If you’re a high school student thinking about your college applications, you’ve probably heard it before: “Don’t write your college essay about a service trip.” It’s a common piece of advice from admissions experts—and with good reason. Done poorly, these essays can come across as cliché, superficial, or focused more on what you did than what you learned.

But done well? Service learning can be one of the most powerful and personal topics for your college essay.

The Real Problem with the “Service Trip Essay”

It’s not the topic itself that’s the issue. It’s the way students often write about it—without reflection, specificity, or self-awareness.

“There’s a difference between simply going on a trip and actually growing from it,” says Robin Freed, a veteran college admissions expert and premier counselor at IvyWise. “The topic of a service trip is often dismissed as overdone, but that’s an oversimplification. It’s not the trip itself that makes an essay fall flat, but the lack of reflection—admissions officers aren’t moved by generic stories about helping others. When students write with authenticity and connect the experience to their personal growth, identity, or values, even a common topic can become powerful and memorable.”

When a Service Learning Essay Does Work

At School the World, we’ve led service learning trips for over a decade—and we’ve seen firsthand how these experiences shape our students. From fundraising to build classrooms to working shoulder-to-shoulder with community members mixing cement, students are deeply involved. They reflect, connect, and often return home changed.

And many do write about it in their applications—when it’s the right fit.

In an age of AI-generated content, authenticity matters more than ever. To help you write a service learning essay that stands out, here are four key tips from IvyWise’s Robin Freed:

• It goes beyond the obvious: Avoid the “I saw poverty for the first time” cliché. Focus on your growth, not just what you witnessed.

• It’s rooted in one powerful moment: Start with a funny, awkward, or emotional moment that reveals your character.

• It connects the dots: Show how the experience influenced what you care about or what you want to do next.

• It’s human: Be honest, humble, and maybe even a little funny. Let your real voice come through.
  

Other Ways to Use Your Service Learning Experience in Applications

Even if you don’t write your main personal statement about a service trip, the experience might still be helpful elsewhere:

• In the Activities section: Highlight your leadership if you started a School the World club or fundraised multiple years.

• In a supplemental essay: For example, a “Why this college?” essay if you’re interested in studying education, international relations, or public service.

• In a community or identity prompt: Especially if the trip helped you see your place in the world more clearly.
  

Bottom Line: It’s All About How You Tell the Story

If a School the World trip helped you understand your purpose, shaped your perspective, or sparked your interest in equity or education—that’s your story. Not the trip itself, but who you became because of it.

Want to learn more about how our student service learning trips work? Check out upcoming opportunities here.