<p>Newmassdad, thank you for making the point that college admissions committees, fellowship/scholarship review committees and grad school admissions committees can tell the difference between the real “do-gooders” and the purchasers of packaged summer trips. </p>
<p>Not only can they tell the difference through the written words in the essay or application, but also from the rest of the “package” and how people describe the applicant. It’s easy to faka a two-weeks trip; it’s hard to fake one’s multi-year history. </p>
<p>PS Reading some of the Bolivian adventure remains as poignant today as it was when I read the first time!</p>