Verification of volunteer hours by colleges

Hey, I've been doing quite a bit of volunteering during my high school years, and I was wondering how colleges verify these volunteer hours on our applications? Do they contact our school or the organizations we've volunteered with? I'm unsure about the whole process and how they ensure it's accurate.

Regarding the verification of volunteer hours, colleges generally trust the information provided by applicants on their applications. This is because the college application process operates on an honor system, and they expect students to be truthful when reporting their volunteer hours and other activities.

However, keep in mind that colleges may conduct random audits or fact-checking on applications, especially if the information provided seems too good to be true or raises any suspicion. In these instances, they might reach out to your school, the organizations you've volunteered with, or even request a confirming document like a letter on the organization's letterhead.

To ensure accuracy, it's essential to maintain a record of your volunteer hours, including the organizations, dates, and contact information for supervisors or coordinators. This can help you quickly provide any necessary documentation if requested by a college in the verification process.

While it's unlikely that every student's volunteer hours will be thoroughly scrutinized, it's always better to be prepared and, most importantly, to be honest about your contributions. Remember that colleges value genuine engagement and involvement over a superficially impressive resume.