fbpx

ÈÕ±¾avƬ

How Philanthropy Can Benefit Your College Application

Table of Contents

Share This Post

Many families with access to sufficient means engage in significant philanthropic work, using their money for the benefit of others. This is a noble use of funds. On occasion, these families get their children involved in these efforts, letting them direct some of the projects or try their hand at philanthropy. 

This can greatly benefit the student, both by teaching them valuable life skills, and by helping their college applications. Of course, doing so in a way that colleges will approve of is tricky; requiring careful work to make sure the student doesn’t come across as over privileged or out of touch. In this article, we’ll explore how students can get involved in their family’s philanthropic efforts successfully, and use these efforts in their college applications. Let’s get started!

Step One: Parental Guidance

High school students get involved with philanthropy via their parents, generally through an established family organization. The parents have a long experience in philanthropy, and this experience will be the largest resource for the students. Parents should walk the student through the process for philanthropic giving:

  • Soliciting proposals. Organizations can submit grant proposals for funds, and let the organization know how their money will be put to use.
  • Evaluating proposals. Once bids have been submitted, you need to evaluate the organization and its mission, and determine if your money will be used wisely.
  • Interviewing finalists. Once you have a short list of proposals that you think are high quality, the students should meet with the heads of each organization directly, to learn how their money will be put to use.

Parents can give their students useful guidance on how to undertake each of these steps, but it should be the student doing the work the entire time. It is this work that gives students valuable experience, and what they will be able to write about when it comes time to compose college essays.

Many funds have an explicit purpose, rather than soliciting pitches broadly. The parent and student should work together to determine what causes they want to support, and where they think their effort would be best spent. This can complement other aspects of their interests.

For example, if a student already has a major passion for engineering, they can look for organizations devoted to teaching this to underprivileged, or robotics teams in need of extra funding. Supporting these projects both allows the student to practice philanthropy while exploring their other passions.

Step Two: Follow Up

Philanthropic involvement should not end when the checks are signed. You are making an investment in these organizations, and as with all investments, you should follow up to see how your money is being put to use.

This means students should regularly visit the organizations and efforts their philanthropy is funding. If the organization accepts in person volunteers, the students should also get involved that way if they are qualified to do so. This both heightens their involvement, and shows their dedication to a cause in a way that exceeds philanthropy alone.

It is good for these projects to have clear goals that the students can follow up with. Vague and open ended projects are less likely to make it through the proposals stage. We also recommend students focus on local efforts; Doctors Without Borders is a noble cause, but they can make a great impact by donating to and volunteering with a local clinic.

For this reason, we recommend students look for philanthropic opportunities in their local communities. This both allows for easier volunteering, and shows colleges that students care about the communities they are a part of, something many colleges explicitly look for in applicants. 

Step Three: Continued Involvement

Colleges like to see that students work on things over time, rather than joining and dropping activities as their whims dictate. If you decide to get involved with philanthropy, it should be a long term commitment, rather than something you just do once then never deal with again. 

You should make sure you are choosing topics to engage with that you genuinely enjoy, so that you will be able to continue your involvement at a high level. Some parental encouragement may be needed here, though we find it best if students are self-motivated. 

You can also look for ways to heighten your involvement. The more you volunteer and work with a group through your philanthropy, the more they will come to know and trust you. This opens up new opportunities to engage and give back. What this looks like does depend a great deal on the organization in question, but can include formal internships, leading fundraising efforts, or putting other skills you have to work for the organization.

In this way, you will not just show off your devotion to a community, but display leadership as well. As these are both key traits colleges look for in applicants, this will greatly enhance any application. Of course, you’ve got to tell colleges about your accomplishments for them to know what you’ve done.

Step Four: Discussing Philanthropy

Of course, the ultimate goal of this work is to add to your candidacy, and to contribute to your college applications. When doing this, it is good to frame your philanthropic efforts as part of your commitment to their local community. Everyone gives back to their community in their own way; you have more resources than most, and you want to put them to use.

This is part of why getting involved with the organizations you fund beyond philanthropy is important. Students getting their hands dirty (metaphorically or literally) shows a higher level of commitment to a cause, and comes off as far less out of touch than simply writing a check and maybe taking part in a photo opportunity.

Indeed, while your philanthropic efforts should be mentioned, these should be framed as merely part of a larger effort to give back to a community or to contribute to a cause you care about. You should be self aware of the advantages you have, and acknowledge their unique situation. You do not need to be ashamed of it, but acknowledging your unique opportunities, and how you sought to use them to benefit others, goes a long way.

It should have an entry on the activities list as well, but should not have the top place. Group philanthropy in with other volunteering or community service projects you were involved with, especially if you took part in other successful fundraising efforts.

Final Thoughts

Philanthropy is a wonderful thing to be involved with, though a rare opportunity for high school students. If you do have the opportunity though, we definitely recommend getting involved. A great many students apply to top colleges each year, and anything that helps your application stand out from its fellows is good. 

Of course, this article is somewhat general; each situation is unique, and what you want to get involved with, and the resources you have to do so, are not quite like anyone else’s. We have helped students make full use of philanthropy before, and show colleges exactly what they will bring to college through their essays on it. If you want to speak with us about your own philanthropic efforts, or any other aspect of admissions, schedule a free consultation with us today. We’re always happy to hear from you.

Need help with college admissions?

Download our "Guide to Everything," a 90-page PDF that covers everything you need to know about the college admission process.

More To Explore

College admissions office sign on campus with green bushes in the background
College Applications

When are Early Decision Results Released?

You sent out your ED applications a month (or more) ago, and have been waiting patiently (or perhaps not so patiently) ever since for the

5/5
Wendy Y.
Parent
Below is my son's review. He was accepted to his dream Ivy League school!

From an admitted student's perspective, I am incredibly grateful to have met Sasha - he has been instrumental in helping me achieve my educational dreams (Ivy League), all while being an absolute joy (he's a walking encyclopedia, only funnier!) to work with.

Many people are dissuaded from seeking a college counselor because they think they can get into their desired college(s) either way. Honestly, going that route is a bit short-sighted and can jeopardize your odds of acceptances after years of hard work. The sad truth is, the American education system (even if you attend a fancy private school and ESPECIALLY if you go to a public school) doesn't really tell students how to write a compelling and authentic application. Going into the admissions process alone, without speaking with an advisor, is like going to court without a lawyer - you put yourself at a significant disadvantage because you don't have all the facts in front of you, or the help you need to negotiate the system.

That said, you need a good lawyer just like you need a good college counselor. And that's where Sasha distinguishes himself from the crowd of people claiming they'll get you into Harvard. I came to Sasha worried about and frankly dumbfounded by the college admissions process. I was unsure what to write about and how to go about drafting the essay that perfectly captured my passion, interests, and self. And I was highly skeptical that anyone could really help me. But, damn, did Sasha prove me wrong. From the beginning, Sasha amazed me with his understanding of the process, and ability to lend clarity and direction to me when I desperate needed it. After interviewing me about my background, experiences, activities, outlook, and vision, he helped me see qualities about myself I had not previously considered 'unique' or 'stand-out.' This process of understanding myself was so incredibly important in laying the groundwork for the essays I eventually wrote, and I'm certain I would've drafted boring, inauthentic essays without it.

Looking back, Sasha's talent is that he can see where your strengths lie, even when you don't see them. The truth is, although we don't always realize it, everyone has a unique story to tell. Sasha helped me see mine, and with his big-picture insight I was able to write the application that truly encapsulated my life and vision. He inspired me to dig deeper and write better, challenging me to revise and revise until my essays were the most passionate and authentic work I had ever written. As clichéd as that sounds, that's really what universities are looking for. In retrospect, it makes sense - in the real world passionate (not simply intelligent) individuals are the ones who make a difference in the world, and those are the individuals colleges would like to have associated with their brand.

In the end, I was accepted to the college of my dreams, a feat I could not have achieved without the direction Sasha lent to me. Essays (and the personal narrative you develop through your application) matter so much, and can literally make or break your application. I have seen so many of my 'qualified' friends receive rejections because they wrote contrived essays that didn't truly represent who they were; conversely, I have also seen so many friends with shorter resumes accepted because they were able to articulate their story in a genuinely passionate and authentic way - I fall into the latter category.

As a former admissions officer at Johns Hopkins, Sasha knows what types of essays jibe well with universities, an invaluable asset to have in the admissions process. He is responsive, flexible, creative, positive, and witty. For anyone who is serious about going into the college admissions process informed and prepared, I highly recommend Sasha.
5/5
Arda E.
Student
I used ÈÕ±¾avƬ to mainly help me with college applications. Within weeks of using this service, Sasha was able to simplify the already complex process. When it came to writing the Common App essay, Sasha didn’t just help with grammar and syntax, he brought my essays to life. Sasha also worked tirelessly to help solidify my extracurricular activities, including research and internship opportunities. Without his help, I would have never had an impressive resume.

Sasha is not only an extremely knowledgeable tutor, but also a genuine brother figure. His guidance, throughout my last two years of high school, was everything I needed to get me an acceptance letter from my dream schools (UC Berkeley, Tufts, Emory).

When it came to testing, ÈÕ±¾avƬ worked like a charm. Sasha offered a very comprehensive plan when it came to completely acing my standardized tests. Without his test taking strategies I would have never gotten straight 5s on my AP tests and a 35 on the ACT.

Working with Sasha, I didn’t just become a good student, I became a genuine scholar.
5/5
Samson S.
Parent
We worked with ÈÕ±¾avƬ during my son's senior year. I was concerned that we may be too late to take advantage of college advising but the ÈÕ±¾avƬ team quickly and confidently directed us through the steps to ensure no deadlines were missed. Sasha's knowledge about schools, what they looked for in candidates, and how to maneuver the application process was invaluable. Mateo and Ryan worked with my son to help him create an essay that would get noticed and I am so appreciative he had their guidance.

Prior to securing ÈÕ±¾avƬ, we tried using a less-expensive online service which was a terrible experience. As a parent, ÈÕ±¾avƬ brought peace of mind to an area that was frankly overwhelming. This service was invaluable in the knowledge that we gained throughout the process. He has also met with my freshman daughter to provide guidance for her high school courses, career paths, extracurricular activities, and more.

Prior to signing with ÈÕ±¾avƬ, I tried a less expensive online service and was very disappointed.

As a result of our work with ÈÕ±¾avƬ, I am pleased to say that my son will be attending Stern Business School at New York University this fall! I highly recommend ÈÕ±¾avƬ. Highly recommend!