Last year, I worked five 2-hour shifts at an emergency shelter for women helping update their resumes. I was planning on making it my main volunteer experience because I genuinely did enjoy it. My fifth and final shift, one of the residents told me she got a job that same day that we had worked on her resume together, after searching for months with no luck. It was an amazing experience and I really felt like I had made a difference in her life.
Unfortunately, right after this, they changed the shelter schedule so that volunteering was no longer available on weekends. I’m a nontrad working 9-5 weekdays so I sought out a different opportunity at Habitat for Humanity that would allow me to work evenings and weekends. I fell in love with it and have racked up 250 hours, along with some leadership experience. I’ll have around 400 hours when I apply next year.
I also have ~50 hours at Crisis Text Line, but it wasn’t a good fit (did the job well, hated the virtual format).
I am wondering if it’s worth mentioning the shelter experience (and CTL, at that) when I apply. I keep seeing that it’s quality over quantity, but 10 hours seems insanely low. It just sucks because it really was meaningful for me, just bad timing. It also seems like they got rid of that program completely.
For what it’s worth, I am planning on applying early decision to a very service-oriented school (own a house here, husband works here, aging parents nearby, love their mission). So I want to make sure my interest in serving this specific community is coming across.
Unfortunately, right after this, they changed the shelter schedule so that volunteering was no longer available on weekends. I’m a nontrad working 9-5 weekdays so I sought out a different opportunity at Habitat for Humanity that would allow me to work evenings and weekends. I fell in love with it and have racked up 250 hours, along with some leadership experience. I’ll have around 400 hours when I apply next year.
I also have ~50 hours at Crisis Text Line, but it wasn’t a good fit (did the job well, hated the virtual format).
I am wondering if it’s worth mentioning the shelter experience (and CTL, at that) when I apply. I keep seeing that it’s quality over quantity, but 10 hours seems insanely low. It just sucks because it really was meaningful for me, just bad timing. It also seems like they got rid of that program completely.
For what it’s worth, I am planning on applying early decision to a very service-oriented school (own a house here, husband works here, aging parents nearby, love their mission). So I want to make sure my interest in serving this specific community is coming across.
