Community Service Work Increasingly Important for College

A recent article by Miriam Salpeter in US News and World Report recently stated that 7 out of 10 adults think that having a college degree is ESSENTIAL for getting a good job in this country. That's 69%! She quotes a study by the Gallup and Lumina Foundation for Education, an organization that tracks unemployment and underemployment in the United States, that finds that college educated Americans do better in the workforce than those without a college degree.

“It’s no wonder”, writes Salpeter, “Americans put so much emphasis on getting into the right college or university. For some families, this journey begins when their children are ready for preschool. Parents recognize building a solid foundation in the early years helps endure they succeed as adults.

ABC College Planning says “Ditto” to that!

There was a time in the United States where you could start thinking about getting a higher education at the same time you were being fitted for your high school graduation garb and still make it through the process quite successfully. Not any longer. Times have changed. Parents who have their act together on this matter take their role as parents seriously. They know that the line for a quality college education starts forming when their children are still in elementary school.

So how do students get accepted into the best college? According to Salpeter, the list looks like this:

• SAT scores
• AP classes
• Good grades
• Extracurricular activities such as sports, clubs, volunteering

Please note that the last one on the list has to do with community service and giving back. How much do activities outside of academics really affect the college admissions process these days. Apparently quite a bit. College admissions officers care about this a lot, it seems.

Salpeter points out that DoSomething.org, one of the largest U.S. organizations helping teens take action on causes they care about, just released a study tying volunteering to college admissions. Specifically, this year, the survey reports admission officers place a high value on a student’s long-term commitment to a cause or organization.

According to Salpeter, a recent survey shows 72% of admissions officers prefer that students be consistently involved with one issue over a variety of causes. Last year it was only 50%! Her article quotes James Elbaor, head of special projects at DoSomething.org as saying that “admissions officers want well-rounded applicants who take their studies seriously, are engaged in a cause or two they are passionate about, and are involved in extracurricular activities like the school newspaper.” Elbaor stresses balance, too. “They don’t want someone exclusively focused on community service just like they don’t want someone solely focused on the school newspaper.”

So we at ABC College Planning see the trend developing this way: While it is true that community service is of increasing importance to college admissions people, it’s not as important as grade point averages and SAT scores. But the prudent student will get busy as soon as possible building resume points that will show that he or she is concerned and active in whatever volunteer organizations and efforts he or she is passionate about. It’s not only a good thing to do, it’s a good thing to do for his or her future.