"weak" extracurricular?

Applying to College
1

<p>(I hope this is the right board, I wasn't really sure)</p>

<p>I'm a junior in high school and lately I've been facing a bit of a dilemma.
My main extracurricular/volunteer work has been working at a humane society.</p>

<p>When I first started, I felt great about it because I was doing something that I really cared about (the reason I started had nothing to do with colleges), as opposed to my peers who I knew to be doing their activities just to have something to put on their applications.</p>

<p>But, now those same friends have leadership positions and have won awards and recognition and honors for their volunteer work and I have nothing to show for mine. I have involved myself in every way possible (besides taking care of the animals, I teach at the the kids camp, help with the website and photography, foster home, started my own fundraiser) but they don't offer leadership positions to minors and don't give out any awards or anything.</p>

<p>In addition to all that, my parents feel that working at the humane society is considered a "soft" option, and that selective colleges wont value it nearly as highly as working at a hospital or homeless shelter or something.</p>

<p>So now in my junior year, I'm going into panic mode, lol. Reading all of those "chance me" threads, everyone has tons of volunteer work and recognition and my work is feeling more and more insignificant...I knew that my extra curriculars would be the weakness on my application, and I'm trying to fix that.</p>

<p>I mean, in volunteer work, recognition shouldn't even matter at all, right? Isn't that the point of volunteering, not looking for any kind of reward or compensation? But how well does that hold up in the college admissions process?</p>

<p>Well, there is my dilemma. Will my volunteer work hold up in the admission process? Should I try to find another organization I can get involved in? I have a few other charities I'm involved in, but not to the same extent.</p>

<p>Any help or input is really appreciated!</p>

2

<p>first of all, volunteering is volunteering. Colleges won't care whether its at the humane society or at a homeless shelter.</p>

<p>second of all, what are your interests? if you love math, join the math team, become president in that!, if you love english, enter some national poetry or essay contests. Help out in your school's play, etc. Do things that will show colleges you are interested in a certain field. That will be the most powerful aspect to your application.</p>

3

<p>Ari, don't listen to all of the doubters, what you're doing is GREAT. By volunteering for an extended period of time you show commitment to a cause and work ethic. Yes, you should have other activities, but if you can show your passion for your volunteer work and animal rights, etc. through essays, it could definitely help you.</p>

<p>Volunteer work is not just volunteer work, it can definitely show interest in a certain field and commitment, as long as you can prove that you do it because you love it and not for hours.</p>

4

<p>It sounds like you are spending time doing an activity that you love!! Keep at it! Colleges care a lot about grades, course difficulty, test scores. Beyond that they want to see that you're the kind of person they'd like to have on campus. I think your volunteer work definitely indicates that you care about others.</p>

5

<p>Thanks, that makes me feel a lot better :)</p>

<p>I've been trying to get more involved in my school's clubs and such, but since I'm really just starting to get involved this year, and given the huge size of my school, chances for leadership are next to none. I wish I had understood how important all these things were back in freshmen year. But I can only keep trying, I guess</p>

6

<p>LOL I know someone who was like the friends you talk about. He did everything to get "credit" for EX and then slacked off as much as possible at every activity just enough to get the volunteer hours. What's funny is he brings his textbook everytime we go volunteer to do his hw lol. I think I taught a little bit of that too my junior year though.</p>

7

<p>Haha yeah it makes you wonder if colleges can actually see through that, or if they fall for it</p>

8

<p>900 hours working through the same organization, even if it only amounts to hours, is way better than being the president of 9 clubs you happened to have started that basically do nothing.</p>