Hi everyone,
I’m planning on starting a school-wide, monthly fundraiser similar to Alex’s Lemonade stand selling doughnuts to my school. The money will go toward funding research for a rare stomach disease that a student in my grade has fallen ill to and is suffering from severely. If all goes as planned, I would be able to raise about $20k a year. No, I am not doing this for the college application, I am doing it because I feel not enough has been done for this student in my grade to support and recognize him, however, I would like to know how much recognition this would get-whether to the community, the state, the nation. Also, will this boost my college applications and if so, to whatdegree? Once again, this is not something I’m starting just for college applications, but if it can help, I will be using it.
There is no way to ‘measure’ that. Just the fact that you ask is a real eye roller.
If you’re not starting a fundraising campaign to boost your college applications, then it doesn’t matter what kind of recognition it might get at any level. Helping other people when you can is something you do because it’s the right thing to do, not because it may benefit you in some way.
If your heart is in it and you have the time and other resources to conduct a campaign (which would probably have to include permission from the student’s parents before you use his/her name and likeness), then do it and don’t worry about what you might get out of it. However, be aware that if people (such as the teachers who will be writing your letters of recommendation) get the impression that you’re attempting to profit from the misfortune of your classmate, it could harm your application. Ask yourself if you’d conduct a campaign if you knew you’d get zero recognition for it. If the answer’s yes, then do it.
The first value is in the “doing.” But if you can’t adequately plan (and test a plan) from the get-go, you may not get much done. That’s life.
If we tell you it has no value for college apps, would you go ahead?
But something more: the colleges aren’t looking for kids who find some spotlight, do some one glorious thing. They’re looking for patterns of caring and doing.
Sigh. If it is the right thing to do then do it. This is about him. Not your opportunities.