<p>Hey CC! Junior here, and I have a quick question as to how my travels will effect my college admissions.</p>
<p>Let me list the "educational travels/hostings" I have/will participate in from my Freshman to Junior year in school. Keep in mind, I'm not doing ANY of this for my application, I do it because I enjoy it and my intended major/career will have something to do with foreign cultures.</p>
<p>Freshman:
- Hosted a student from Mexico City.</p>
<p>Sophomore:
- Participated in a foreign exchange and traveled to Mexico City and went to school/trips etc there for 10 days.</p>
<ul>
<li>Learned 12 pieces of music this year and traveled all around Europe for 21 days and sang/performed in 6 different countries.</li>
</ul>
<p>Junior:
- Traveling to France and participating in a foreign exchange in a city north of Paris for 10 days, going to school and doing some trips.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Hosting a French student from the same city.</p></li>
<li><p>Hosting a Mexican student from Mexico City.</p></li>
<li><p>Traveling to Africa over the summer for 2 weeks to a month to volunteer in either Ethiopia or Ghana.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>I think I may write an essay about one of my trips too... however choosing one may be difficult if they all prove to be as great of an experience as the ones I've already done. But how do you think colleges will take my travels/culture learning? Will it give me an edge or will it "just look nice on an application and won't help or hurt me?"</p>
<p>Thanks guys!</p>
<p>Edit: And if it makes a difference, the money I get from work goes to these trips. I raise the money myself without my parent's support. I do fundraisers for these trips. In addition I'm also paying my way to Florida for nationals this year as well as a summer camp near Chicago. I work hard to go on these trips, it isn't like my family has a ton of money lying around that I use. I work/fundraise to go. Would this make a difference if I mentioned this?</p>
<p>of course GPA and rigor are far more important than your summer activities, but I do think most schools would look favorably on this list. although a lot of people travel and take an interest in other cultures, earning the money yourself is the thing that sets you apart. It shows you have a good work ethic and an ability to set and reach goals.</p>
<p>It helps, no doubt. As long as your experiences are meaningful and noteworthy. I’ve done quite a few cultural immersions myself and wrote one of my essays on one of my experiences abroad. It worked in my favor, apparently.</p>
<p>I agree with griffen. If you write an essay about how these experiences have been important to you, you should certainly include how you have worked to be able to afford them. Otherwise, Erin’s Dad’s comment will apply.</p>
<p>"They will think you come from an advantaged background and that you may be full pay. "</p>
<p>True. Colleges probably would be more impressed if you’d done something, for instance, for a local migrant labor community or wrote an essay about how a friendship with an immigrant classmate broadened your perspective about the world.</p>
<p>I agree, your experience in Africa seems like it might be worthy of a great essay. As long as you’re not ‘cruising’ with these experiences and actually making your time spent abroad meaningful to not only yourself, but the communities you stay in.</p>
<p>That’s what I was afraid of. Colleges thinking I was handed the opportunity by family wealth and completely overlook the work I have/will do and the things I learn…</p>
<p>You should explain that you worked to pay for these opportunities. And make sure that you avoid the “traveling taught me that we’re all the same” mentality in any essays. Having traveled and hosted exchange students myself, I know just how valuable an experience these kinds of things can be. But I also know that my explanation of these experiences is unlikely to differ widely from, say, your explanation–in that way, it becomes cliche.</p>