<p>I want to major in bio. I have 350+ hours. I volunteered in South Africa for 2 weeks to protect and reinforce the Kruger National Park, there I conducted extensive research on bio and ecology(I touched and played with HUGE lions!!).
I also did extensive bio research in the ghettos of Costa Rica, where I taught bio to the underprivileged kids living poverty. I also built a school and orphanage.
Is this close to Ivy League volunteering? Or is it normal for you geniuses? Also will it make up for weak ECs( only FIRST robotics and track), if I have a 3.87 GPA and 2300 SAT? Or are my ECs too weak to be compensated? I really want to go to UCB or Princeton.</p>
<p>Weighted GPA is 4.4</p>
<p>“Is this close to Ivy League volunteering?” </p>
<p>There is no such thing. It’s a myth. I had zero hours of volunteering. Why? Because I needed to wash dishes at a restaurant. I had multiple “Ivy” admits. Also: <a href=“***Volunteering?!*** - #10 by gibby - Applying to College - College Confidential Forums”>***Volunteering?!*** - #10 by gibby - Applying to College - College Confidential Forums;
<p>It’s nice volunteering; however, keep in mind this reason “why your brilliant child didn’t get accepted into an Ivy League,” which has to do explicitly with lots of international travel, even with service trips. Look at the last sentence:
“Your child’s application stinks of privilege. You had the best of intentions when you sent your son or daughter to Oxford last July to read the classics. But guess what? The colleges, who eventually are happy to accept your $200,000, aren’t thrilled about $11,000 summer programs, even the life-changing ones. Outward Bound now looks dubious as well – it used to be about achieving clarity through eating bark, but now could be a euphemism for “troubled teen.” And forget those service opportunities in Central America – the whole isthmus is now frowned upon.”
<a href=“Why Your Brilliant Child Didn't Get Into The Ivies | HuffPost Life”>HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost;
<p>the ghettos of costa rica offer you the equipment to conduct research? why don’t those poor costa rican kids just do what you did there :3</p>
<p>@430ktk, I am absolutely devastated. All my life I thought helping others was more valuable than simply stacking ECs selfishly that mean nothing globally just to put onto a college resume. You can’t even imagine how crushed I am. I’m screwed, no good colleges for me. Why do the Ivies have to be so d*mn picky?! There’s too little and then there’s too much. Screw this, I’m in utter shock. Screw this entire, selfish, worthless planet. I can’t believe my dreams are crushed because I helped people and researching what my passion is. What happened to Earth?</p>
<p>^ I find this despicably entertaining.</p>
<p>That article definitely wasn’t saying you won’t get into an Ivy. Your volunteering should be fine as long as you don’t make yourself sound privileged in your essays. And even if you’re still convinced that you’re doomed now, you don’t even have to mention that on your application.</p>
<p>I used to be very poor when I immigrated to America at 4 and my family had a very hard time. We were very lucky and fortunate and we are kind of affluent now, so I just wanted to help kids who live life like I did when I was very young</p>
<p>Dude, I know where you’re coming from, but how in the world can you afford all of this?</p>
<p>To me, it reeks of privilege. I get that you want to give back to the community, but you’re traveling the globe, my friend. Also, you seem like you are doing this for the sake of Ivy League. That’s just wrong. “Is this close to Ivy League volunteering?” Really? Just do what you are passionate about. Don’t compare it to other people and definitely don’t compare it to “ivy league” volunteering. </p>
<p>What @Hawkace is saying is what admissions officers will think. They’ll see “trips to Costa Rica and South Africa that cost thousands of dollars each.” And kind of like me, they’ll be wondering why you didn’t just help people in your own neighborhood/town/city/state/country for free. I’m not doubting your passion or questioning whether you helped make the world a better place because you did, but it does make you look pretty privileged to have been able to visit countries all over the world.</p>
<p>I have volunteered in my community. I have volunteered 350+ volunteer hours helping preserve my local parks and conservations. Yes I am privileged, but I haven’t always been. My passion is biology, and I explored my passion by volunteering in Kruger National Park, and teaching bio to kids who will probably never learn. I am NOT doing this for the sake of college, and I knew you would think that. My story goes deeper than just getting into college.</p>
<p>I just also made it a priority to get into top colleges like ivy leagues. I barely ever saw my father as he was working continuously for even a couple of days at a time to earn money, and became affluent because of a business my family started. I don’t want my dad’s hard work to be for nothing</p>
<p>Why Ivy League? What is the difference between Ivies and other great colleges like Stanford or MIT?</p>
<p>The colleges that I want to go to are UCBerkeley and Princeton, as I stated in my question. Princeton is an ivy.I also said “like” ivies.</p>
<p>the only thing “ivy” about berkeley is that people make a lot of money after leaving there, there are very few similarities if you really think about it…</p>
<p>So should I leave out volunteering off of my resume and get crushed by my ECs? Or should I explain my experience and passion and why I did volunteer abroad.</p>
<p>If you’re in-state, you’ll probably get into UCB because they take everyone with similar stats. I had near-identical numbers as you when applying last fall, and unfortunately your GPA will be a weak point for the very top schools, Princeton included. The volunteering is great and I think it’s pretty cool, but it’s not going to make up for anything lacking in your application. As for whether it’s “Ivy-worthy”, I don’t think there’s such thing. 2 to 4 week stints in underdeveloped countries don’t cut it. </p>
<p>With that being said, I’ll finally answer your question and say that it falls somewhere in the highish “okay” category. It’s not going to help majorly but I can’t see it hurting you either. </p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>“omit it”??? Now you’re overthinking things. Say the truth. You’ve been blessed enough to have some wonderful experiences that few people in the world would ever dream of. Say it’s humbling and now you wish to go forth and do X and Y and Z. (that is, if you honestly feel that way).</p>
<p>There’s nothing wrong with being wealthy. But to be vapid and wealthy – now there’s a problem.</p>
<p>Please guys, stop falling for this kind of ■■■■■■■■.</p>
<p>Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.87 (10,11,12)
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1667804-chance-me-princeton-berkeley-ucla.html”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1667804-chance-me-princeton-berkeley-ucla.html</a></p>
<p>I am rising sophomore
<a href=“Will Starting a Charity Decrease My Chances For Good Colleges - #6 by gifmaster123 - Applying to College - College Confidential Forums”>Will Starting a Charity Decrease My Chances For Good Colleges - #6 by gifmaster123 - Applying to College - College Confidential Forums;
<p>I suggest mods to create a sticky at the top and include the handles of those fakes.</p>