Why High School Students Should Consider Volunteering

Many high schoolers are concerned with bolstering their collegiate applications with impressive GPAs and a roster of extracurricular activities. Outside of school athletics, activities, and clubs, one often overlooked aspect that can set an applicant apart is volunteering. In this blog, we’re looking at why high school students should consider getting involved with volunteer opportunities and a few ways to get started.

Explore Careers and Interests

Choosing a career or even a college major is a big decision. Going into a field you’re committed to and know you will save you time and money, but it can be tough to know that ahead of time. Volunteering is a great way to get involved in more exclusive areas you’re interested in that might otherwise be inaccessible, such as political campaigns, hospitals, and veterinary offices. In other words, volunteering is an excellent opportunity to “try before you buy”, allowing you to try out a career field and see what it’s like firsthand before buying a whole college education. 

Networking

Networking is the process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts. Volunteer work that takes place outside of school is a great way to meet people you wouldn’t have otherwise and gives the volunteer an edge over peers who have kept their community involvement limited to their current school. These relationships can help immensely when needing connections for internships or jobs in the future.

Earn Scholarships

Scholarships are competitive. Unlike strictly academic-based scholarships, volunteer-based scholarships get a fewer number of applicants and are accessible to everyone willing to volunteer. So, if you’re worried about your options for standing out on college admissions or qualifying for scholarships, volunteering is a great place to start.

How to get Involved

A quick google search will produce myriad ways to get involved and start volunteering in your community. Our best tips for choosing the right volunteer opportunity are to consider your location, schedule, and interest. Finding a way to get involved that’s close to where you live or in a future desired area (such as near your future college campus), can be completed after school or on weekends, and falls in line with a career interest or passion of yours are great places to start.

Here at the Rose Academies, you can earn credit for your volunteer work through our Service Learning class. We are dedicated to helping students achieve the future they envision for themselves with an alternative to traditional high school education. We invite you to learn more with a visit to our website.