Community Service

ilcapo235 · November 9, 2004, 6:23pm

I don't get it...it seems that people at my high school, as well as everywhere else, use their "resume" as a chance to discuss every single piece of community service they have ever participated in. I have seen kids list anything from "Volunteered at NY Marathon" to "Gave blood two times through Honor Society". I don't get it, I totally cut out the community service section of the "Brag Sheet" format that most people use, because I thought it was redundant - but now I'm really nervous that it might look like I do everything BUT community service. Most of my ec's are not organized through the high school, and tend to be based in campaigns or politics. To me, these things are just as important as going to a homeless shelter - because volunteering for NARAL is benefitting just as many people! I don't know, I've just got really really nervous about this. I listed ZERO community service extracurriculars, and I am not even sure how to list it for my regular decision apps. Is it really appropriate to list certain activities you participated in such as "Homeless Shelter Volunteer, 4 times a year"?

Help!

achat · November 9, 2004, 9:57pm

I thought your working at the congressman's office was community service. The adcoms are sophisticated enough to see that. I don't know why you are nervous.

ilcapo235 · November 10, 2004, 1:01am

haha well yea im not sure why im so nervous either -

what a frantic post....i must have been in a college frenzy when i hashed out that statement/question

voronwe · November 10, 2004, 5:50am

"volunteering for NARAL is benefitting just as many people..." as working for the homeless.

Ouch. Depends which people you are talking about!

I wouldn't worry about ECs - adcoms are well aware that nowadays just about everyone has several hundred hours due to schools that require it etc. And they know a lot is just padding. My kids left off most of their hours and concentrated on other things. It didn't hurt them at all.

ilcapo235 · November 10, 2004, 1:47pm

voronwe - fetuses arent people....just kidding - we wont get in to that debate ;)

backhandgrip · November 10, 2004, 3:20pm

Hi Ilcapo and Achat, I'm not usually on, too busy, but am here right now (I had an Arafat comment to make in the cafe ) and it appears to me Icapo you are a perfectionist and overachiever.I think anyone will see that when they look at your application.So I wouldn't worry about it too much. What I would worry about Icapo is the interview.Are you applying to a college where that is necessary? I think you may want to think about how you may come across, maybe look at some interview threads.And the bit about all the pre-college college classes. I think you may have to come in somewhere as a transfer student. Or they may accept you and then say you are a sophmore, not a freshman.Just think that from all the college classes you have taken.About the community service, some folks may use it as a sounding board for their particular cause.My latest child n applying simply listed 130 hrs. junior year community service (Pres. Bronze Award), and so far has been admitted everywhere he applied.Good luck to you and I always enjoy your postings!

voronwe · November 10, 2004, 10:05pm

Sorry, ilcapo! From my Gandhian perspective, I am opposed to violence toward ANY living things, so I shouldn't have used the word "people" anyway! No, we won't discuss it here - I just wanted to say that it was not a legal question about the legal definition of "person" or "people" (that one is just question begging anyway) NOR a religious argument about "souls" or something - I am just a lifelong Democrat with a number of Human Rights awards under my belt and a long, LONG family history of civil rights work --- who voted against Bush -- and yet people are always surprised that someone can be really, really sad about abortion and NOT be a fundamentalist! What makes me sad is not that abortion is legal - it's just as well - but that some people are so ideological about it that they cannot even conceive that there could be nonreligious arguments....
I find it easier to defend my anti-violence when it comes to baby seals...
OK. Never again, unless it is in the cafe. If I am not banned first....

ilcapo235 · November 10, 2004, 10:36pm

backhandgrip -

hey i just found your response, it got lost somewhere.

anyways, i LOVE interviews! oh god, i just love them. i think i've done about....14 so far hahah. i find that it is a great opportunity to discuss the true passions, and then the other activities i felt compelled to list but aren't nearly as important. for example, the interviewer gets to see how much i love my NYC 2012 and Congressional Internships, and perhaps walk away realizing that I spend a ton of time there. for my other activities, such as "interact club" a comm. service club, i just wrote 1 hour a week, even though it might be more at times - simply because i wanted each activity to appear relative. i also have the opportunity to discuss my academic interests (art + politics + sociology)

so yea, its kind of sad that you think interviews might be a weakpoint :( but thats ok, i'll prove ya wrong!

Re: Transfer status. I included in that "extra info" section that these courses are only for enrichment, and perhaps placement, but NOT for credit - if that is possible. I know Wesleyan told me I would be accepted as a freshman and then bumped up to a sophomore, but the others responded saying they would adhere to my request. Hopefully that comes through!