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If you\u2019re applying to b-school<\/a> next year, you may not have started thinking about MBA applications yet. But now is actually an excellent time to get started \u2013 not just on test prep and boosting GPAs, but on taking time to examine your community service activities. At most top b-schools, community service is virtually a requirement, and if your involvement is on the weak side, then you have just enough time to start bulking up your experience\u2026if you start NOW.<\/p>\n Community service is defined as active participation in and assumption of responsibility for your community.<\/p>\n This broad definition can include taking an active role in sports teams, professional organizations, alumni groups, religious institutions, literacy programs, political campaigns, environmental causes, fundraising for immigrant assistance groups\u2026whatever you define as your community. Community service almost always does \u2013 and should \u2013 reflect your values and priorities.<\/p>\n The operative phrases in the definition are \u201cactive\u201d and \u201cresponsibility.\u201d Writing checks is not enough. And while helping your elderly neighbor occasionally may make you a nice person, it doesn\u2019t mean you are taking responsibility for your community. Community service requires commitment.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Community service is important because:<\/p>\n \u2022 It provides an opportunity for you to demonstrate attributes that young applicants frequently can\u2019t reveal in the classroom or in their jobs: leadership, initiative, interpersonal skills, and the ability to handle responsibility. It expresses your willingness to contribute.<\/p>\n \u2022 A foundational principle of admissions is \u201cPast behavior predicts future behavior<\/a>.\u201d To adcoms, a history of activism and participation shows that you will be an active participant in their student and alumni communities. That\u2019s exactly the impression you want your application to make. If you\u2019ve been passive in the past, they have no reason to assume you will be active in the future.<\/p>\n \u2022 It indicates breadth and well-roundedness. It should come as no surprise that top MBA programs don\u2019t want workaholic nerds.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Yes, the adcoms want community service to come from an innate desire to serve your community, but last-minute community service<\/a> is still better than no community service at all. There\u2019s no way to hide the fact that you only recently joined your church\u2019s adult literacy outreach program; so you need to focus on how this new experience has suddenly enriched your life, and how it has motivated you to start your own adult literacy program in another underserved community across town. Or you can talk about how your new volunteering stint had helped shaped your goals by adding a volunteerism angle to your long-term vision.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Of course not! Since when has an element of the MBA application asked you to be common or traditional in any way? Community service comes in all shapes and sizes and is certainly not limited to the obvious. Maybe you started a community crocheting group that meets once a week to crochet hats for Ukrainian orphans. Maybe you bring your nine-year-old autistic nephew to a special needs yoga class twice a week, and have been doing so since he was four. And if you work in a soup kitchen, or better yet, manage a soup kitchen, then that\u2019s great too. The best community service is the community service you do because it means something to you.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n At the most competitive schools, community service and extracurricular activities frequently make the difference between who is accepted and rejected among otherwise competitive applicants. If you have been involved in community service, great. Keep up the good work and strive for a leadership role<\/a>. If you haven\u2019t been an active participant or leader, become one. Choose an activity, cause, or organization that you would like to contribute to. And then be consistently and actively involved so that you will have a commitment to write about other than school and work. You may even find that you enjoy it.<\/p>\n Team up with an experienced advisor who will help you discover your competitive edge and increase your chances of getting accepted to your top choice business school! Learn more about our MBA Admissions Consulting & Editing Services<\/a> here.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Related Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 9 Secrets to Standing Out in Your MBA Application<\/a>, a free guide <\/p>\n This article<\/a> originally appeared on blog.accepted.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Applying to a top b-school? The talented folks at Accepted have helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to their dream programs. Whether you are figuring out where to apply, writing your application essays, or prepping for your interviews, we are just a call (or click) away.<\/em><\/p>\nLet\u2019s take a look at 4 common questions on the topic of community service in MBA admissions.<\/h2>\n
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\n\u2022 Why Extracurricular Activities Make a Difference in Your MBA Application<\/a>
\n\u2022 MBA Admissions: Does Extracurricular Equal Extra Credit?<\/a><\/p>\n