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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We are new to the college admissions process (Didn't go to school here, first kid applying soon).  We heard that some schools ask you to talk about community service in the application.  Do these schools expect their students to continue such service once in college?  If not, what's the point of even asking about it?  [/quote]

OP, my spouse is from another country and didn't understand why it was "a thing" with hours required. They had national service requirements for youth, so volunteering wasn't optional anyway.

1. No, colleges do not expect you to continue the same community service.
2. Community service is just one type of activity to show who your child is when they're not in school. Learn about the Activities section of the Common App. Look at this page from the Common App site [url]https://www.commonapp.org/counselors-and-recommenders/common-app-ready[/url] or Google "common app activities examples" Use it to show who you are when you're not in the classroom.  Google 
3. Community can be defined many ways. Family, friends, clubs, faith groups, an elderly neighbor in need, etc. 
4. Service means what you do and how you interact in meaningful ways with other people

Chances are your child engages with their community--however defined--in lots of ways that don't fit neatly into a number of volunteer hours. Include activities that are personally meaningful, challenging, fun, or unique.

When selecting schools, look at community engagement on the website. Your child might find something interesting they'd like to try at that school. That could be part of a "why I want to attend XYZ school" essay.

Catholic/Jesuit schools put a lot of emphasis on community service in keeping with educational traditions of being a "person for others" and serving "the whole person." But they won't expect your child to have started their own nonprofit before age 18.

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