The Impact of Community Service on College Acceptance [Infographic]

With the new school year underway, now is the time for students to start deciding which universities to apply to. Students may be wondering “How can I make my application stand-out from other applicants?” Leveraging community service experiences is a great way to stand out from the competition. It showcases the student’s leadership, compassion, and a commitment to making a positive impact. 

College admissions officers look at more than just grades and test scores when evaluating who they accept into their universities. They want to have an in-depth look of who the student is apart from the numbers behind their name. They want to know the student's personality, their interests, their passions and if they will be a positive addition to the university's campus life.  

College admissions officers are looking for: 

1. Demonstrated leadership in school, community service and extracurricular activities that show the students’ initiative and responsibility. 
2. Community involvement - admission officers like to see students who engage outside the classroom and contribute to their communities. 
3. Passions and interests show a student's personality. Students who participate in community service and volunteer projects that align with their interests are a great way to reflect their personalities on applications. 
4. Personal growth and reflection – admission officers look for students who can reflect on their experiences, showing their maturity and the ability to learn and grow from challenges. Students can write reflections on their volunteer experiences within the x2VOL platform and include them in their college applications. 

College admissions officers seek to learn more about the student through their service experience and reflections of that experience. In fact, a past study conducted by IESD shows that 58% of college admissions personnel agreed that “A student’s community service experience has a positive impact on his or her acceptance to our higher education institution.” When asked why community service is important, the top-ranking reason was that “service indicates students are more likely to be active in student social life outside the classroom.” Based on these responses, college admission officers value service because they seek students who will engage outside the classroom, share the school’s values, and contribute to their mission.  

Check out the infographic below to see what exactly college admissions officers are looking for when evaluating college applications. 

Schools across the country realize this benefit of service, and many districts have started implementing community service as a graduation requirement for students. Creating a culture of service and including civic engagement as a core value of the district’s mission, impacts students deeply through transformative experiences while also improving their chances of college acceptance. To learn more about how to create a culture of service, check out our blog How To Establish a Culture of Service in Your District. 

Students using x2VOL can send their service experience and reflections directly to college admissions officers via the Official Service Transcript™. The Official Service Transcript™ is an official record that shares students' service hours and reflections that were logged into x2VOL. This transcript makes it effortless for admissions officers to observe a student's service hours and reflections about their experiences.   

If your students need a place to catalog their service hours and experiences to prepare for college applications and scholarships, x2VOL is here to support you by tracking everything online. Learn more by watching the demo below!