I’m still not really sure why I need a specific type of “service” to get into colleges. I looked over the admissions pages of a couple of the schools and none of them ask for a specific type of service -
MIT: “Some students feel so much pressure to get into the “right” college that they want to make sure they do everything “right” - even do the “right” extracurricular activities. Fortunately, the only right answer is to do what’s right for you - not what you think is right for us.”
Stanford: “We want to see your commitment, dedication and genuine interest in expanding your intellectual horizons; both in what you write about yourself and in what others write on your behalf. We want to see the kind of curiosity and enthusiasm that will allow you to spark a lively discussion in a freshman seminar and continue the conversation at a dinner table. We want to see the energy and depth of commitment you will bring to your endeavors, whether that means in a research lab, as part of a community organization, during a performance or on an athletic field. We want to see the initiative with which you seek out opportunities that expand your perspective and that will allow you to participate in creating new knowledge.”
Harvard: “Do you care deeply about anything—intellectual? Extracurricular? Personal? What have you learned from your interests? What have you done with your interests? How have you achieved results? With what success or failure? What have you learned as a result? In terms of extracurricular, athletic, community, or family commitments, have you taken full advantage of opportunities? What is the quality of your activities? Do you appear to have a genuine commitment or leadership role?”
Just to name a few. The difference between college applications and a job interview or design spec is that colleges don’t seem to have specific items in mind. Service is good, but if I were to suddenly join a random service org and work on it over the summer, adcoms would see right through it. I’d prefer to do what I’m genuinely interested in and frame my applications around that.
I do agree with you that a one-off big award isn’t a golden ticket to college, as evidenced by the numerous IMO medalists who get denied from top schools. I don’t have anything like that and I probably won’t get one. In terms of a “spike”, I’m aiming for a consistent track record of dedication to the areas that I’m passionate about.