fbpx

ÈÕ±¾avƬ

How Should You Spend Your Summer?

Table of Contents

Share This Post

Time is money, or so the saying goes, and summer provides a vast vista of new free time, without the demands of the school year. Many students want to make the best use of their time this summer, both for their own fulfillment and to improve their chances of college admissions.

We’ve already written a guide to some , but these are far from the only productive way to spend your summer. In this article, we’ll discuss why summers are so important, how you can make the best use of them, and give some suggestions for how you can spend your summer productively.

Why Do Summers Matter?

Summers are an incredibly unstructured time. Compared to the regular school year, students have no constraints or obligations on their time except for those they set themselves. You are free to sleep until noon every day, and spend every waking hour with friends or playing video games. (We do not recommend doing this for the whole summer, but sparing a weekend or two for it won’t hurt).

This makes summers a great chance for students to show what they value. Any subject students are passionate enough to invest their summers doing is one they clearly care deeply about. This passion is something colleges generally, so summers are a good way to demonstrate the depth of your passions.

Summers also provide opportunities to explore topics in new depth and in new ways, due to the extra time and travel opportunities they afford. Instead of spending 8 hours a day in school or doing homework, students can find jobs, pursue internships, or work on individual passion projects. The freedom to explore that this free time allows them is the greatest boon summer provides.

Colleges do not care about summers more than the school year, but summers provide a unique opportunity to demonstrate the depth and breadth of a student’s passions. This is an opportunity you should seize to the fullest.

Making The Best Use of Summer Vacations

The best way to use your vacation is to explore one of your passions in more depth; learning more about it, seeing if it’s right for you, and building up to greater things. This is true regardless of what your passion is, though how exactly you go about this exploration will vary greatly based upon where your interests lie.

The first step is determining where your interests lie, and what projects you wish to pursue. This will be simpler for some students than others. If you are already involved in a long-term project outside of school, then summer is a great chance to deepen your investment.

When increasing involvement in an existing project, you should do more than simply increase the number of hours you invest. Volunteering is very worthwhile, and many places need the help. Instead of just increasing your volunteering hours, however, you should look for new opportunities to learn skills and demonstrate leadership. You need to increase the depth of your commitment, not merely the breadth.

Diverse team of volunteers wearing masks while embracing at help and donation event, copy space

For example, one student might volunteer at a nature conservatory a few hours a week during the school year. They are passionate about the environment, and want to do more to help. Over the summer, in addition to increasing volunteering hours, you should look for new ways to get involved.

Some organizations have developed tracks to increase involvement, allowing students to take on new responsibilities and learn new skills while deepening their involvement. In other scenarios, the student will have to show initiative, for example by drafting a plan to combat an invasive species in the area, and bringing it to their supervisors.

If you are not already involved in an ongoing project, then you should find one, either with an organization or alone. This is a tall order, but you can start small and build up. Our next section details some ways you can start getting involved.

Worthwhile Summer Activities

It’s impossible to list every activity which may be worth pursuing over summer vacation. There are too many options, and students are far too unique in their interests and resources. Therefore, this section will talk more about categories of opportunities, and lay out which may make the best returns based on your interests.

One great way to spend a summer is an . These are available in a great many disciplines, and teach you real-world applications, instead of just the theory you might learn in a class. Internships are incredibly competitive, and many may already be full. It’s not too late to go looking for a more informal internship however, and the more niche your field of interest, the better your odds of finding a place.

Volunteering is always looked upon favorably, but you should be careful to spend your time wisely. In addition to the advice given above, we recommend joining an existing , rather than starting your own. Wherever you end up, however, you should focus on increasing your responsibilities, and showing initiative.

Some students are unsure where their passions lie, as they are interested in too many subjects, or they want to explore fields which aren’t offered by their high school. These students should consider . These are courses from universities across the country and around the world, and most are self-paced and offered for free. These will allow students to explore subjects that may interest them, and allow them to discover where their passions lie.

Many sports and other school-based continue over the summer, and these can be a good use of your time. If these are the core of your passion, then by all means continue them. Be aware that while can be a route to admissions, it is very competitive. Demonstrating a long term commitment to activities you participate in during the year (such as dance or debate) is often a good use of your time, but it is not the only possibility.

Final Thoughts

As the school year ends and summer begins an ocean of possibilities unfolds before you. This is exciting, but also overwhelming. Any activity you participate in that lets you explore your passions will make for time well spent however. Don’t forget to take some time for yourself as well; high school only happens once, and you should make the most of it.
If you want advice on how you should best spend your summer, or want guidance finding the best ways to explore your passions, you should schedule a . We have long experience in helping students discover and explore new passions, and are eager to help you do the same.

Need help with college admissions?

Download our "Guide to Everything," a 90-page PDF that covers everything you need to know about the college admission process.

More To Explore

College admissions office sign on campus with green bushes in the background
College Applications

When are Early Decision Results Released?

You sent out your ED applications a month (or more) ago, and have been waiting patiently (or perhaps not so patiently) ever since for the

5/5
Wendy Y.
Parent
Below is my son's review. He was accepted to his dream Ivy League school!

From an admitted student's perspective, I am incredibly grateful to have met Sasha - he has been instrumental in helping me achieve my educational dreams (Ivy League), all while being an absolute joy (he's a walking encyclopedia, only funnier!) to work with.

Many people are dissuaded from seeking a college counselor because they think they can get into their desired college(s) either way. Honestly, going that route is a bit short-sighted and can jeopardize your odds of acceptances after years of hard work. The sad truth is, the American education system (even if you attend a fancy private school and ESPECIALLY if you go to a public school) doesn't really tell students how to write a compelling and authentic application. Going into the admissions process alone, without speaking with an advisor, is like going to court without a lawyer - you put yourself at a significant disadvantage because you don't have all the facts in front of you, or the help you need to negotiate the system.

That said, you need a good lawyer just like you need a good college counselor. And that's where Sasha distinguishes himself from the crowd of people claiming they'll get you into Harvard. I came to Sasha worried about and frankly dumbfounded by the college admissions process. I was unsure what to write about and how to go about drafting the essay that perfectly captured my passion, interests, and self. And I was highly skeptical that anyone could really help me. But, damn, did Sasha prove me wrong. From the beginning, Sasha amazed me with his understanding of the process, and ability to lend clarity and direction to me when I desperate needed it. After interviewing me about my background, experiences, activities, outlook, and vision, he helped me see qualities about myself I had not previously considered 'unique' or 'stand-out.' This process of understanding myself was so incredibly important in laying the groundwork for the essays I eventually wrote, and I'm certain I would've drafted boring, inauthentic essays without it.

Looking back, Sasha's talent is that he can see where your strengths lie, even when you don't see them. The truth is, although we don't always realize it, everyone has a unique story to tell. Sasha helped me see mine, and with his big-picture insight I was able to write the application that truly encapsulated my life and vision. He inspired me to dig deeper and write better, challenging me to revise and revise until my essays were the most passionate and authentic work I had ever written. As clichéd as that sounds, that's really what universities are looking for. In retrospect, it makes sense - in the real world passionate (not simply intelligent) individuals are the ones who make a difference in the world, and those are the individuals colleges would like to have associated with their brand.

In the end, I was accepted to the college of my dreams, a feat I could not have achieved without the direction Sasha lent to me. Essays (and the personal narrative you develop through your application) matter so much, and can literally make or break your application. I have seen so many of my 'qualified' friends receive rejections because they wrote contrived essays that didn't truly represent who they were; conversely, I have also seen so many friends with shorter resumes accepted because they were able to articulate their story in a genuinely passionate and authentic way - I fall into the latter category.

As a former admissions officer at Johns Hopkins, Sasha knows what types of essays jibe well with universities, an invaluable asset to have in the admissions process. He is responsive, flexible, creative, positive, and witty. For anyone who is serious about going into the college admissions process informed and prepared, I highly recommend Sasha.
5/5
Arda E.
Student
I used ÈÕ±¾avƬ to mainly help me with college applications. Within weeks of using this service, Sasha was able to simplify the already complex process. When it came to writing the Common App essay, Sasha didn’t just help with grammar and syntax, he brought my essays to life. Sasha also worked tirelessly to help solidify my extracurricular activities, including research and internship opportunities. Without his help, I would have never had an impressive resume.

Sasha is not only an extremely knowledgeable tutor, but also a genuine brother figure. His guidance, throughout my last two years of high school, was everything I needed to get me an acceptance letter from my dream schools (UC Berkeley, Tufts, Emory).

When it came to testing, ÈÕ±¾avƬ worked like a charm. Sasha offered a very comprehensive plan when it came to completely acing my standardized tests. Without his test taking strategies I would have never gotten straight 5s on my AP tests and a 35 on the ACT.

Working with Sasha, I didn’t just become a good student, I became a genuine scholar.
5/5
Samson S.
Parent
We worked with ÈÕ±¾avƬ during my son's senior year. I was concerned that we may be too late to take advantage of college advising but the ÈÕ±¾avƬ team quickly and confidently directed us through the steps to ensure no deadlines were missed. Sasha's knowledge about schools, what they looked for in candidates, and how to maneuver the application process was invaluable. Mateo and Ryan worked with my son to help him create an essay that would get noticed and I am so appreciative he had their guidance.

Prior to securing ÈÕ±¾avƬ, we tried using a less-expensive online service which was a terrible experience. As a parent, ÈÕ±¾avƬ brought peace of mind to an area that was frankly overwhelming. This service was invaluable in the knowledge that we gained throughout the process. He has also met with my freshman daughter to provide guidance for her high school courses, career paths, extracurricular activities, and more.

Prior to signing with ÈÕ±¾avƬ, I tried a less expensive online service and was very disappointed.

As a result of our work with ÈÕ±¾avƬ, I am pleased to say that my son will be attending Stern Business School at New York University this fall! I highly recommend ÈÕ±¾avƬ. Highly recommend!