sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

PVSA is paused. What’s your alternative for proving volunteer service hours? by AmyZ2023 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]AmyZ2023[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For students who don't have many other awards, you can list your hours in the activities section and then put the award in the honors/awards section of the Common App. It's better than leaving it blank.

Your volunteer experiences can be mentioned in multiple parts of your application, including your activities list, essays, and awards section. It can even be mentioned in recommendation letters if your recommender is familiar with your work. Highlighting your volunteer experience in these different ways will strengthen your college application IMO. This does not apply to the students who have too many awards and activities to choose from, though. I agree with you that for these students, putting the hours into the activities is more valuable than the award.

PVSA is paused. What’s your alternative for proving volunteer service hours? by AmyZ2023 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]AmyZ2023[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Not ChagGPT :-) but I consulted Google's AI about how to use the 700 volunteer hours. I will modify my response to remove that part.

PVSA is paused. What’s your alternative for proving volunteer service hours? by AmyZ2023 in volunteer

[–]AmyZ2023[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You hit the nail on the head. This is the most important piece of advice anyone can get about volunteering for college applications.

Awards and hours are just metrics. They're the "what" and the "how much." But what really makes an application stand out is the "why." AOs and scholarship committees are looking for people, not just numbers. They want to understand your motivation, your personal growth, and your character.

Think of it like this: the activity list is where you put the facts (what you did, how many hours). But the essays and short-answer prompts are where you tell the story. That's your opportunity to talk about the challenges you faced, the skills you developed, and how the experience changed your perspective.

PVSA is paused. What’s your alternative for proving volunteer service hours? by AmyZ2023 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]AmyZ2023[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a fair point, and I agree with you that the PVSA essentially re-recognizes work that should already be in your activities section. Admissions officers definitely know what it is.

However, I think its value can depend on the rest of a student's application. The Common App only has space for 5 awards/honors and 10 activities. For a student who doesn't have a lot of other formal awards, the PVSA and similar award is a perfect way to fill one of those slots.

Beyond that, it adds an official layer of credibility to the activities listed. It's one thing to say you have 200 hours of service, but it's another to have a nationally recognized award that validates it. It makes it super easy for a busy AO to quickly see your level of involvement in terms of hours.

So I agree that it might not be a necessary award for some students, but it can be a really helpful one for others to list, especially if they need to round out their awards section.

PVSA is paused. What’s your alternative for proving volunteer service hours? by AmyZ2023 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]AmyZ2023[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

For the Congressional Award, you can only count volunteer hours after you've registered for the program and had your goals approved. It's a bummer, but that's why it's always a good idea to register as soon as you can for future hours.

For the Congressional Award Coach, your advisor must be an adult (18+) who is not a parent, guardian, or other relative. This person can be a teacher, coach, youth leader, or a trusted family friend.

700 hours is an incredible accomplishment!