Volunteering work is a wonderful thing to do regardless of your age. Admissions counselors and officials will no doubt be impressed to see that you are involved in volunteer work. However, it is important to realize that volunteer work is something that you should do only if you truly want to do it. More than likely, there is an issue that you feel strongly about whether its homelessness, pet adoption or the environment. If you volunteer to help out with a cause that you feel passionately about, the end result will not just be a booster for your college applications, but you will also feel great at the same time.
Volunteering Will Help You Stand Out
College admissions are very competitive because so many students are applying. The simple fact is that colleges and universities receive thousands and thousands of applications every year. As you most likely already know, the competition can become very intense.
Colleges and universities eliminate many applicants almost immediately for a variety of criteria, ranging from grades and test scores to more controversial measurements. Some universities and colleges “set aside” a number of slots of children of alum, athletes and other such practices both stated and unstated. Yes, the admissions process is highly flawed and problematic. Knowing this detail is important, but you shouldn’t fixate upon it, as this will not contribute to achieving your goals. Instead you need to take the steps necessary to help your application stand out from the crowd. One way that you can stand out is through volunteering work.
How Do You Start Volunteering?
First, don’t worry about volunteering being complicated or hard to do. Most organizations are more than eager to have new people get involved. The vast majority of organizations that you can volunteer with will have worthwhile and even interesting work. A quick phone call or email is a good place to begin. Try to find a local organization that is giving back to your own community. One reason that this is a good idea is that you will be able to see tangible results from your efforts and work.
Learn on the Job!
If you select the right kind of organization, you will even be able to learn on the job. This most definitely will help you with your college interviews and applications. Being able to point to real world experience gives you an edge over many young people also applying to college and that is, of course, something that you want. This aspect of volunteer work is one that is frequently overlooked, but you can put it to your advantage!
Reflect Your Positive Attitude In Your Interviews and Applications
If you volunteer, you’ve helped people and probably learned something in the process. Don’t be afraid to reflect this fact in your college interviews and applications. If you were indeed excited about your volunteer work and can point to the tangible impact that your work had, don’t be shy about pointing out these accomplishments. Let college admission officials know that you are looking to help your community.
One key point that must be made about extracurricular activities is that the sooner you begin doing them the better off you will be. If admissions counselors feel that you got involved at “the last second,” your activities will be seen much differently than they would have been if you’ve been involved for years. In this article, we will look at why extracurricular activities can be very worthwhile when it comes to getting into college.
