<p>I am a high school junior who has done almost no volunteer work. Is it pretty much too late to start volunteering? </p>
<p>I'm not sure if this counts, but for six years I've been member of an orginization that does hospital and nursing home visits with animals. I have done this with my dog, one hour per month since I was 11 years old. Is this completely unimpressive?</p>
<p>it's never to late to start volunteering! remember, you're doing it for your community, not for your college apps. ;)</p>
<p>that said, however, it will help your college apps. and i think now is a perfect time to do something that will really stand out on your app. look into a Habitat for Humanity project for this summer. or a hospital that you could spend the summer volunteering at. theres a ton you could do out there.</p>
<p>To my knowledge, no college requires volunteer work for admission. Some colleges have merit scholarships connected to volunteer work, however.</p>
<p>Only the very top colleges -- places like HPYS -- consider extracurricular activities including volunteer work as part of their admissions criteria. That's because those colleges have such an overabundance of high stat applicants that the colleges can afford to pick and choose to create a well rounded class.</p>
<p>Your work taking your dogl to nursing homes and hospitals counts as volunteer work, and could be the subject of an interesting essay. Since you enjoy doing that, you probably would enjoy doing it more often or doing other types of volunteer work involving animals. Animal shelters and humane societies usually have great need of volunteers to do things like walk and otherwise socialize animals. If this sounds appealing, then find out about such opportunities in your area, but don't do it to impress colleges.</p>
<p>Thanks Chriscap and Northstarmom.</p>
<p>The thing is, I feel like I do a lot of "volunteer work", but everything I do won't count as official volunteer work on college apps. For example: every week I help out a friend of mine who is in her 60s learn to use the computer. I also spend about 9 hours a week at a small horse farm (there are only four horses) cleaning stalls, and caring for horses to gain some horse experience/knowledge. I also spend a lot of time caring for my elderly grandparents etc.</p>
<p>You can list those things on your application under ECs or "other", and you also can write essays about some of those activities.
Many colleges also will let you include an extra letter of recommendation, which you could have from the owner of the horse farm or from the woman whom you're helping with her computer.</p>
<p>Why would you think those things don't count? You are doing some wonderful things and should share...the theraby dog visits are priceless, the caring for animals, and the computer tutoring- its all in how you present what you are doing</p>
<p>"official" is a very interesting word- you can have kids show up someplace and do little, but its "official" while others find a need and fill it though its off the radar</p>
<p>I think visiting hospitals with your therapy dog is a wonderful volunteering experience, and it certainly counts. Do you also have to go through training and certification with your dog in order to be able to do these types of visits? I should think that would count, too.</p>
<p>6 x 12 = 72 hours of volunteer work - nothing to be ignored. Put it on your application.</p>
<p>The kind of volunteer work that you've been doing seems more meaningful and would stand out more than most of the so-called volunteer work that many students put on their applications (I have seen scholarship applications, so I am speaking from experience).</p>
<p>The things that you're doing show: an interest in animals (Am I right in guessing that you are passionate about animals?), a high level of self-directed motivation in pursuing your interests; an ability to follow your own drummer instead of doing what's easiest.</p>
<p>Most students' volunteer hours are a hodgepodge of activities connected with things like service clubs or athletic teams. Their volunteer work was really mandatory -- required for them to stay in NHS or to be on the team.</p>
<p>Seeing a student who is self directed like you, and appears to be pursuing their own interests, is unusual, and would help you stand out in admissions in the colleges that take into account volunteer work.</p>
<p>Do you want to be a veterinarian or something else in the animal field?</p>
<p>Northstarmom, you're good! I am indeed very passionate about animals. I've never wanted to pursue anything other than Veterinary Medicine. I am really surprised you gathered that from my posts. </p>
<p>Thanks for your replies; they've been extremely helpful.</p>
<p>It is not too late to start volunteering. Volunteer work with the right organizations will change your life.</p>
<p>However, at this point, it's my opinion that it looks like you are doing it just for your application, and you have very little time to prove that you will be sticking with it. If you haven't been volunteering in certain areas and all of a sudden, at the end of junior year, you jump in, it doesn't really show devotion. The most impressive-looking parts of your application will be the things that you have stuck with for a couple years at least.</p>
<p>I would, however, still urge you to start volunteering in an area or areas that deeply interest you. What you can gain from this will be far more important than anything that can be expressed on a college application.</p>
<p>Uhh, your hours are better than most other's in the uniqueness. I can't lie. Keep it up, and maybe put more time into it. Trust me you are fine.</p>