Basically what the title says. Other ECs include FBLA, heavy involvement in debate, and possible internship with politician.
Parents would like me to join bc they say it would be a convenient way to clock in hours. They say that around 50 hours of volunteering per year is critical in gaining admission to elite institutions. (this is exactly the amount that our club requires!) Since I have to volunteer some way or another, they say that it would be easier for me to join a volunteer group than try to find a volunteering position on my own.
Problem with our school’s Key Club is that our volunteering opportunities are spread out and all over the place; we don’t focus on one particular cause. I’m distressed about whether or not I should join bc resume padding isn’t exactly to my liking and if we’re being honest, doesn’t seem like HYPSM would decide on my admission based on Key Club (it can’t be that big of a deal??)
Entire club at my school only exists due to resume padding. I went to the possible members meeting today and there was a statement on how good it would look on your app on EVERY SINGLE SLIDE IN THE INFORMATIONAL POWERPOINT.
If the clubs just exists to pad your resume I would definatley not do it. Do volunteer, but do it in something you are passionate about and actually want to help out with. It might take a little more effort to arrange, but it will definitely be worth it.
Why spend your limited time “clocking hours” on something you admit to be “resume padding?” Do something that interests you and matters to you, and not just as a stepping stone. You’ll be frustrated and it won’t work anyways.
I don’t know how important volunteer work is in the mix of things Yale and similar schools would value - my guess is that’s one of any number of ways people can distinguish themselves - but my thought is to participate in Key Club if it’s something you’re excited about. To your point I would think twice about it if it’s just resume padding and going through the motions.
This is just one data point so take it for what it’s worth, but my daughter was in Key Club and ended up getting into (and is currently attending) Yale. I suspect that Key Club was a minor part of the equation in her case - I think there were some other things that probably stood out more - but only admissions knows for sure.
She joined mainly she liked the people in the club and because in our area anyway, Key Club does some things that she was excited about participating in.
DS, a sophomore at Yale, did the number of hours his HS required as a volunteer (much less than 50), and was probably “shy” of a few required minutes. He did enjoy volunteer tutoring, but that wasn’t officially tracked.
I have been impressed with how well AOs read applications. They are not easy to fool. They look at motivation, as you apparently also do. I’m sure that your parents are well intentioned, but you should do what’s you rather than “clocking hours.”
My son was admitted to Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, Pomona, Williams, Middleburry, Boston College, Georgetown and Vanderbilt with absolutely no volunteer hours on his resume – that’s zero, zippo, none, nada!
Thirty years ago college’s looked for volunteer hours on a student’s resume, but now that many high school’s require 50 to 200 hours of service hours in order to graduate, college admissions tend to look for a deeper commitment that’s not measured in hours, but by the amount you’ve changed the lives of those around you.
you and your parents are believing the myth of vol hours. Don’t do it. Colleges don’t care. One of your goals is to gain perspective and maturity in choice making. Doing things to meet someone else’s checklist isn’t going to distinguish you among top school applicants.
Don’t do it just to “pad your resume”. I can’t imagine that being a member of the key club would make a difference in admission decisions. If you want to spend time volunteering, try to find something you care about – that way if you have an interview and discuss the activity your passion/interest would come through.