<p>In your guys' opinions, what do colleges care more about, volunteering or work exp? What if you had to work (for your family) and you couldn't do any volunteering? </p>
<p>I'm worried, i haven't done much volunteering over the last few years and i would appreciate some advice.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>im just going to tell you what im doing, community service.</p>
<p>Colleges will understand if you've had some serious financial obligations. They find it no less impressive--as I've been told by books and former adcomms (from top colleges). But if you can find a way to work in volunteering or paid nonprofit work (you've probably gained some valuable skills over the years in working for your parents) then it will definitely enhance your application.</p>
<p>im sure they also wouldnt mind if your work gave back to the community in a way, for example im a soccer referee and give guitar lessons, something like this probably looks a little better than a behind the counter job, but i dont think anything can replace free community service</p>
<p>This is just my two cents but every college counselor I have spoken to has told me work trumps community service. I am a transfer student though so there may be a different emphasis for me. Also of note working is giving back to the community. You are contributing to the economy. </p>
<p>I think schools are looking for the following things in ec's: responsibility, commitment, and ambition. Also anything you can do that is in the same direction as what you eventually want to do would help show interest.</p>
<p>I have over 200 hours of park ranger work (picking up trash maintaining a clean park for tourists) and also library tutoring for free. I asked the USAFA liason officer (assuming that USAFA has the same trend as ivies and other colleges) would it be better to get a job or internship for $$$. She said that the TYPE of community service that looks good is mine rather than other "behind the desk" jobs. Plus I dont believe its fair to say your helping the economy by giving lessons to make your own profit. technically you are helping the economy because each dollar you spend creates new wages for employees across america. But thats like saying oil companies are helping the economy.</p>
<p>dylan sav, I've been through the college app process many times over. Every time that I developed my resume further (which, mind you, has been concentrated in the non-profit sector) I increased the quality and caliber of unis to which I could apply. </p>
<p>If you are assisting your family or working at a nonprofit, your wages will hardly constitute a profit--they will simply decrease your opportunity cost, or help you break even. You will hardly come out ahead in either situation. Colleges know that. I will paraphrase a Cornell adcomm: "If a student has to work 30-40 hours a week to help out his or her family, it doesn't matter if that's at a Burger King--that's impressive on its own." </p>
<p>If unpaid volunteer work is not an option for you, for whatever reason, do not sweat it. Colleges understand that they have students applying from a variety of financial situations, and they'll respect the level of responsibility you have demonstrated so far.</p>
<p>I apologize FutureUSAFApilot. I did not mean in any way to say that what you are doing is not important. You are absolutely right (and I should have included this) what TYPE of work or community service you do is very important. </p>
<p>" Plus I dont believe its fair to say your helping the economy by giving lessons to make your own profit."</p>
<p>I am not exactly sure what you mean by this..but by working you are becoming self sufficient and that helps the economy. It means less people on welfare and other social programs. </p>
<p>I was not attacking community service. I am just relaying what I was told. Take it or leave it.</p>
<p>Pip-pip: That is the situation I am in. I have to work in order to have food and a place to live. At the end of the day that is where all my money goes. Every school I will be applying to sees working as a great thing. They do understand everyones situation is different. :)</p>
<p>Well put, Sweetny007.</p>
<p>Yes, I agree with you now saying that your self suffiecient. Plus, if you need the money then why REFUSE it. Colleges will apreciate the hard work no matter with money or without. A agreeable compromise and a good combination for when applying would be to have both paid internships and businesses you run and community service.</p>
<p>So if you had to work to help support your family, colleges would view that equal to community service/volunteering?</p>
<p>Yes (10 chars)</p>
<p>but one more little piece of advice is that many scholarships require community service over paid work so perhaps it would be more valuable (money and admissions) to do c.s.</p>
<p>That's not necessarily true. Colleges/scholarships seek community involvement, but they evaluate each applicant on an individual basis...They may even value it more. dylan sav, you're doing fine. You're learning more than alot of ppl on this site will by the time they graduate college. Keep up the good work.</p>
<p>I really don't think it matters. Both are good.</p>
<p>And in all cases, long-term work would beat out minimal "for show" community service hours. Starting community service late in your high school career would look more like window dressing than meaningful service. Your commitment to your job, and the help it provides your family, is important and will be seen positively by college admissions staff.</p>