Gone are the days when students thinking of applying to competitive colleges can lounge by the pool all summer. Many schools ask students to detail how they spend their summer breaks (particularly those before junior and senior year), so meaningful summer engagement is more important than ever. But should you get a job? Attend a rigorous summer program? Participate in a language immersion experience? Design an independent study? The answer really depends on you, your interests, and your goals.
To help you winnow the field of options, here are a few questions to help you plan your best summer:
What Kind of Time Do You Have? You need to consider any family plans and school obligations before you can block off time for a new pursuit. And if you already have a job, be sure you have a general idea of its flexibility or lack thereof. (And don’t forget about activities like band and sports, which generally start back up in August!)
What Do You Want to Get Out of Your Summer? Do you have any goals you want to accomplish? New skills you want to master, or existing ones you’d like to improve? Do you have specific things you want to learn about or explore? Thinking about what you hope to have achieved after your summer may help guide how you spend your days.
Do You Need an Academic Boost? If you are wondering if taking an extra math or advanced science course might help boost your transcript or free up your schedule for another rigorous class, make an appointment with your school counselor now to discuss your summer options. Be sure to understand how any credits you earn will--or won’t--transfer to your high school.
What Are Your Monetary Considerations? Do you need (or want) to make money, or are you in the enviable position of having money to spend? If the latter, discuss a spending budget before you get your heart set on that $12,000 week-long experience! Important note: While many phenomenal programs do have hefty price tags, students can get equally rewarding experiences without spending a dime. What a student gets out of an experience is generally more important than what that experience is--seeing student growth, intellectual curiosity, and initiative is what impresses college admissions officers.
Do You Want to Leave Home? This will help you narrow your search parameters quickly--just be sure you and your parents are comfortable with any location you are considering. Programs on college campuses are a great way to get to know more about a particular college. Still, you should understand that attending these programs will generally not have any impact on your admission chances at that school. They may, however, provide you with fantastic first-hand experience of a campus or with a particular program of study, which will definitely come in handy when you’re writing those school-specific supplemental essays.