Concerned that Adcoms Might Misinterpret Credit-Based Activities

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toastybaker

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Hey everyone,

I’ve been doing advocacy work with Habitat for Humanity, and I really want to continue with it throughout college. The organization has been super welcoming (probably because it's non-paid), and they gave me positive feedback on my work in the first semester. I got connected with them through a school program, which I needed to take for credit, so it’s on my transcript.

Now that I know them better, I have the option to connect with them myself and continue the work without taking credit. My concern is that if this work is on my transcript, adcoms might view it as something I was obliged or forced to do because it was tied to a class, when in reality, it was entirely voluntary and driven by my own passion.

Same goes for research. Our chem department mandates us to enroll in a course called "Independent Research" if we're in a research lab. I'm having the same question as above.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

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Hey everyone,

I’ve been doing advocacy work with Habitat for Humanity, and I really want to continue with it throughout college. The organization has been super welcoming (probably because it's non-paid), and they gave me positive feedback on my work in the first semester. I got connected with them through a school program, which I needed to take for credit, so it’s on my transcript.

Now that I know them better, I have the option to connect with them myself and continue the work without taking credit. My concern is that if this work is on my transcript, adcoms might view it as something I was obliged or forced to do because it was tied to a class, when in reality, it was entirely voluntary and driven by my own passion.

Same goes for research. Our chem department mandates us to enroll in a course called "Independent Research" if we're in a research lab. I'm having the same question as above.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I think in your activity description you can give an explanation.

Also, FWIW, you need not be working in just a "volunteer capacity" to show your commitment to underserved populations. It's why things like teach for America, where you do get a stipend, are still viewed very highly by adcoms.
 
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You’re overthinking this.

If I see that you have thousands of hours serving the underserved without getting paid, I really don’t care if you got a college credit for it or not.

Relax. It’ll be fine
 
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