<p>So im a sophomore at my high school. Recently made a post asking about EC's and whether or not i should do them. It was tough for me to do any since my parents were divorced and i needed to stay home and watch my little brother after school.</p>
<p>I have a key club meeting this Thursday and im interested in joining that. I want to at least try and get some ec's in or volunteer hours for college but i've heard that key club is pointless for your college app. Lots of kids just do it for that reason and some people join the club and dont do anything. I can kind of see that but it really disappoints me since at my school, its really the only club that interests me the slightest so far.</p>
<p>So if i actually wanna get some service hours done in key club, how do they even record them? I mean i could maybe use the service hours to join NHS or something. On my college app do i just put on Key Club or will it have my service hours?</p>
<p>Lastly, if i wanna improve my chances of getting into colleges my sophomore year, do you guys think that key club is worth it? If not, what are some other things i can try to do?</p>
<p>I dont know much about Key club other than its a service group led by Kiwanis. </p>
<p>Any activity that is service oriented is a great addition to your resume. Start a record of your own service hours, dont assume they will do it. Look for ways to initiate and lead projects. Build a story around what type of people you are trying to serve and how you are helping them. Make this a multi-year commitment. Also keep in mind there are lots of other groups that do similiar work so dont think you have to be tied to one. GL.</p>
<p>Organizations like NHS may ask for a cumulative record of community service hours. I’m pretty sure you just track it yourself though.</p>
<p>But I don’t know how many college applications ask for a cumulative total of service hours. Some may. But mostly they want to make sure a) that you actually participated and weren’t just a member on paper, and b) that you Showed Leadership, perhaps by being an officer, ideally by coming up with some new initiative and putting in the hard work to make it a reality.</p>
<p>The reason some admissions offices may be skeptical of Key Club is it’s sponsored by an adult organization and students may join just because it’s there or because their parents are in the Kiwanis and they’re just members on paper or going through the motions. I think I was technically in the Catholic Youth Organization because I went on some church ski trips, but that’s not something I could have honestly claimed as an EC.</p>
<p>As long your application materials make a reasonable demonstration that you think the Key Club is pretty great, that you’ve done substantial work through the organization and Shown Leadership, then Key Club is not at all pointless on your college app. If it’s the organization you choose to put your honest efforts and creativity into, it’s the best EC in the whole school.</p>
<p>Quite frankly, if you put on your college app that it was your responsibility to look after your little brother after school until your parent got home, that would be a great EC. (Although it would probably go under something other than EC.) Same as helping out with a family business by sweeping the floors after school. Those are the things that show you take responsibility, even when they aren’t “fun”.</p>
<p>There are thousands of kids who apply every year who do things because they think it looks good. Colleges aren’t stupid, they can see through this a mile away. Doing something like helping to raise siblings every day or looking after an ailing relative is a million times more impressive than 100 hours of Key Club.</p>