Do colleges check if you actually volunteered?

Some college admissions officers are more diligent than others about confirming volunteer work on student applications. But if you list volunteer activities you didn’t participate in, you’re running the risk of being caught in a lie. If this happens, college admissions officers are going to wonder whether you have any other false information on your application. A great way to show that your claims are genuine is to write about your volunteering experiences in your college essay.