<p>Hello everyone, thanks for taking time to look at my question.</p>
<p>I know college admissions look for people who stand out of the crowd. As I've gone throuh CC, i realized many people agree that every applicant should have dedicated himself to 1 main thing over the 4 years in high school. Whether it be music, math competitions, science competitions, or community service, everyone should be focused on 1 main thing to show their dedication.</p>
<p>I personally have an interest and passion for helping others. I am from india. I have the resources to go to india for the summer, and help in orphanges/refugee camps. I am also confident that I can complete at least 1000 hours of service at my local hospital. Do you think I should do the hours of service at my hospital, and visit India and volunteer every summer until college, or should I take a summer for research. Which would be more impressive? i want to go to harvard/princeton. i will be a freshman in the fall, if anyone knows of things i can do this summer to help me in the future, that would also help. And does anyone know of any volunteer programs in africa?</p>
<p>Thanks alot.</p>
<p>if you have a passion for service for others, pursue it. that's what harvard, princeton, or any other college is going to love about you.</p>
<p>if you are so enthusiastic that you want to volunteer at the local hospital, go ahead and do it. but track your progress by counting how many ways you've made a difference, not how many hours you got. same thing for the service abroad stuff, too.</p>
<p>also, only conduct research if it's in the field you're interested in. if you embark on a quantum physics project but apply as a sociology major, it could only hurt you, since it suggests that you do things just for the credit or that you don't know what you're doing.</p>
<p>plus, you're only a rising freshman. just worry about developing and pursuing your interests. everything else will fall into place later on.</p>
<p>the thing is, i LOVE medicine, and LOVE history..</p>
<p>how can I show colleges that I am interested in both, possibly a double degree. 1 in history and another in biology?</p>
<p>I heard about excavations in china and those types of things. But how can I show them that im well rounded?</p>
<p>it's great that ur interested in community service. if u started a project now, u can develop it and continue it until senior year when u apply. Start a volunteering club at school, and get people interested. Also, if ur interested in medicine, i think u should look into biomedical research. You can email a couple of professors at your local university and maybe do some research during your freshman year summer. Start a project and see if u can take it all the way to Intel/Siemens. There's a great opportunity for those interested in research at MIT during the junior year summer called RSI (Research Science Institute). Good luck.</p>
<p>You're from India. That's your thing, welcome to Harvard.</p>
<p>lol? </p>
<p>i thought that might work against me..</p>
<p>yea it will. good luck finding that cure for cancer or aids in about 3 years.</p>
<p>Keep doing what you love. There is a guide in bookstores, Peterson's I think, that lists summer opportunities in community service.</p>