Basically the title (I’m a HS senior). My grandmother has dementia so I basically spent 2 years out of the 3 (completed so far) helping take care of her {+ I had a school switch due to that reason as well}, and that basically crippled a lot of my clubs and extracurriculars. I’m asking in terms of — if I assisted with taking care of her + managing her meds/food/etc + basically serving as her primary caretaker, does that count as ‘volunteering’ and/or can I add it to my total # of hours? NHS and the Coke scholarship, for example, count it, but some others don’t count it. What’s the consensus on this?
[EDIT: Not sure if I posted this in the right forum, sorry. I’m kinda new here if I didn’t then please let me know and I’ll take this down!]
I agree with others that this is a legitimate EC, and a worthwhile thing that you are doing.
I am hoping that when you are in university some other family members will be able to take over your responsibilities for caring for your grandmother. University can require a major commitment of time and effort.
Thank you so much! I was contemplating not listing it for my ECs because I have around 9 more (that are more ‘quantifiable), and also because I am not sure if it will be looked favourably upon if I put that as an extracurricular. Would you recommend listing it as one (if you’re okay with answering this)?
Thanks you so much.. I really appreciate hearing this it’s been kinda stressful but I know that my family appreciates it so that’s what makes it worthwhile. Thank you again!
Thank you so much for your response!! Yes, my grandmother is moving to stay with my cousins soon (they live on a different continent). The plan has always been to apply primarily OOS, but also in-state for the lessened tuition.
You can only list so many. If that’s of importance to you than use it. You have to decide.
Your bigger issue of you can list ten and you are saying all are quantifiable to a point that they don’t become believable - especially if you spent so much time helping at home.
There’s only so many hours in a day.
Just make sure your list is truthful and not over embellished and if you’re the student from yesterday, don’t use it as an excuse for grade drop - especially when you had so much else on your plate.
In the end, rank and use what’s most important to you, not others.
With ECs, there’s unlikely a this is better than that. Either you’ve checked that box or you haven’t, more likely. And I’m sure you will.
This is very good. You do not want to either leave her unsupported nor mess up your time in university. I am not a grandfather yet but am old enough to be, and would not want to mess up the education of a child or grandchild due to the need for someone to care for me.
Students often under-appreciate the quality of their in-state public universities, and over-estimate the importance of small differences in rankings (which can change over time, or from one magazine to the next). You might want to start a different chance-me thread if you want suggestions for schools to apply to. There are of course a huge number of very good universities in the US, and more elsewhere.
Yes, you list it for sure. If this is your primary activity apart from school, list it first. Do not underestimate how important your contribution is to your family and society.
You can also write about this (briefly and matter of factly) in the additional info section. And you can also give a note to your guidance counselor to include with your transcript or the GC’s notes about you. If this caregiving impacts other EC’s or academics, it is important for colleges to know. Aside from the fact that it is a wonderful EC and your family is lucky to have you. (I took care of my mother with dementia and know what it takes!)
Really helpful, thank you. After looking at yours (and everyone else’s) replies on here, I’m planning to list it. And yes, a lot of these ECs that I list are very 9th - mid-10th or 11th - present, etc. I think I only have 2 of them that are continuing, and that’s for a religious program and a semi-niche sport.
Not the student from yesterday, but I’ll make sure I explain my circumstances well while also highlighting why this felt important to me (because it’s taking care of someone I love). Regardless, thank you so much for your advice!
Thank you so much for your reply and your support, especially as you also went through something like this I’ve already filled out both the challenges & circumstances and the additional info sections (with the former focusing on how I took care of her for a majority of my ‘major’ year, and the latter focusing on how this impacted my ECs due to the school switches + losing transport methods at some points). After reading this thread, I’m also planning to include it as an EC. Would you recommend also asking my guidance counselor to include it somehow? I feel like I’m already ‘harping’ on it, although it’s important — but I don’t want this to be a situation where I’m overexplaining to the point of any suspicion or exhaustion.
It sounds like you have it covered. If caregiving impacted your course selections, that might be something for the GC to cover but otherwise I think you are fine.
ps my mother always wanted gin… and I always said “tomorrow”… for 7 years!
Even though im in middle school all respects to you, you left so much behind, and you took care of your family which I consider humble and will definitely show character to colleges. Once again thank you for serving those in need from your family, and best of luck you deserve to get into every college you want.
if I didn’t then please let me know and I’ll take this down!]
it’s been kinda stressful but I know that my family appreciates it so that’s what makes it worthwhile. Thank you again!
I’ve already filled out both the challenges & circumstances and the additional info sections (with the former focusing on how I took care of her for a majority of my ‘major’ year, and the latter focusing on how this impacted my ECs due to the school switches + losing transport methods at some points). After reading this thread, I’m also planning to include it as an EC. Would you recommend also asking my guidance counselor to include it somehow? I feel like I’m already ‘harping’ on it, although it’s important — but I don’t want this to be a situation where I’m overexplaining to the point of any suspicion or exhaustion.