<p>My school doesn’t require volunteer hours for graduation, so I’ve never really kept track of them. I have certificates from a few places I’ve volunteered, so I could get a rough idea from those, but that wouldn’t be all the hours I’ve actually done.
Is knowing the number of hours you volunteered important for college admissions (do they ask that on the applications or something)?</p>
<p>Hi halcyonheather. The Common App will ask you to fill out a chart detailing any extra-curricular activities, including volunteer activities. You will need to specify the grades in which you participated in each activity. You will also have to estimate number of hours per week and weeks per year for each activity listed. </p>
<p>You don’t need certificates. Your best estimates are enough. Amassing this info can be a time-consuming job, though, so it’s great to get a start on it as soon as possible.</p>
<p>Good luck with your applications!</p>
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<p>Absolutely, categorically not.</p>
<p>When you complete the Common App, you will be asked to list several important extracurricular activities, and to estimate the amount of time you spend on them per week, and the number of weeks per year. (See p. 4 here: <a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/DownloadForms/2013/2013AppFY_download.pdf[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/DownloadForms/2013/2013AppFY_download.pdf</a>.) It’s OK if volunteering is one of your extracurricular activities. It’s also perfectly OK if it isn’t. If you’re applying to selective colleges and universities, you’ll want to list several things–track team, madrigals, debate, working in your family’s restaurant, whatever–but the notion that one of those things has to be volunteering is nothing more than a common misconception.</p>
<p>While it’s not for college it IS asked for on quite a few scholarships. If I were you I’d try to rack up your certificates and any other awards you have “just in case”</p>