Is Summer Service Right For Your Student?

Summer is more than just a break from academics—it’s a tremendous opportunity that high school students can use to engage in meaningful summer service activities. These service activities can significantly enhance their college applications, and provide them with life-changing experiences. Grades, test scores, and crisp admissions essays will always matter, but participating in significant service activities may be a decisive factor in setting your student apart from other applicants.

Why Service Matters in College Admissions

Recent surveys show that community service involvement can impact college admissions.. In fact, 58% of admissions personnel agree that a student’s service experience positively impacts their chances of acceptance, and over half say it can serve as a tie-breaker between equally qualified candidates.

One reason for this is that colleges know that students involved in service while in high school will likely be involved in campus life, too. At the same time, participating in service shows that a prospective student can demonstrate empathy, teamwork and leadership. These experiences provide compelling stories for college essays and interviews, helping applicants stand out in a crowded field. Summer service provides that opportunity.

Choosing the Right Service Activities

Not all service is created equal in the eyes of admissions officers: depth often matters more than breadth. Having your student participating deeply in one or two summer service commitments demonstrates their sustained engagement and discipline. These are qualities that any successful college student needs to develop while in college in order to graduate. Further, students should choose activities that align with their broader interests and values. This helps keep them engaged throughout the summer and beyond. Therefore, I’d suggest that you not push your student to participate in something that looks good on paper, but doesn’t interest them. That lack of interest will come through in their college essays.

Service activities that many admissions officers appreciate include:

• Volunteering at Hospitals or Nursing Homes: Offering companionship to seniors or assisting medical staff with non-clinical tasks.
• Environmental Conservation: Joining local clean-up events, participating in tree planting, or helping with wildlife rehabilitation. I’d emphasize that participating in one of these activities once isn’t enough. It’s the students who volunteer consistently over time who are the most respected.
• Mentoring and Tutoring: Supporting younger students or peers in academic subjects or life skills.
• Organizing Fundraisers: Leading efforts to raise money for local charities or global causes.
• Social Awareness Campaigns: Creating and promoting campaigns around issues like mental health, sustainability, or social justice.

Making the Most of Summer Service

To maximize the impact of their summer service, your student should ideally take the initiative. When they show leadership by designing or creating their own projects, they demonstrate both initiative and organizational skills. In addition, have your student document their activities during the summer. This is a key element for students working on Eagle Scout or Girl Scout Gold Award projects. Your student may be amazed by the amount of work they’ll perform. Documenting this and addressing it in their essays impresses many admissions officers.

Your student should also connect their service to their overall academic and career goals. For example, if they’re interested in a particular field—medicine, education, environmental science—they should choose service activities that align with those interests. This not only strengthens their college application but also helps clarify their academic and career aspirations.

Highlight Summer Service in Their College Applications

Highlighting summer service in their applications is easy. Many students talk about their service in their personal statements/ essays. They can include stories about their service to illustrate their growth, resilience, and commitment. Admissions officers are drawn to narratives that show how students made a difference and what they learned in the process.

Another way to shine a light on their service is in their letters of recommendation. Your student should request letters from the adults they worked with during their service activities who can speak clearly about their service involvement and the impact they had. Many college applications also include a section for activities or involvement while in high school. And when they talk about their activities, be sure they include data, such as hours worked, clients served, trees planted, etc.

The Lasting Benefits of Service

I don’t want to imply that your student should engage in service solely to help them with their college admissions. Participating in service activities fosters personal growth and character development as well. And in a world where our understanding and appreciation of empathy is under attack, I believe understanding our connections to other people to be a quality I want to develop in young people.

Conclusion

Summer service is more than just a resume booster: it can be a transformative experience that can shape your student’s character, clarify their goals, and help them with college admissions. More than just “checking a box,” service helps them grow as young adults and prepares them develop the self-motivation, teamwork and organization they’ll need in college.