<p>I am a sophomore, and I turn 16 this summer, right before junior year starts. I am one of the youngest in my grade. I want to start volunteering, but I'm finding that for so many things I am just too young. For example, working at the hospital, habitat for humanity, the humane center, and some other things I have looked at require that you are age 16+, or have an adult with you. I cannot take my mom with me because she has to look after my sibling, my dad works full time. I just feel like the only time I will be able to do stuff is junior year, my busiest year. And even then I would only have one year of commitment seeing as I'm applying to collages once senior year starts. I just feel like this is going to hurt my chances to get into ivy league schools tremendously. Sports, and student leader/student council are not enough. (and at my school there isn't much else I could do). You have to take newspaper and year book as year long classes. Because of this, I am considering a gap year during which I would volunteer abroad, do work experience/ shadowing in my home town, and just discover more about myself. Is this my only option?! I am aware that grades play a huge part to, but for now seeing as I have not taken the ACT and SAT, assume I have the grades.</p>