Community service experience plays an important role in your college admissions process. In fact, one Forbes survey revealed that 53% of the admissions officers consider community service a possible tiebreaker between two candidates with similar academic backgrounds. However, Morzep college coaches would never recommend community services based exclusively on how well they will look on your college application. We want to find community service opportunities that develop empathy and altruism, build character, and resonate with your passions and who you are.
Why do colleges favor college applicants who don’t shy away from community service, especially if they apply for financial aid? Because it helps them identify students who share their school’s values and are more likely to contribute to the university’s mission. Moreover, it speaks to the student’s character, empathy, and civic awareness, and is a good indication of their willingness to be active on campus outside of classes. While standardized tests and grades reveal the academic background of a student, community service completes the picture of who the student is as an individual.
Morzep college coaches advise their students to choose community service projects based on their interests and passions. This way, they can build real skills and emotional awareness, and can actually deepen their understanding of society. We recommend not limiting your experience to individual projects. Working in groups has its share of advantages and really captures the spirit of community. Here are some community service ideas to help you find a cause you want to support:
Work with students
Whether you want to start a mentorship group or provide tutoring, working with students is a great community service idea for college applicants who love educating and helping children. You can tutor students in subjects you master or start a peer tutoring program at your school. Talk to your teachers and see if they are willing to help with creating a local mentoring program. If you’re passionate about sport, you can consider coaching a youth sports team. Students who love reading can get involved in local projects that include reading to children. If you have great communication skills, you can mentor a child through school or even volunteer at an after-school or daycare where you can teach about your favorite subjects. You can also provide supplies to kids through the local donation centers. Working with students is an excellent way to make a positive impact on the next generation while enriching your college application.
Volunteer at an animal shelter
CNN researched where volunteers are needed most and animal shelters are always in need of kind volunteers willing to help out and care for the rescues. If you love animals, this community service project will be more than just something to impress colleges. It will be a passion project. You can help out with different tasks like cleaning cages, feeding the animals, or walking the dogs. If you rely on good leadership skills, take things to the next level and organize adoptions and events or even assist with budgets. Needless to say that if you want to become a veterinarian or you are planning to work with animals in the future, this is an excellent start for your career.
Help economically disadvantaged people
If you want to make a difference for the homeless people or the people who need economic support, you can make donations to a local food bank and assist people in getting access to meals. Volunteering at a homeless shelter is an activity you can develop over several years that will also help you become part of a team and connect with the people you are helping. You also can volunteer at a local soup kitchen or organize a food drive or even a clothing drive. Many students choose to get involved in this type of community service, so if you want to stand out you can invest a bit more effort and host food pantry donation parties, collaborate with Habitat for Humanity to help build homes or babysit for free for families who can’t afford childcare.
Improve your neighborhood
Students who want to enhance their local community, have plenty of community service opportunities to choose from. They can work together with a group to clean up the roads, plant trees and flowers, or paint walls that fell victim to graffiti. You can even start your own community garden. A community garden benefits the entire neighborhood and encourages residents to work together and get to know each other. Head to the local park to make sure it is clean and an oasis of relaxation for your community or work together with a non-profit organization to purchase equipment for the playground. Of course, you don’t have to be the one who initiates the programs. There are numerous charities that already have community projects in place, so you will find it easy to join them and work together for a common cause.
Help senior citizens
Choose a senior center where you can volunteer to make the residents’ lives easier and a bit more fun. You can host game nights and even bring your friends to play board games with the seniors. This is a great way to connect with the members, spend quality time with them, and bring them joy. You also have the possibility to contact elderly people who have no families and need help with various projects. Many of them have hobbies or passions they have discovered later in life and would appreciate your help checking things off their bucket list. You can go to the local community center or even ask a neighbor if they know of persons in need of assistance.
We believe that a community service project in a field in which the student is invested will have a greater impact on both the college application and the student’s development. It is a lot easier for a student to give their best when they are supporting a cause they believe in rather than having to do it just because it is mandatory for their college application. While there isn’t a standard number of hours students should invest in their community service activity, we recommend trying to complete at least 50 to 200 hours. However, universities usually don’t insist on the number of hours you have given to the community but rather on the quality of your work.
