How Volunteering and Leadership Can Help Win College Scholarships

How Volunteering and Leadership Can Help Win College Scholarships
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How Volunteering and Leadership Can Help Win College Scholarships
How Volunteering and Leadership Can Help Win College Scholarships
Monica Matthews/iClipart

Every college scholarship applicant is searching for ways to make his or her applications and essays stand out from the rest and get noticed by the judges. According to college admissions officers and high school counselors, showing strong leadership skills and quality volunteer experiences give applicants an edge in the scholarship judging process. Many scholarships are geared towards students who volunteer and are leaders and organizations are looking for students who are active in their communities.

Volunteering shows leadership in several ways. A volunteer helps because they want to and not because they have to. Volunteers lead groups: think kids games, vacation bible school, scouting activities, etc… Leaders step out of their comfort zones to help others. Students can show leadership by finding a need in their communities and creating their own charitable projects. They are now the “creator”, “founder”, and/or “organizer” of their project, something very impressive to college scholarship judges.

Students can find volunteer opportunities by checking with local churches and honor societies. (National Honor Society & National Junior Honor Society) They can ask local parks and recreation centers, sports teams, hospitals, and scouting groups. Another place to look is summer camps, day care centers, after school programs, and youth groups. If a student is unsure where to volunteer, they need to think about what they like to do (or may like to do) in their future career and volunteer in that area.

Quality of community service is very important, as long-term volunteering builds relationships. Getting to know people in charge of an organization can pay off big time with detailed letters of recommendation for college scholarships written for students who volunteer. When working with the same organization over a long period of time, students can see they are making a difference when volunteering with familiar people.

Parents can encourage their students to volunteer by doing community service together as a family. Parents can also model volunteering by being volunteers themselves and sharing their experiences with their children. Charitable projects can be created as a family, with the student leading the way and getting others in the community involved.

Have you or your student won college scholarships by showcasing leadership and community service? Share the details in the comments section and help reduce the burden of student debt, one scholarship at a time.

Monica Matthews is the author of HOW TO WIN COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS. She helped her own son win over $100,000 in college scholarships and now shares this passion with other parents and their students. Her scholarship tips have been featured on several websites and she has been dubbed the “Go To” expert on college scholarships. You can find her scholarship guide and tips at how2winscholarships.com.

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