7 Ways to Make the Most of Your Summer

It’s the beginning of the summer for many high school students, and that can only mean a few things, right?!  Sleeping in, late nights, and vacations!!

Well… while that may be true (and you are encouraged to enjoy your summer!), there is so much more you can do with your time to really prepare you for the fall.  Colleges, and really any post-high school experience, want to see that students have spent their free time being a teenager but also being productive.

Find a Summer Job

Even if only a few hours per week, having a summer job is a great way to build up your resume, gain a future reference or writer for a letter of recommendation, and do something mentally stimulating.  A summer job is impressive, and it’s advantageous for a high school student of any age – rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors can all benefit from job experience before college!

And let’s be real – that extra money for college tuition, college visits, or just a vacation is pretty nice too.

Start Your Standardized Test Planning

If you’re a rising sophomore or junior, summertime is a great opportunity to get started on standardized test prep!  By the time you start your junior year, I recommend knowing which test you’ll take (SAT or ACT) so you can fully start studying and preparing to take the test.  My recommended timeline is to take your first test in December of your junior year, so this gives you a solid six months of prepping!

If you’re a rising senior, hopefully you’re done testing – but if you want just one more opportunity to improve your score, this is it!  Try the June or July test, or the August or September test if absolutely necessary.

Regardless of where you’re at in your testing schedule, summer is the best time to develop a plan – whether for studying, hiring a tutor, or taking the test.

Begin Your College Essay Prep

Writing skills are definitely something that takes practice.  No matter what year in school you are, summer is the time to practice writing essays – or actually writing essays if you’re a rising senior!  Writing a blog, keeping a journal, or writing creative stories is a great way to start if you’re a rising freshman, sophomore, or junior.

For rising seniors, begin with brainstorming some ideas of how you want to convey yourself to your dream school.  By the end of the summer, you’ll have a great draft ready for feedback and fine-tuning before submitting in the fall.  While writing essays over the summer may not sound like the most exciting, you’ll thank yourself once senior year begins!

Share Your Time With Others

Sharing your time with the community over the summer is a great way for students to learn about themselves while giving back and developing leadership skills.  While you should try a few different things to determine what you like best (nursing home, animal shelter, food pantry, etc.), consistency is key!  Try to find a place you love and visit regularly – even a few hours per month is better than a few one-offs.

Pursue Your Passions

Take your extra free time as an opportunity to pursue your passions.  This can include anything!  If you could do ANYTHING, what would you do?  Maybe it’s starting and finishing a new book series.  Maybe it’s interning at an art museum, or a research laboratory.  Maybe it’s starting a band, taking cooking classes or learning how to bake unique desserts.  Whatever it is, colleges value all kinds of extracurriculars, not just stereotypical activities.  Step outside your comfort zone!  By trying something new or spending more time doing something you’re passionate about, you might learn a little more about yourself and determine what kind of career path or college is best for you.

Take a Road Trip

Planning any trips this summer?  I highly recommend doing some research on what colleges are nearby where you’re visiting and checking out the campus!  Or, plan your trip around a school you want to visit and make a family vacation out of it.  Any schools nearby where you live?  Get some friends together and take a road trip to visit!

Take advantage of wherever you are this summer to really get to know a variety of schools and college campuses so you can start narrowing down the best fit schools for you.

Take a Break!

Make sure to take some time for yourself!  It is summer break, after all.  Yeah, colleges want to see productivity and what opportunities you took even on your breaks from school – but they also want to see students who know and appreciate themselves, take time to pursue their passions, embolden the unexpected, and know how to balance work and play (work hard, play hard, anyone?).  The ideal balance will allow you to truly enjoy your summer, and it may be exactly what your ideal college is looking for!