How important is community service?

[mikemac]

But anyone aiming for a competitive holistic should be a rounded individual

That’s one point of view.

Another is expressed by people such as college counselors.

Logan, now the director of college counseling at Phillips Academy in Andover, has worked in admissions at Williams and Occidental colleges, as well as Harvard and Stanford universities. “This issue of angular versus well-rounded kids, it’s really a conversation that has grown up around the most selective schools,” Logan said. Beyond the most selective colleges, well-rounded students are still being told that they are welcome, but they are warned not to get involved in too many activities.

Or by college admission directors in interviews.

Harvard’s director of admissions, Marlyn McGrath Lewis, admits as much. “In order to make a final decision to admit,” she says, “we have to identify for ourselves some unusual characteristic that will set the candidate apart in our pool – either a very unusual academic accomplishment, a contribution to the humanities or writing, a great performer or composer, or someone who can help one of our 41 intercollegiate teams. Once we’re as sure as we can be of the academics – which highly developed, one might say overdeveloped, talents set the person apart as someone we’d want to bring here?”

Or by elite colleges in their FAQ. Stanford says

Students often assume our primary concern is the number of activities in which one participates. In fact, an exceptional depth of experience in one or two activities may demonstrate your passion more than minimal participation in five or six clubs. We want to see the impact you have had on that club, in your school, or in the larger community, and we want to learn of the impact that experience has had on you.

Back to the topic at hand, there’s nothing wrong, per se, with volunteer work, and I don’t think anybody has said there is. Helping out the community is a good thing. But we’re talking about college admissions here, and how to be an attractive candidate given a limited amount of time for ECs. The kind of coaching that kids with private counselors or attending prep schools get.

There is no requirement, implicit or explicit, for volunteer work to be part of what helps a kid stand out. If someone has a passion for volunteer work and really jumps in as an organizer and leader, that can be a great EC. What isn’t going to help an app is putting in 100 hours (or was it 200?) doing volunteer work just because you think adcoms expect to see it.