Using Your Summer Wisely
Yes, you can plan for college over the summer while still enjoying those sunny days. Many students decide to take a complete break from all school-related activities during the summer, only to find themselves stressing out as soon as school resumes in late August. You can avoid the onslaught of stress at the start of senior year by using your summer wisely.
Here are some things I recommend you work on during the summer. They are not big tasks, yet they will make a big difference.
Visit colleges
Although it’s not ideal to visit over the summer as most campuses are slower than usual, it’s still a good way to learn about your college preferences. Visit a variety of schools, big and small, liberal and career-oriented, to find out which college environment suits you best.
Take a career assessment
This is a great way to learn about yourself whether you are applying as undecided or to a specific major. Although there are a ton of free fun assessments online, I recommend paying for a professional career assessment to get more accurate and beneficial results. I administer the You Science test which measures one’s natural abilities and interests to determine potential careers and majors. I took it myself and was amazed at the test’s accuracy.
If necessary, practice for the SAT and ACT
The more you practice, the better you will do. For some students who have trouble with the Math section, a little Math tutoring to master the concepts will go a long way. There are many apps on the market that help you get in a little practice every day. I also highly recommend Khan Academy’s test prep program. It’s free and does a great job explaining the complex Math problems.
Think of possible topics for your common app essay
Start making a list of things you would like to write about and brainstorm each topic. This doesn’t have to be a refined assignment. Have fun with it and freewrite as much as possible until you come up with your “Aha” idea. Talk to your family about significant events and possible topics. Sometimes parents and families are able to recall certain events that you may have forgotten about.
Speak to your parents about the budget and any restrictions they might have
This is extremely important, yet many students are hesitant to talk to their parents about their wishes and their parent’s financial concerns. I don’t recommend removing a university from a list based on the listed tuition price. Most students do not pay the “sticker price”. There are many factors that can help reduce the cost of tuition, yet it’s still important to have a budget in mind. Also, some parents might have other restrictions such as geographic and religious preferences. It’s important to talk these over with one’s family so that these factors do not become a source of stress and conflict later on in the process.
Research scholarships
There are a ton of scholarships available and looking for one that fits your academic profile can be quite time-consuming. This is the time to do that heavy research. There are many free scholarship search tools and I will post a separate blog entry just for that. For now, check out College Data’s website. https://www.collegedata.com/en/pay-your-way/scholarship-finder/
Talk to friends and relatives about college (but not too much)
Your friends and relatives have a lot to say about their alumni institutions. However, keep in mind that everyone is different and that perceptions of the same experience may vary. Don’t let negative comments about your choice schools influence you too much.
Think about what you want
Picture yourself as a college student. Where do you see yourself? Do you see yourself in a big city? Do you see yourself involved in small group discussions and research? Do you see yourself joining a sorority or fraternity? Visualizing yourself as a college student will help you figure out what you want.
Start a college list spreadsheet
It’s never too early to start adding colleges to your list. Even if they are just schools that you are considering, add them anyways; you can always edit your list later. Make sure to include other factors in your list including but not limited to: tuition, city, acceptance rate, average SAT/ACT score, setting, and any other factors you may be considering.
Check out one university website a day
There is so much information on a university’s website. You can learn about academic programs, scholarship opportunities, study abroad, student life, and much more. Start by checking out the schools you are interested in and then feel free to browse and check out others.