<p>I do not enjoy doing voluntary work or community service, and I'm afraid it will hurt my college chances. I don't like the idea of forcing myself to do community service just to make my CV look good.</p>
<p>So what should I do? Should I just concentrate on my other ECs which I enjoy? Or should I pretend to look happy as I drag myself each week to the nearby orphanage?</p>
<p>Is it necessary? No.
Does it help? Yes.</p>
<p>Try to find someting more interesting to to, there are things out there.</p>
<p>Why don't you like community service? DO you just think about getting paid and getting some money for your work? Are you not a good member of your community?</p>
<p>Yeah it is necessary, contrary to what people tell you.
I visited UChicago and had an interview, and I talked to the interviewer (who is an admissions officer there) about my specific application, meaning my stats. He asked me what leadership positions I had and what community service I did. He said I needed to indicate those things on my app.</p>
<p>You should at least have some . . . none would look really bad. Volunteering isn't as limited as "going to orphanages", there's a wide variety of community service that fit different people.</p>
<p>IMO, it's never a good thing to volunteer just because it looks good on apps. You should volunteer mostly because you want to help people. However, I won't deny that it looks good. I understand that some people just don't enjoy or are terrible with dealing with old or sick people, the homeless or orphans. It's not that they don't care, but it's not an easy thing to do for many people. But there are a lot of ways to volunteer, so try to find something that you would really enjoy and feel good about doing. If you really can't, don't worry. If you've really put a lot of time and effort into your ECs, it shouldn't hurt too much.</p>
<p>You could volunteer in the offices of your local State Representative or Congressperson (shows political awareness/zeal). </p>
<p>If you like animals, you could volunteer at your local ASAP, zoo, or nature center (which is what my D did). </p>
<p>How about your local public library? They often welcome volunteers.</p>
<p>Habitat for Humanity. Haul lumber, drive nails. No need to hold the hand of the "unwashed".</p>
<p>You're a smart kid, if not a community minded one. You can probably come up with something you can live with (and maybe even feel good about).</p>
<p>I agree with the above post. For myself, I work 35 hours a week so community service is not an easy thing to do. To be honest, at the end of the week or end of the day, I'm just tired and not interested in building something or WORKING some more, which is what community service is. I think colleges take into consideration the fact that you work alot if you do, and then don't expect as much in EC/Comm service areas. So if you really don't want to do CS, get a job that has meaning or say that you had to get a job b/c your parents encouraged you to make your own money (like mine). They just want to see that you're doing something and not playing video games after getting your 4.0 everyday. :)</p>
<p>My friend got into Caltech with only 10 hours of community service.</p>
<p>"I don't like the idea of forcing myself to do community service just to make my CV look good."</p>
<p>I completely respect that statement. I'd say more than half of young people who do community service are doing it simply to boost their college apps, and that's the wrong reason to do it. </p>
<p>A few months ago I was interviewing for a community service program at a certain college that required 400 hours of service a year. The students already in the program were saying how much they dreaded doing their service projects every week, and how it became like a regular dead-end job. Needless to say, I didn't end up accepting entrance into that program or that particular school. Spending 20 hours a week in a soup kitchen is not my ideal way of "giving back." </p>
<p>With that said, I've done my share of community service throughout my high school career, but I've tried to do things that I enjoy. Join a community service EC in school. Mine did canned food drives, clothing drives, community events, etc. It gave me a chance to dabble in a little bit of everything so I really didn't get bored. That might also give you a chance to see what areas really spark your interest. Are you into music? Sports? Science? Politics? All of those things offer outlets to volunteer. If you really enjoy doing something, it won't be "forced."</p>
<p>I want a career in politics and public service. I've been an intern for my Congressman for the past year, and it's been a very rewarding experience. I get to see the political process first hand and work with people who provide a lot of insight into the field. Writing letters and dealing with constituents has given me a lot of experience that I can take with me in the future. It's been MUCH more fulfilling to me, personally, than planting trees or working in a hospital or something would have been.</p>
<p>If all else fails, find another way to define yourself. Not everyone is incredibly active in their community, and there are plenty of other ways to show you're worthy of acceptance at a particular college.</p>
<p>My high school had a community service requirement. I taught kindergarten at a local school; it was great fun. It mostly involved playing with the kids outside. </p>
<p>Since it was in spring of my senior year though, I never included it in my application. I don't think I ever mentioned community service once during my college application process. It didn't hurt me.</p>
<p>I agree with the idea that one should not do community service simply for building one's app. Colleges are looking for passion, and if community service is an activity you just slap on to the rest of your acheivements it will not have substance unless it really means something to you.</p>
<p>Not doing community service is like not taking AP or other college prep courses. </p>
<p>Can you get into a college somewhere? Sure...
Will you get into a prestigious college? Probably not...</p>
<p>I personally don't think that students should perform community service if they are not really into it. They should just take responsibility for their decision and the deal with the consequences.</p>
<p>I agree with gsp regarding community service as most schools are looking for students that undertand that learning takes place both inside and outside of the classroom. </p>
<p>Especially when it comes to "elite" schools, they do want to send the message that it is important to give back and feel that they have a responsiblity in education people who are looking to become future leaders in the world at large , their local communities or anywhere in between, that it is important to be more than book smart.</p>
<p>Princeton review recently came out a book Colleges with a conscience. This is a list of schools that have refocused on their civic mission by pioneering new strategies for creating more engaged citizens.</p>
<p>Hmmm, it's funny b/c looking forward to the whole college admissions process everyone was always like, get as much community service possible, this and that. And then I did, you know planted trees, tutored plenty of kids, did blood drives, church activities, etc. But when it came down to the application, I really didn't care anymore about the whole community service thing and didn't even care about putting it down so I didn't, so hmmm, does it help, of course it does, but is it necessary? Definitely not.</p>
<p>I think it's an exaggeration that somebody without community service will be incapable of getting into a selective school.</p>
<p>Tony where did you get accepted?</p>
<p>i know its an exaggeration...lower income families kids' often MUST work to support the family - when could they do community service, yet they're accepted.</p>
<p>I dont like community service either. Just do community service on holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. That is what I do, and it seems better than doing service on some random day.</p>
<p>MY big question about community service is this: when you indicate community service on your application or during an interview or whatever, do you put all community service activities, or only important ones. And do they expect you to volunteer for a long period of time with one company. For example, I annualy help with our local Habitat for Humanity on a big project that only takes about a day. Should this be indicated? Or do I need to find a community service activity where I had volunteered for like say a year?</p>