<p>actually a job is a job whether you are paid or not. Put it in work/job experience. Community service is what you would call it.
an ec is more for the pleasure of it, IMO, sports, orchestra etc.</p>
<p>"Community service is what you would call it"</p>
<p>Common App Extracurricular, Personal, and Volunteer Activities instructions:
"Please list your principal extracurricular, community, and family activities and hobbies..."</p>
<p>Hmm... Is not it better to not need work for cash?
I mean: books are in the library, You can use old bike to travel around the city, and rice is a great nuourishment. All that You have to pay for some concrete money is internet, but it is also in the library or school.
Then, if Your parents are alive - You do not need to work for cash. Then what universities need it for? Indicator of stamina of doing something that You do not like?</p>
<p>I admit that some students do need to work for pay, as they help support their families.
However some students idea of what is a need and what is a want, might not be everyones.
Just Friday I was listening to some girls complain about how tired they were, when I kidded them that they were too young to be so tired, one girl stated that "some kids have to work to support their families", I sympathized.
However not two minutes later ( this was in library) this girl had to get online to check her bank statement cause she had to pay her Gap & Nordstroms charge accounts, when her friends asked her why she had charge accounts, she said her parents opened them for her and she only charged $500 to each.
While schools will acknowledge that ECs and grades may be affected with long work hours, and will cut slack if needed for family support, they may have a different view if it is obviously to buy clothes and gas.
A students priority should still be being a student.</p>
<p>Exactly. This is the best time in life for development of mind. I would never pay for gas by mental prowess. :)</p>
<p>Even if it would be one IQ point for 1000 gallons ;).
Just kidding, I can imagine situation, when money colected help You in development, but usually it is possible to obey the needs: minimal diet in US, which I saw was: 300$. It was at least healhty...</p>