Some people claim to have hundreds of hours of service (which I can believe) but how much community service is needed to get into college? Would the difference between 500 and 600 hours be signigicant in the eyes of the admission people?
<p>They are far more interested in your impact while doing community service, and what you learned from the experience than how many hours you did it. Things that show impact as well as community service that you organized or created are far more impressive than thousands of random hours that basically were done mindlessly for resume filler. Impact is demonstrated through your essay, awards and recommendations.</p>
<p>Thx for the tip! :)</p>
<p>doing thousands of hours of community service is definately not mindless. The person would obviously have a passion for the organization they are doing community service for. The more hours you have, the more it proves your passion. I say the more the better.</p>
<p>"doing thousands of hours of community service is definately not mindless. "</p>
<p>It definitely can be mindless, and may not demonstrate passion at all.</p>
<p>I have seen students who did hundreds of hours of community service because their parents lined them up with the service and made them do it. I remember interviewing a student who, though only at the beginning of h.s., had done hundreds of hours of service for an organization that usually people volunteer with out of passion.</p>
<p>When I asked her what she did, she said she stuffed envelopes and answered phones. When I asked why, she said because her parents lined her up with that work, and she thought it would enhance her resume.</p>
<p>When I asked what she'd learned, she said, "Nothing. All I do is answer phones and stuff envelopes." Apparently all she had done was exactly what she was told to do. She didn't have any interest in the organization or in service except for how it could dress up her resume.</p>
<p>Anyway, it's not hours that proves one's passion. It's what one does what one's hours. For instance, a person with passion who was doing the same volunteer work that she was doing might have created a new way of recruiting volunteers or of publicizing the organization or might have suggested and helped create a new program or brochure to meet the needs of some people who had called the agency looking for help.</p>
<p>Such a person may have worked only a few hours at the agency, but have made more of an impact and have learned a lot from the experience.</p>
<p>I second North and neb...just find something u r passionate about and roll w/ it. If it gets u into college...well good for u....if it doesn't u wil have long lasting memories of the awesome times u had;-D</p>
<p>Well, that is ridiculous if that girl did hundreds of hours for something she didn't care about. I'd think she would have found something more interesting. It just really erks me when people put off other who care about something a lot and happen to do hundred (close to one thousand) hours of community service. I say those people are just jealous and lazy because they haven't found something that other person feels passionately about. I've never found a case where someone would do that much work "mindlessly". And why would you talk to an interviewer like that. Just don't make that type of generalization that people don't care and everyone is obsessed with the college application!</p>
<p>200 hours is enough</p>
<p>^ yea 200 is enough. But really, I cannot imagine any one doing a 1000 hours without having any passion. i mean, 1000 hours is a like...a hook. seriously. Trust me, a 1000 hours isn't a joke and serious passion is shown</p>
<p>at least 150</p>
<p>I would say 100 hours.</p>
<p>You don't even need to have community hours. It's how much effort you put into activities you do outside of school that matters. Like if you spend 30 hours a week working and the rest researching with a professor on a groundbreaking project, heck, you wouldn't need any other ECs because colleges know what you spent your time on</p>
<p>Well, I feel hours do count, as long as its not anything stupid at stuffing envelopes or stacking books.</p>
<p>I did 2000 hours of volunteer service as a tutor within 2 years. I taught 133 elementary and middle school kids and a couple of high schoolers who initially had a grade C or below. After I tutored them personally, 129 of the kids ended up with an 'A' and 4 kids ended up with a 'B' on their report cards at the end of the semester. It gave me immense pleasure seeing that I made a difference by helping these kid succeed in their academic activities. I recieved some thank you letters from parents, which is still hung up in my wall :)</p>
<p>" taught 133 elementary and middle school kids and a couple of high schoolers who initially had a grade C or below. After I tutored them personally, 129 of the kids ended up with an 'A' and 4 kids ended up with a 'B' on their report cards at the end of the semester. It gave me immense pleasure seeing that I made a difference by helping these kid succeed in their academic activities. "</p>
<p>Enjoi,</p>
<p>All of the above is what makes your community service truly stand out. Some people could put in 2,000 hours and not have an impact on themselves or others. You clearly were pursuing a passion, made a big difference in those kids' lives, and also I am sure changed yourself as a result of the experience. It's also very obvious that you didn't do the service for resume dressing.</p>
<p>You sound like a very nice person. I wish that I knew you in person. You're like my favorite people in real life. :)</p>
<p>haha, thank you Northstarmom! I feel honored :)</p>
<p>i volunteer weekly at my local national public radio station doing small yet helpful things because a) i LOVE npr and b) i believe the media (especially w/ little-bias) is extremely important in todays society.</p>
<p>how do i let this show on an application?</p>
<p>May I say that I did not put any community service on my applications and I fared perfectly well applying to colleges? Not that I didn't have any...but I really was not passionate at all about tutoring kids after about the first week of it.</p>
<p>as RaboKarabekian pointed out, volunteering is not necessarily an activity that people will develop a passion for. this applies to almost every other activity.</p>
<p>to do ANY activity for the pure purpose of gaining leverage in the admissions process, is IMO a very flawed approach towards life itself.</p>