The deadlines for summer programs are over. I am currently a junior.
Should I stay home and just volunteer near my area at the library and take health
or
Should I go to China and help out the homeless people there?
I know that volunteering abroad does not win you points with the adcoms.
But, any other suggestions on what I should do? I don’t want to waste an entire summer just sitting around.
Also another quick question:
One of my few extracurriculars is Chess. Is it better to show that I am a competent chess player by getting in the top 100 in my age group in the country, or is it better to like teach other people chess, start a chess team etc.
Like is it better to be GOOD at your hobby or to help other people through your hobby?
Volunteer, or do internships. Whatever you can proudly add on your resume or talk about in your college essays.
Oh speaking of that, since you are a junior now, START YOUR COLLEGE ESSAYS EARLY. There will be so many supplements you have to write including your common app essay. If you start them during the summer. you won’t be stressed out during senior year.
“Should I go to China and help out the homeless people there?” - I can easily tell, and admissions officers will too, that you don’t really want to do it. Maybe it’s to attempt to impress colleges; but thousands of applicants go and do that.
What do you have the most interest in? Do you want to go to China? Do you want to learn the culture? Is your family from there?
or have you been volunteering in your community for years and you would like to continue that?
I think that having sustained community volunteering in an area is better than flying to another country for 3 months.
I think it might be better in chess to do both. Be a good chess player, but also show your leadership in teaching others and starting a club. Colleges want people who will get involved in the college community as well as those who are experts in their area.
@stanfordswag Thanks for the advice. I’m not exactly sure what I’ll do, maybe volunteer at a local chess club?
@bopper I’m 50/50 about going to China. I lived there for 2 years and I could say I already learned the culture as I interacted daily with the natives of my city. Yes, my family is there.
I’ve been volunteering here where I live for the past 2 years, mostly tutoring at local schools and such.
It’s mainly that I don’t know if I have the opportunities here where I’m living. My only options staying in the US are volunteering at the library as the only chess club is over 30 miles away.
I have slightly more opportunities in China, but they do not exactly match perfectly with my hobbies/interests.
Ok I am very willing to get a part time job during the summer. Does it really matter what it is though? I have several job openings at like restaurants and stuff, but I’m not sure if it will be worthwhile as anyone like me can just get a job at McDonald’s. I won’t be taking the job solely for college admissions, but just mainly to get my butt off my couch during the summer.
I’m just wondering if colleges will see this (library work/McDonald’s) as worthwhile.
Also @slights32 yes I will be starting my essays during the summer. Thanks for the advice.
- Doing what you love gets you places 