Do Colleges Look at Volunteer Hours? Less Is More – Depth over Breadth in Volunteering.

Do colleges look at volunteer hours? One of the most common questions we get from parents and students is, “How many volunteer hours should I have?” Some say 20 hours is good; others swear you need 200. So which is it?

The short answer: it’s closer to 20.

The long answer: you’re not even asking the right question. Read on to see what we mean.

Do Colleges Look at Volunteer Hours? It’s Service, Not Service “Hours”

Less Is More

One of the most misunderstood admissions criteria is volunteering. Some call it “service hours,” but it really just comes down to service—authentic service. Helping others for the sake of helping.

The “less is more” principle can be interpreted in two ways to improve one’s volunteer work towards college admissions.

High Impact Work Is How Colleges Care About Volunteer Hours

How do colleges look at volunteer hours? The first one is that it’s better to do fewer hours of high-impact work than more hours of low-impact work. What makes service meaningful is the impact of your work, not the number of hours you worked. After all, when applying for college, students must write essays explaining why they served rather than how many hours they served. Similarly, it’s not about the title of a volunteer experience; one could have had more impact as a general volunteer working directly with people on the front lines, while being named the officer of a club doesn’t mean the student actually made a meaningful contribution.

Photo by Austin Kehmeier on Unsplash

Remember, impact occurs in two ways: impact on others and impact on self. Impact on others can be measured by answering the following question: “How much will my contribution last beyond the day of my contribution?” For example, serving food to the homeless is certainly an act of service; however, its impact will likely not last beyond the day of service, making it relatively low-impact.

Impact on self can be measured by answering the following question: “How much will/has this experience changed the way I live and perceive the world?” Impactful service experiences are often incredibly transformative for both those who serve and those who are being served.

Have Fewer Engagements

In order to have the time to do high-impact work, you should lower the number of volunteer service engagements you’re involved in. Making a positive, lasting impact on another’s life requires extensive time and attention, so don’t waste your time on frenzied activities that won’t add up to much.

How do colleges look at volunteer work? Too often, students serve in a different organization each year. That’s okay if the organization didn’t provide impactful work, but if it did, you should absolutely continue that work. On the other hand, stop serving if the work is not impactful. If the work you’re engaging in is generic and low-impact, it’s time to move on to a better service experience.

Did you know that boosting your college application starts by choosing the most strategic service opportunities? Here's how. — Photo by fran innocenti on Unsplash

Continuity within a service organization past the first year often leads to potential leadership roles. Inquire about leadership opportunities before committing to a service opportunity so that you can compare and contrast different opportunities.

Serving in the Summer

Too many parents emphasize summer educational programs without emphasizing the need to serve, when in fact, summer is one of the best times to serve. Serving allows you to gain exposure to different communities and facets of the world, making it critical learning for college admissions.

Boost Your College Profile

We hope that this provides some valuable insight into how to release some of the stress you may have while making your college application profile even stronger.

At ReadyEdgeGo, we specialize in admission consulting services that will help you get into the best colleges in California and other good universities with high acceptance rates. Whether you’re applying to private colleges in California or aiming for Ivy League schools, schedule a free consultation for help with boosting your college profile and navigating the college admissions process. Our mentors would love to offer customized, one-on-one support to help you reach—and even exceed—your dreams.

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Sarah Gooch

Essay Editor

Q:How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: I have five years' experience in coaching student writing, but this is my first year with ReadyEdgeGo.

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: I love helping students find depth and meaning in their own stories—but I also just love it when they make me laugh!

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: In theory, I enjoy painting and writing poetry, but these days I actually spend most of my free time socializing or watching movies with my husband.

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Don't just focus on achieving top grades and credentials because they look good on applications, or your education will be meaningless. The numbers and awards have their place, but stay connected to your sense of curiosity, discovery, excitement, and wonder so that the content you're learning is constantly transforming you—it's something you care about, something you remember after the final exam. Work on the aspects of yourself no one can measure, like integrity, wisdom, kindness, and compassion, so that you're not only developing your academic and career potential but also investing in the type of adult you're going to be, the person you'll have to live with after you clock out every day for the rest of your life.

Doing the hard inner work of building your character and learning deeply instead of just earning grades will set you up for a satisfying, well-rounded life. Strange as it sounds, it will also put you ahead in your academic and career goals, because colleges and hiring managers aren't looking for an empty set of data on a spreadsheet; they want a fully fleshed-out person marked by passion, creativity, and a story no one else has lived.

So go on studying hard for tests, but also spend some time asking yourself what matters in life and who your role models are. Read up on topics that amaze you, and build something incredible just for fun. Cultivate that spark of joy you feel when you're immersed in a subject that fascinates you. If you can hit that balancing act of doing your homework and meeting deadlines but also investing in the kind of person you want to be, then trust that all the rest will follow: schools will recognize you as a dynamic, all-star person, and you will also build a life of happiness, close relationships, and peace.

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