Reply to PSA: Don't write your essay about building huts in Africa!

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Yeah, our private school college counselor told us decades ago in the nineties that we were not allowed to write "When I stepped off the plane in Third World Country X" essays. Or community service essays. There was a third essay on the list we weren't allowed to write either but I can't remember what it was.[/quote]

One can write an essay about tying a shoelace if it is done well. And a successful college application essay can be about tying one's shoelace in a third world country or in a closet if it is done well.

Understand that high school college counselors are not the brightest bulbs in the lamp--even with respect to their own profession. Your college counselor offered "backyard fence" type gossip parading as experienced, knowledgeable insight.[/quote]

Yup!

My kid wrote about their community service in various supplementals.  But it was genuine, meaningful community service.  Two years of being a camp counselor at camp for disabled kids for week.  It genuinely did change my kid's perspective on life---they loved it. Continued to do it summers during college and is disappointed that once out of college didn't have enough vacation days to continue being a counselor.    It was hard rewarding work.  But really challenging for a kid who had never babysat or changed a diaper on a baby/toddler ever.  Then in first 1 hour at camp were changing blowout diapers on a 10 year old and learning to laugh with the camper about it.  My kid was a magnet for some of the most "difficult " behavior wise campers and had one who always wanted them and often peed on my kid multiple times per day.  My kid had many stories about their growth and perspective on life from these weeks and it made for great essays.  
Couple that with their sport of karate black belt and it's genuine strengths.  [/quote]

these are normal things for any carer of people with extreme disabilities - its not medal worthy or rare[/quote]

Did not say it was "medal worthy" or rare.  But it is a genuine volunteering experience and much more in-depth than just showing up at the food bank or the library for 2 hours each Saturday.  But for my kid it was volunteering that they loved and genuinely looked forward to each summer and during the school year doing online interactions with the campers.  It's a wonderful week of hell with no sleep, having to be constantly on both day and night and way more bodily fluids than most 16yo will ever experience but so rewarding for the counselors as well.  My kid did it for 4 years and online for another 2 during covid.  When a kid continues the volunteering even after they get into college, it is a meaningful experience for them. 
And at the several Jesuit universities my kid applied to, it was definately something well received by admissions.

I'd argue this is much more genuine than a trip to African village or orphanage.  No pay to play with this---the organization struggles to get counselors willing to do this for 7 days. [/quote]

I’m an anti sports and hut building essay person but think this is good. Not many people are willing to do this work. And it’s tough. [/quote]

+1. Not many teenagers would stick with that job. [/quote]

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