What should I do with my summer to help my college applications?
Basically: anything that helps you become the person you aspire to be
“What should I do over Summer vacation, in order to increase my chances of getting into the college of my choice?” The short answer is, anything you’re passionate about that reflects the person you’re trying to become. Sometimes students get the advice “just follow your heart and do what you love,” but what if what you love is staying inside all summer playing video games and eating Doritos straight from the bag? We want our summer plans to not only reflect “who we are,” but rather “who we aspire to be.” Perhaps your math skills are lacking, and you feel like you’re always struggling to keep up in Math class? In this case, taking a math refresher or booster course at a local community college would help answer the question “who are you trying to become?” — someone who was trying to become better at math.
Are you trying to hone your leadership skills or sense of responsibility? Yes, you *could* make the case that working at a restaurant or summer camp is going to help you develop your leadership skills. But what is much more effective is studying leadership in some formal setting. Take a course, sign up for a workshop, or a masterclass, or volunteer to lead a unit of scouts for a while––you could learn a lot just by exploring what options are available.
Remember, just like in life, it’s not about the effort nearly so much as it’s about the results. Focus on the clear goal here: becoming closer to the person you aspire to be. Then work out a path that will take you toward that goal. Colleges, along with everyone else in your life, will appreciate both your attitude as well as your efforts, but they’re going to be primarily focused on the results.
Upcoming dates to be aware of:
The deadline to register for the July 13 ACT is actually the end of today: June 7, 2024. The deadline for registering for the August 24, 2024 SAT is two months away, but signing up early is never a bad idea: it usually gives you more choice regarding testing location, so that’s nice, but it also gives you tremendous peace of mind, and that can be worth far more.