Yet again, another nonprofit with a Canva logo, a blurry mission statement and 30 followers is claiming to provide funds for their cancer cause. Looking deeper into the profile will you find that the organization is built by high schoolers who you never knew had a passion for service.
Don’t get me wrong. Teenagers should be taking more initiative and getting involved. However, in recent years, as college admissions have become increasingly competitive, creating a name and designing a couple of posts seems like the golden ticket to getting into a spectacular college. It’s not the idea of advocacy that is wrong, but instead the sense of faking humanity for admission that seems almost immoral.
Most high schoolers start something in high school, like a club, sport or nonprofit. But where do these initiatives go when they leave? Were the funds for cancer ever donated? The problem is, these students don’t think college admission officers can see right through their false sympathy. Their organization, with little to no impact, is not some showstopper. Instead, high schoolers should create something that matters.
Here are a few things to take into account when starting something that is meaningful and actually shows sincerity to colleges:
- Think of your true passions. Is there something you enjoy doing and want to teach others? Do you have a cause you actually care about to put time into? These questions will stop you from choosing a random disease to focus your time and money on. Typically, these initiatives will die out because the team isn’t passionate enough.
- Quality over quantity. Start creating systems for impact so that you can show what you achieved. If your nonprofit has 100 members but they do absolutely nothing, then that isn’t much to be proud of.
- Make sure your organization has an underclassman to take over after you graduate. I sit and wonder where all the nonprofits go after the leadership leaves high school. Make sure your legacy lives on.
After following these guidelines, you are sure to create a meaningful passion project that will not only look great on college applications but also feel great to put time into.
