Do Service Trips/Being "Privileged" hurt you?

<p>After reading an article by an UC Berkeley admissions officer, I’m starting to second guess, well…everything! I’ve been on several service trips because I genuinely enjoy them; however, the article makes several dismissive remarks about “privileged” applicants. </p>

<p>For example, here are some found in the article:</p>

<p>“(He had taken one of the expensive volunteer trips to Africa that we were told should not impress us.)”</p>

<p>“IN personal statements, we had been told to read for the “authentic” voice over students whose writing bragged of volunteer trips to exotic places or anything that “smacks of privilege.”</p>

<hr>

<p>I don’t even know if this is a ridiculous question and the stress has just gotten to me or not, but is it a disadvantage to be “privileged.” Should I refrain from listing my family’s income and other service trips? (I honestly did the service trips for the experiences, not college apps. so I don’t mind leaving them out if it wouldn’t be noteworthy). </p>

<p>I wrote my college essay on a particular event from one of my trips, and it doesn’t come off pretenious, but I’m afraid it “smacks of privilege” just because I went on it, and am now afraid it will come off as insincere (even though it isn’t), so should I not go with this essay anymore? </p>

<p>Thanks in advance for the opinions! </p>

<p>(If anyone is curious, the article was originally brought to CC in the “college essays” section and can be found here for those interested: <a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/education/edlife/lifting-the-veil-on-the-holistic-process-at-the-university-of-california-berkeley.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/education/edlife/lifting-the-veil-on-the-holistic-process-at-the-university-of-california-berkeley.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp&lt;/a&gt;)</p>

<p>The article is roundly dismissed in this thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1535416-holistic-admissions-berkeley.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1535416-holistic-admissions-berkeley.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>How much privilege? The 8-11k trips or something more about elbow grease? It is not a disadvantage to be privileged. It is a mistake to come across as shallow, pretentious- and lacking the judgment skills, maturity and self-editing to avoid that impression. The author missed the point.</p>

<p>@lookingforward, well one trip was ~$2,000 and the other was ~$800, but I don’t see how colleges would be able to decipher that. Would you suggest to not write about (a specific event from) one of them in my college essay?</p>

<p>Did you go to Africa? Doubt it, on those budgets. In general, service is good. Travel with an hour or two of work, not so. You can write about service- just not in clich</p>

<p>I wouldn’t put too much stock in what one inexperienced ‘one season’ reader says, for colleges from one college from one state system.</p>

<p>Don’t leave activities you did off. It is worse to have no activities then to have ‘paid for’ activities. I don’t think being able to afford service trips will count against you. It is just that it doesn’t count against kids who are not able to afford such trips. And there are other ways to show your involvement in the world.</p>

<p>I think it is fine to write about it in your essay. The main point of the essay is for them to learn more about you and what matters to you and your qualities, such as leadership, ability to connect with others, curiosity. So if you are able to demonstrate this in an essay, along with good writing and a certain maturity, that’s fine. You don’t want to look like some trip was handed to you and doesn’t integrate with your values and how else you interact with the world.</p>

<p>I wouldn’t overthink things too much. If the experiences were something you truly enjoyed and can write about in a way that speaks to who you are and what you got out of them, without coming off as cliched, you’ll be fine. Just don’t be one of the I-realized-these-people-are-just-like-me-and-we-have-the-same-hopes-and-dreams kind of applicant. My D just went through the process, had been on 3 service (of the elbow grease variety) trips, and had excellent results and will be attending her top choice school. IMO what speaks more to privilege, and what is probably given very little weight, are those NYLC and NSLC programs.</p>

<p>It’s a non-unique essay topic/achievement. </p>

<p>It doesn’t speak to your talent, ability or skill - just your income.</p>

<p>My .02</p>

<p>A friend wrote about her service trips (to Costa Rica none the less!) and is now at Berkeley majoring in EECS. Besides, at the vast majority of institutions, wealth is a good thing. It means you’re more likely both to get admitted and pay for the school. There’s a reason why “need blind” colleges consistently have an absurdly high percentage of 1%ers. Even if they don’t look at financial need, they still look at other “clues” regarding an applicant’s ability to pay, even if it’s unintentional.</p>

<p>@Helios- I respectfully disagree. While it may not be that “unique” a topic for the CA personal statement, oftentimes you will find that this kind of experience can be very effectively written about in many different types of supplement questions and is probably better placed there. My D went on 3 such trips and was able to use her experiences in a variety of questions at a variety of schools, all of which she was admitted to. Yes, we were fortunate to be able to pay for these trips, but the experience was hers and she was able to translate those experiences in a way that was passionate and engaging. I’m convinced that she was admitted to her top choice partly on the strength of one of these types of essays.</p>

<p>It’s not that volunteering overseas is bad- however, writing about how your eyes were opened to poverty that exists is a very cliche topic. You could help people in the inner cities in this country and have a similar experience, at a fraction of the cost. Not every HS student has the financial resources to volunteer in a far away land.</p>

<p>Here’s a link to to John’s Hopkins “essays that work.” The one written by “John” is about a volunteer trip to India. The admissions staff explains why they like it.</p>

<p><a href=“http://apply.jhu.edu/apply/essays/#essay2[/url]”>http://apply.jhu.edu/apply/essays/#essay2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>@Helios - I got in to Georgetown with an essay devoted to the traveling I’ve done abroad. I guess they liked it.</p>