As competition for selective college admission increases, those lazy days of summer have become a distant memory for many high school students.
Some students opt to go to a summer program held on a college campus. Although college-based programs may be expensive, they do provide a head start on the transition to college. Learning how to do research in a university library, how to live with a roommate, even how to do laundry, can help students become more independent and self-confident. You could also earn college credit for classes unavailable at your high school.
Many enrichment programs don’t offer credit but do provide an opportunity for students to pursue their interests. Students who want to perfect their Spanish may want to do a home-stay in Spain or Latin America. Budding engineers might enjoy a camp where they can build a robot or explore engineering specialties.
Community service is another path to a meaningful summer experience. For example, when volunteering with the Student Conservation Association, you’ll spend your days repairing hiking trails, building shelters, fighting invasive species and protecting wildlife habitats.
Of course, you don’t have to travel across the country to be involved in community service. There are many local organizations that would welcome your help during the school year as well as in the summer.
Some students need or want to earn money. Having a job can help you learn how to work with people, prioritize tasks and manage time. Earning a paycheck can be a wonderful boost to self-esteem.
Summer jobs can also offer opportunities to explore career interests. For the future veterinarian, a job at an animal hospital is an excellent way to see what being a vet is really like. Working as a camp counselor is great for students interested in teaching or psychology.
Some students create their own summer programs. A prospective science major might contact professors at local colleges who are doing interesting research and see if they could use some help in their lab over the summer. This can be a way for a student to find out if microbiology is really where she’s headed and, if things go well, to ask for a recommendation letter.
With so many options, students need to keep in mind that there’s not one “best” summer activity. If you find something you are excited about doing, you’re likely to experience the kind of personal growth that makes for more interesting college applications. And the time to start looking is now!
