<p>Hello,</p>
<p>I'm a first timer at this forum
I have been to other college discussion forums but so far, this is the best!</p>
<p>Well my question is</p>
<p>is volunteering hours so terribly important in getting into ivy legues?
If so, how many hours would satisfy them?</p>
<p>Yes it is important because it shows that you actually care about someone other than yourself. To "satisfy" them is a bad way to put it but I would guess 2 to 3 hundred.</p>
<p>it makes you a better person and helps other people, no other reason is needed, and to ask is just sad to me</p>
<p>The important thing to realize with this is that there is no "quantity" of hours that admissions committees look for. They are looking to see if what you did made a serious impact on your community. Just helping set up for the school dance and writing down 10 hours, does not sufice. You need to take your personal passions/strengths and put them to use in a venue that will benefit you and those around you. Thats what your precious Ivy League schools want to see.</p>
<p>Am I the only one who smells hypocrisy here? Come on, most HS students only volunteer because they know it looks good on their application and because there's a certain "social pressure" to do so. That is sad.
As for the original question: If you're not motivated to help people, don't do it.</p>
<p>It's not only important what you do, but also why you do it.</p>
<p>Volunteerism absent from your background will not preclude you from being a viable Ivy candidate. It's one item that appears in well-involved candidates. If you have other ECs that show involvement or diverse outside interest or dedication, that can make up for it. For instance, let's say someone needs to work 25 hours/week at Burger King because he's helping his divorced mother make ends meet and helping with babysitting siblings -- he's not really the guy who's gonna be president of a few school clubs or spend 15 hrs/week at the soup kitchen right? However, a savvy adcom will take that into account. If that student STILL demonstrates top academics, personal drive and character -- he is as viable as anyone (perhaps even more so).</p>
<p>I think volunteering used to demostrate an unusual quality in a teen. Now, since so many high schools make it a requirement for graduation, it probably doesn't carry the same weight that it once did. </p>
<p>What can it do now? It can help you show that you have a passion in a certain area. It can give you work experience. It can help you meet people in your community (networking). And sometimes it can show you another "world" of sorts - the stuggles that others go through, etc.... </p>
<p>But really, if you don't want to volunteer there are other things to do. No biggie.</p>
<p>I know some kids who volunteer in elementary or middle school to prepare for college. I do think because of the college admissions frenzy, some do plan well ahead.:)</p>
<p>Do know that people who come to forums like this to ask how many hours of volunteer work that they need to do to "qualify" for Ivies don't sound like the type of students whom Ivies are looking for.</p>
<p>Believe it or not, there are students who participate in ECs -- including volunteering -- because those things are their passions. They aren't faking it. They aren't counting hours and planning to stop once they reach the so-called magic number. They are volunteering because they care about helping people or supporting certain things that match their values and interests.</p>
<p>In case you don't believe this, check out Harvard's Phillips Brooks House, the student-run volunteer organization on campus. Something like 60% of the students volunteer at PBH for no other reason than the students like volunteering.</p>
<p>Check out the variety of projects there that students create and run by themselves for no pay.</p>
<p>Those are the kind of students who were doing volunteer work in high school -- volunteering that had impact and that they used their leadership in.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Ivies don't have a template of activities you must do. What they do want to see is impact, leadership, talent, passion -- regardless of what the activity is.</p>
<p>someone earlier said that you shoudl have 2-300. is that all compiled from 9-12th grade?</p>
<p>It isn't that you "should have" two to three hundred. Listen to what people are saying, that you don't need to be planning out your next few years so you can get some magic number of volunteer hours. Yes, that is a typical amount to have but PLEASE do not just do it so you can go to college. Do it if you enjoy it and because you want to contribute. God I hate people who only volunteer for their own reasons. The whole point of volunteering is to help others, not yourself.</p>
<p>If I may sarah786: did you read the post immediately above yours? Or my note about ZERO hours if the situation merits it? Both Northstarmom and I are alums of one of the HYPS schools and do recruiting and interviewing of HS students, btw. We just aren't blowing hot air.</p>
<p>It has become meaningless, as someone already pointed out. My son had almost NO volunteer work (went to boarding school). There were some school service activities that "counted", but he was definitely light on "helping others" and was not about to do anything to change that. If you have a sincere passion for a certain volunteer activity, it will show. Otherwise, it doesn't count for much of anything. The "trip to the third world country where you learn to appreciate how much you have" is the new cliche of the application world.</p>
<p>"The "trip to the third world country where you learn to appreciate how much you have" is the new cliche of the application world."</p>
<p>I'm glad you mentioned this MOWC. I've interviewed some students who have gone on 1 wk "build a home in Mexico" junket -- but then their excursion passes probably cost more than the building material of the entire home. These "touring" experiences are for profit and they're suckering kids and nervous parents who are too busy to really help with something locally. "Why give up my golf game when I can write a check and junior gets to go to Jamaica to help the little brown kids?"</p>
<p>OK: i'm being a little over the top. But this stuff stinks.</p>
<p>Volunteering doesn't mean more than be smart in terms of getting into top colleges.</p>
<p>
[quote]
a savvy adcom
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Nice diction! I love this. </p>
<p>Anyways, I don't want to repeat what people have said above; but once you have found a volunteering activity that you really enjoy, you will be finding yourself not caring about how many hours you actually spent.</p>
<p>do you need a signed record of the number of hours, or can you just write "X" hours?</p>
<p>Just write down your hours Azn.</p>
<p>I can attest to what others have said about passion. I do Policy Research for a Non-Profit Org., I wake up at 6:30, take the bus (it takes about 1 and half hour) and get there by 8:30, but the time I get home it's easily 5:30. I'm carving out 9 and half hours out of my day for 5 days a week. BUT I DON'T CARE! I LOVE WHAT I'M DOING!</p>