<p>I'm just a bit curious if this situation has ever come up. I've been volunteering for god know's how long, but specifically since 9th grade (since to CC that is what matters) I have been volunteering at my local library tutoring/mentoring kids. I have accumulated over 600 hours, and I guess I'll get over 800 by the end of my senior year.</p>
<p>So, my friend who has done very minimal volunteering in his life (he says he doesn't like helping people), he's self-admittedly lazy but he's still smart and has other virtues, told me "I found a great, easy volunteering gig that I can get 700 hours for before I send in my apps!".</p>
<p>So, let us say I just decided to stop doing what I'm doing and end with 650 logged hours. My friend accumulates 700 volunteer hours. Mine was for four years, his was for one.</p>
<p>Erm, I don't care if the latter is looked upon better, I'm just curious.</p>
<p>Don’t hold me to this, but the 700 hours in the last year looks like resume padding, whereas yours looks more like dedication. If it was 700 hours for two years, I would say his looks better. But no, as of right here, yours looks more like you’ve been dedicated to something for a while and care about what you do.</p>
<p>I think 4 years – especially if you can tie it into your future major- and it doesn’t have to be library science but maybe social work, or admisintaration which you learned from your work. I don’t think they are exactly counting hours-- but if friends 700 hours turns into a passion he could use it to an advantage. </p>
<p>Ultimately-- it is about GPA first and everything else fills out the picture.</p>
<p>What matters the most is what you accomplished: projects started, people whose lives you’ve helped improve, money you’ve raised, etc. The few colleges that consider ECs and service as admission factors (and they tend to be places like HPYS that have such an overabundance of high stat applicants that the colleges can use other factors to pick and choose among those high stat applicants) are interested in results, not hours amassed.</p>
<p>Op, what has been accomplished over the 3 yr timeline is important compared to
actual hours during the 3 yrs. Volunteer activity hours around 200 would be
considered outstanding by HYPS (i.e by the end of your junior year). If in fact you
meet all their other criteria you would typically not have the time to do 600 hours
of volunteer work.</p>
<p>im a senior and have only 30 hours of volunteer so far isthis bad?</p>
<p>im applying to a&m collegestatoin soon…im so close to auto admit, but not in 10 percent, im in 13…2050 sat, perfect score math 800, someone tell me if i need like 50million hours of volunteer or not? im scared looking at htat guys 600 hours lol</p>
<p>hours or years – neither really matters that much. Sure, if I had to choose between the 2 I’d go with years because it shows long-standing dedication. But if you’re thinking that some very selective college is going to be impressed with 800 hours, think again. Here’s what Stanford says in its FAQ