How to Strategically Plan Your Summers in High School

As a high school student, your summer break is a great time to relax and recharge, but it is also a valuable opportunity to be productive and maximize your chances for college admissions.

Ensuring you make the most of your summers requires early planning. Many Ivy League applicants started mapping out their extracurriculars as early as 8th grade! By strategically selecting activities that align with your academic and career goals, you can create a consistent and compelling narrative that demonstrates your passions. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning your summers:

Build a sound portfolio

Colleges are looking for curious applicants who are committed to going above and beyond pure academic performance. Having a healthy portfolio of activities demonstrates your breadth of interests and skills, which adds to the diversity and vibrancy of the college community. It also reflects your versatility, open-mindedness, dedication, time management, and leadership, which are highly valued by colleges and employers alike.

Volunteer

Volunteering is a great way to showcase your commitment to making the world a better place. It's also a great opportunity to exhibit leadership skills and jumpstart your resume. Many nonprofit organizations, such as hospitals, libraries, and shelters, offer volunteer opportunities for high school students. 

Internships

Internships provide real-world experience in a professional setting, which can demonstrate your preparation for college and career success. Whether you're interested in finance, journalism, or theater, there's likely an internship opportunity that aligns with your goals. Need help creating your first resume? Click here.

Academic summer programs

Summer programs provide a glimpse into college life, an opportunity to explore different fields of study, and a competitive edge. Excellent performance in these programs demonstrates your capacity for challenging academic pursuits. Here are some notable examples: Stanford's Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes offer courses in various subjects, including computer science, creative writing, and political science. University of Iowa's Secondary Student Training Program (SSTP) offers hands-on research projects in STEM. The Interlochen Arts Camp offers mentorship from world-class instructors in music, theater, dance, and film.

Passion Projects

If you're fascinated by a particular subject or idea, you may want to design your own passion project. Passion projects are individual or team projects that align with a specific interest, like building a drone, crafting a research paper, making a podcast, or being part of a campaign. Your dedication to the endeavor shows that you are self-motivated and willing to take the initiative.

There are many other extracurricular activities to consider as well. Some students choose to start their own business, create art, or pursue sports. It's important to remember that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to extracurricular activities. Rather than trying to do as many activities as possible, focus on a few that you're genuinely passionate about and that allow you to showcase your leadership abilities. Plan them out early to set yourself up for success in the college admissions process and beyond!