Why You Should Feature Community Service in Your Application Essays

by Stacy Blackman Consulting, Nov 16, 2009

Most candidates who have a goal of attending business school at some point in the future understand that the schools want to see evidence of community service. In response, they dive into a community service project in hopes of checking the community service box on the application. Unfortunately, they never stop to think about why the admissions committee is interested in their community service accomplishments. The admissions committee isnt like a judge who has sentenced you to 100 hours of community service. Rather, they are interested in your community service work because it provides insight into your deeper interests and the causes that you care about. Most of us need a job to earn a paycheck, but community service (barring a judges mandate) is optional. Therefore, you will want to put a great deal of thought into what kind of community work you do. If the only reason you can come up with for being involved with a particular organization is because you think it will look good on your business school application you may be wasting your time.

The second reason the admission officers want to see evidence that you are the type of person who devotes energy to making a community stronger is that they must decide whether or not to invite you into their community. You will be as busy in an MBA program as you are at your day job. Do you have the dynamic energy and drive to get involved and give back even when its not strictly required? If you have a habit of contributing energy to the causes and communities you care about then the admissions committee is likely to conclude you will make their student community stronger.

HBS Professor Bill Georges work on authentic leadership offers another important insight into why evidence of service is important to HBS and other programs. He writes that

Leadership style can be broken down into takers and givers. Takers are often charismatic personalities who end up making decisions to enrich their own coffers and careers. Givers, on the other hand, create value and empower employees to become leaders.

This is a critical distinction that sheds some light on why some candidates who have a resume of impressive leadership achievements might not make the cut in the business school admissions process. The admissions officers are not only concerned with your achievements; they are also interested in the connection between those achievements and who you are, the means you used to reach the ends you achieved, and the value of your achievements to the organization or community. Leadership stories in which youve put the needs of others ahead of your own are therefore much more compelling to the admissions committee.

Essay Tip: Traditional professional leadership stories may not be the most powerful or effective. Consider writing about leadership outside of work (especially when it reveals a passion for a cause).

All things being equal, we suggest you feature a community service leadership story in your essays because theres a greater chance that it will set you apart as well as provide the admissions officers with insight into the type of person you are outside of a professional setting. Everyone who applies has a career, but community service is optional and, therefore, indicative of your values and interests.

Furthermore, as a young professional you may not have had many opportunities to lead in the traditional sense. Community service organizations generally offer more advanced leadership responsibilities than you will have had at work early in your career. Often, there is some area in which you have taken the lead and grown as a leader in their personal lives or as part of a hobby. Consider for a moment that traditional stories about leading your consulting team or directing the work of a couple of analysts probably wont stand out from the pack, unless the situation was truly challenging and the achievement exceptionally impressive. Furthermore, these stories may not supply the admissions committee with much of an opportunity to get to know you better as a person. If your leadership story is sounding like a bulked up resume bullet point, then its probably best to consider some alternatives. Ask yourself while evaluating early drafts if the story is revealing your own unique attitude and approach to leadership. If so, youre probably on the right track.

Essay Excerpt

The sample essay is instructive because an impressive individual accomplishment participating in a triathlon is contained in a defining leadership story. This is an effective leadership essay because she achieved a difficult goal by inspiring, involving, and motivating others, from corporate sponsors to the people she convinced to participate in the triathlon with her. The essay conveys a sense that the writer learned many rich lessons on leadership and that she has the potential for future leadership achievements. The essay is all the more powerful because her actions were entirely selfless and in service of a cause that she cared about deeply.

Two years ago, through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, I met Juliana, a spirited eight-year-old girl who was suffering from cancer. Juliana and I hit it off right away, and she confided to me that her greatest wish was to take a vacation to Italy with her family. I brainstormed many ways to raise the funds and finally decided to undertake a triathlon in support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

I recruited a corporate sponsor for the Make-A-Wish Foundation's triathlon. I then launched an initiative to build a triathlon team and expand the fundraising efforts. I eventually was able to convince 43 individuals to participate in the triathlon to raise money for Juliana.

Finally, in order to raise additional funds, I decided to throw a final banquet. The party had a karaoke competition and a grand raffle, all designed to generate fun and excitement around the event, and of course to raise funds. In the middle of a stressful economy, we united and focused our efforts on helping Juliana reach her goal. In the end, although I was ecstatic to finish the race, the satisfaction and joy of raising almost $23,000 for Julianas wish was by far the ultimate reward.

Juliana passed away just a few months after her family's vacation to Italy. But she has made an indelible mark on my life. I am still actively involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The lessons from the triathlon and fundraise, will serve me in the future as I add to my experiences and draw from them in times of need. Ultimately, I believe that the strongest leader must be an individual who truly cares.

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