Question:

What do admission officials think when they see community service on an application, and what sets one student’s service experience apart from others? How would one best highlight those activities on applications? 

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It used to be a big plus for college admission officials to spot community service on a prospective student's application. Now, however, it's almost the norm, especially at the more competitive colleges.

While officials certainly will not think ill of any form of volunteerism, they do try to discern a candidate's level of commitment. For instance, a student who has worked at the same literacy center several days a week for three years will garner more nods of approval than one who has spent an hour a week for just a month, though both efforts are admirable.

Admission officials are also interested in unusual service endeavors or those that required uncommon initiative. For instance, one dean remembers being impressed by an Advanced Placement Spanish student who used her skills to launch an evening English class to Spanish-speaking parents at an elementary school in her community.

As an applicant  it's imperative that you make your community-service activities clear to admission committees. Those little lines on applications rarely give you a chance to do it, so you'll need to attach a student resume or activities list. Make sure that this clarifies what you've done and how much you've done it. Never use abbreviations or acronyms for organizations unless you're certain they're universally known (e.g., UNICEF). If you've held any leadership roles or founded a venture, rather than just joined it, be sure to say so. A bit of tasteful bragging may be in order! Don't hesitate, if warranted. You can also enclose a newspaper article or two about your efforts, if you have one.

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~Adapted from College Confidential