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I was wondering what our thoughts are on how much volunteer work (and what kind) is sufficient to make a small difference. Say this is for someone with 170-172 and 3.9x aiming for HYS.

Specifically, would volunteering a few hours a week in a mentorship program in a local community center help? What about administrative work in a local treatment/recovery home?

Bonus question: if I do either of these for the next 6 to 8 months, would it be smart to try to get a(n) LOR out of it when I apply next fall? (I am a few years out of school and working.)

First off, short of starting a nonprofit or joining the Peace Corps, no volunteer work is going to make a difference in your application one way or the other, especially if it's for a relatively short period of time (loosely defined as less than a year). If you're intent on doing volunteer work for reasons other than boosting your application, pick something you're passionate about and that you'd enjoy doing, and/or something that could align with your professional interests.

You could get an LOR from this activity, but it might not carry as much weight as a letter from an employer or a professor.