<p>If money doesn't matter, what is more valuable? Work experience or community service. On one hand it seems community service is more valuable for society while on the other hand work experience may show your potential for future cooperation.</p>
<p>I feel like it’s all subjective. Community service is great if you do something meaningful - which excludes hospital volunteering (in most cases). Work experience is great for networking and showing that you’re responsible and mature.</p>
<p>If you’re deciding between the two purely for which one would look better on paper, there is no definitive answer. It all depends on what you decide to do in the job/service project that makes you invaluable and an impact player.</p>
<p>In terms of college applications, work experience. If you have a job, colleges can know for sure that you actually did something (and learned some skills) and you were competent enough to go through the application process and then work at the job without getting fired. In general, community service is a lot less structured and doesn’t require as much of you. Unless you’re showing leadership in the community service instead of just volunteering for someone else.</p>
<p>And IMO low-skill volunteering at the library or whatever doesn’t do all that much to better society, though it’s certainly better than sitting at home.</p>