<p>I worked this summer as a merit badge instructor at a local boy scout camp. I spent 140 hours a week at the camp, although many of those hours were spent sleeping. When I list my employment hours on the Common App, will a high figure like 140 hours a week look like hyperbole. Will colleges believe the figure or will they proceed to write off the remainder of my application as embelishment.</p>
<p>Don't count sleeping hours, you're not really working or gaining anything. 12 hours a day is quite enough in itself.</p>
<p>I'd put the # of hours working (like 8 or something) per day, instead of the total hours you were there. They would definitely understand what you meant, but there may be a certain element of subconcious prejudice that you are trying to pass off hours sleeping as hours working. However, I definitely don't think that they would "write off" the remainder of your application.</p>
<p>I definitely wouldn't put down 140 hours - it sounds goofy for anything but something like an earthquake relief effort where people work around the clock.</p>
<p>Seeing as how they are only 168 hours in one week, I wouldn't put down 140 hours a week. Unless you slept, ate, etc all in 4 hours each day, then just put down around 8 hours a day (give or take).</p>
<p>If you are capable of working while you are sleeping, then you definately belong at a good school! Anyway, I don't think that's the case, so don't count hours that you were sleeping! That will just look stupid.</p>
<p>140 hours a week would be a bad idea to put down. I don't think many people are even capable of working 140 hours in a week (unless as Roger_Dooley said it was type of emergency effort). I used to work at a theme park as a sound tech. When we would host big cheerleading events, I would work 14+ hours for the weekend (including Friday) and that just about would kill me. Doing 20 hours a day for 7 days would have likely finshed me off.</p>
<p>I am required to be at camp noon noon sunday to 10 pm friday every week for 7 weeks. I am only required to work for 12-14 hours a day, but I am still required to be at camp. Therefore, I am not at liberty to leave camp for 140 hours a week. I think I deserve more credit in the admissions process then 12 hours a day of work.</p>
<p>12-14 hr tells adcom you dont have a life and are easily manipulated.</p>