<p>i've seen some threads about this before -- but i'm wondering how an admissions officer would interpret lots of travel on an application... the threads i've seen though are mostly about the summer before school going to work in europe, but i am talking about a lifelong love of travel, having been to nearly every continent -- does this seem interesting, set me apart at all, or does it make me seem...lazy / spoiled / etc?</p>
<p>I think that it'll set you as an interesting person, as long as you don't brag about it. You don't have to state that you've been to nearly every continent, you can express your love of travel in other ways, like in your essay.</p>
<p>I think it sets you apart as being really rich and not much more.</p>
<p>^ I think that is absolutely not true. My experiences traveling abroad, especially in the third world have completely changed my life. Colleges are looking for people who will have an impact on their campuses. If you have traveled abroad and experienced other cultures, then I am sure you can impress in your applications how much open-mindedness you could bring to a college campus. Seeing another culture first hand and being immersed in it causes you, I think, to be more open minded about differences in other people; a practice you might see abroad might be something that would be considered repulsive in America. Seeing such a practice accepted in daily life in another culture causes you to see past differences and really appreciate them.</p>
<p>I am by no means wealthy, and most of my traveling has been through volunteering, on mission trips, or been for religious reasons. I don't really have plans to write about my experiences in my essays, but I know that they have the potential to make very compelling essays.</p>
<p>I included travel in my big essay to Rice (where I will attend :)), and talked about how it changed my opinions and viewpoints, etc. If travel is a big part of your life, you should totally put it in your apps.</p>
<p>NeoEpisteme, the type of travel you mention, such as volunteering and mission trips, is by all means both helpful for college admissions as well as potentially life-changing. It's a fantastic experience.</p>
<p>However, the OP didn't mention anything other than the fact that he travels a lot, which most likely means he is not involved in any sort of positive cause while he is overseas. If this is not the case, the OP should correct me and my stance will be different, but rewarding a person in the application process for having enough money to travel extensively in my opinion is not a good idea.</p>
<p>It's similar to the nonselective summer programs at certain elite colleges that some people ask about. They don't help because the only thing they say about you is that you have money.</p>
<p>traveling is very meaningful as long as you can express how it has influenced you.
it gives you a very wordly perspective, and you meet all sorts of differents cultural practices.
apart from writing your experiences your essay, i don't see where else it would be helpful. it certainly wouldn't be a hobby (would it?)</p>
<p>What a judgmental view of peoples experience!</p>
<p>look, it doesn't matter if u spend a bunch of $$ on these trips or not. if you've gained a special viewpoint from a unique experience from a VACAY, even, then EXPRESS yourself :)</p>
<p>It depends. How NOT to explain travel to adcoms:</p>
<p>"When I was walking down the disgustingly unpaved street in my new Jimmy Choos, I saw a poor person. My jaw dropped and I quickly removed my Mark Jacobs glasses from my head. Traveling made me aware that poor people exist, and I want to do good for them!"</p>
<p>Look, I'm not saying that travel isn't valuable or trying to judge peoples' experiences. I'm just saying that for college admissions purposes, traveling extensively does not mean a lot unless it has involved some sort of social work in the process.</p>
<p>LOL baelor that's terrible</p>
<p>Well, it doesn't have to be about social work. The point is that you got something out of it and that it had meaning to you and that it helped you be more mature. You could say the same about pumping gas--what matters isn't what you do, but how you grow from it.</p>
<p>Yeah but the OP is asking about putting it on his application, not about whether or not he got something out of it. I'm not saying he didn't get something out of it, I'm saying he shouldn't put it on the application unless it involved something other than seeing tourist attractions and staying in hotels.</p>
<p>You wouldn't put pumping gas on an application would you? (Although I admit it would be rather unique).</p>
<p>bigp, Okay, I get what you're saying. I agree with you then. </p>
<p>And yes, I would put pumping gas on an application if that were my job.</p>
<p>lol pumping gas could actually b a really interesting angle :)</p>
<p>heh yeah good point i forgot that that could be a job :)</p>