College Exploration

1. College Exploration Application Boosters: Community Service and Extracurricular Activities

2. Community Service • Giving back to your community is very important for a potential college applicant. You want to be able to fill out your resume and show strength, determination, and a sense of community and charity. • Most colleges want to see the following in their applicants: • Dedication and Commitment • Consistency with a Couple of Organizations • Leadership You don’t have to be a saint, but you should give as many hours as possible.

3. Community Service So what if you don’t have any community service hours? It’s NEVER too late! Let us look at some of the organizations that are ALWAYS looking for volunteers and find out what they do . . .

4. Community Service • Habitat for Humanity: Helps build house for needy families and individuals • Visit www.habitat.org, find your area, and sign up as an individual • The Humane Society: Takes care of abused or abandoned animals • Visit www.humanesociety.org, and fill out a volunteer form

5. Community Service • SEARCH Mission for the Homeless: (This may or may not be active in your area) • You can volunteer either on-site or by making sandwiches at home • Visit www.searchhomeless.org to find out more • Any church, synagogue, or mosque!!! Check out the one you attend. • Even your work may offer volunteer events . . . So, GO!!

6. Extracurricular Activities Active involvement both inside and outside of school is very important to college admissions officers. They are always on the lookout for students who are consistently active and who DO things with their education and for their university. So let us look at some FAQs about extracurricular activities . . .

7. Extracurricular Activities: FAQs • What counts as an extracurricular activity? An extracurricular activity usually has something to do with your particular school. It might be sports-related or musical, etc., but it shows participation in your school. However, service experience or church activities may also count as extracurricular activities, because they demonstrate your personal interests.

8. Extracurricular Activities: FAQs • Why do colleges care about what I do outside of school? Colleges look at you as an individual applicant. They want to be able to predict your campus contribution at their school, and your activities let them judge your personality and character. Also, someone who balances schoolwork and other responsibilities can usually perform well under the pressures of college and make a meaningful impact on the campus.

9. Extracurricular Activities: FAQs • What if I work instead of participating in activities at school? Well, work is judged slightly differently. Colleges want to know if you worked because you wanted money or because your family needed help. If you don’t have financial problems in your family, most schools want to see volunteer service more than paid work experience. On your application, you have the opportunity to explain whether you had to tend to family financial obligations, and if you did, that is taken into consideration.

10. Extracurricular Activities: FAQs • If I can add extracurricular activities to my schedule, which ones should I do? It doesn’t really matter what you choose. It matters that you show dedication. Don’t load up on tons of activities; Just commit yourself. Colleges want to see perseverance and dedication, so they don’t want someone who can’t show genuine interest. Also, if you can possibly obtain a leadership position, like President or Secretary, do so. Colleges want good leaders on their campuses.