + SAT work all day.

[/quote]

?!?!!!!!!!!!!! I find this hard to believe... if your parents are forcing you into spending your Saturdays like this, you need to tell them to back off and let you live your life a little, if only one day a week. That's ridiculous.</p>