<p>Is volunteering/community service really that important?</p>
<p>I have a number of EC's (including work), but have never done any sort of volunteering?</p>
<p>Is this going to really hurt me when I apply to top colleges?</p>
<p>It's not that I don't want to do volunteering, it's just that I can't find anything within a reasonable distance, etc. I live in a smaller, rural town and don't have a car.</p>
<p>But does anyone have ideas of good community service?</p>
<p>Also, if I'm involved in political campaigns, can that help to offset the lack of community service?</p>
<p>First, if you participate in political campaigns and are not paid, then that is community service/volunteering.</p>
<p>Second, the common app is not a check list of everything you were supposed to do if you want to go to a good school. If you were working 20 hrs/wk for three years, it is not necessary to also 1) play a muscial instrument 2) be on a sports team 3) join the honor society and 4) be student body secretary. Schools want to see the FEW activities that matter to you-activities where you show commitment, demonstrate depth of knowledge, give evidence personal growth, and have something to contribute to their school as a result of your life experiences.</p>
<p>These laundry lists of ECs where you know the person did no more than show up once in a while are tedious for us to read: Imagine how much more tedious they are for an adcom!</p>
<p>Those laundry lists of ECs where the student showed up for one meeting just make my eyes glaze over. I can't read them.</p>
<p>You've got to tell a story. You've got to make a package. Somebody who's played trumpet for 10 years, teaches trumpet to inner city elementary school kids one afternoon a week, and has his/her own swing band that plays at the Senior Center once a month is sooooo much more appealing than (get ready to glaze) Recycling Club grades 9 & 10, Math Team grade 11, Chess Team first half of grade 9, won science award grade 10, French Club senior year, and volunteered at the hospital 3 hours per month.</p>
<p>Yea, but I don't have any inner city school kids to teach trumpet to...</p>
<p>I mean, I am pretty passionate about some things, but they're just not volunteering. It always seems like every applicant lists some huge number of volunteering hours, and right now mine is a big fat 0.</p>
<p>The point of listing volunteering is to show that you're a well-rounded person who can take on leadership roles in order to help the community. It may not look great to have none, but it can be offset with other activities: a job, clubs at school, and so on. If you're passionate about something, can you show it in other ways?</p>
<p>I don't think the point of volunteering is to show that you are a "well-rounded person." Colleges have said over and over that they are looking for well-rounded <i>classes</i>, not necessarily well-rounded students. If a student is passionate about dance and all of their extracurriculars have to do with dance, they're not necessarily going to turn them down over the person who volunteers for everything. That latter person shows no focus.</p>
<p>In any case, I don't think that volunteering is vital to most schools. It depends on the school. At my alma mater, I don't think it would completely break your application, but our school does have a focus on community service and we enjoy applicants who have some. But "some" doesn't mean 1000+ hours, it could be as little as one hour a week or something.</p>
<p>Honestly, what matters the MOST is that you are a good student (high grades, solid test scores). The extracurriculars are peripheral for all but the very top colleges. And even at the top college, there's no hard-and-fast requirement for volunteering. If the rest of your credentials check out and they really like you, they won't go "oh but he never volunteered so I guess not." All colleges like to see you do something, but no college expects you to do everything.</p>
<p>juillet: It's HYPS, etc. that I'm looking at, so yes, top tier.</p>
<p>To be clear: I <em>do</em> have multiple EC's, including running a business and captaining the debate team.</p>
<p>I've just never found the time/ability to volunteer. It seems like every Ivy applicant has a whole bunch of volunteering hours, and I'm worred that they'll just toss me in the trash if they see none.</p>
<p>for an excellent list of volunteer ideas, look at the Prudential Spirit of Community Award website. there is a list of 300 'project ideas' that past winners have done. I think if you look at this list you will find many activities that can be done from a small town and without a car. This is a great list for quality service ideas. Students</a> & Parents</p>