<p>How will colleges know about the volunteer work I've done? I could just say I've worked at a hospital all my life. Do I need to send them signed testimonials of my work? I mean, I don't know how they find exactly how many hours you have worked. Also, what volunteer work is best, charity or internships, etc. I am thinking about helping out the Red Cross.</p>
<p>I think what looks best is something that you do on a regular basis, for a long period of time, and which is something you have pursued on your own. Lots of kids go on service trips to far away places (and they often pay huge amounts of money to do it!), but that’s not really very impressive. Lots of kids join clubs where there are organized service events every once in a while. That’s OK, but it’s not really the best you can do. </p>
<p>Find something that you care about and that you enjoy, and then put in some time every week.</p>
<p>And as for how the colleges find out? Some people lie and they are never discovered. But it’s wrong and it isn’t worth the risk. What if you put on your application that you volunteered 400 hours in a hospital, and then during an interview you get asked specific questions about it? Are you really that confident that you can spin a believable falsefood in that situation?</p>