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Writer's pictureJennifer Fordham

Top 5 Summer Priorities for Rising Seniors: Preparing for College Applications

So you just finished junior year of high school, and it was probably your hardest year yet with AP exams, the SAT or ACT, and more rigorous courses than ever before. You want to have some fun and downtime this summer, of course.


Just remember you are mere months away from completing and submitting your applications to college. Don’t worry, the summer before senior year can be used very effectively to prepare for college applications without sacrificing too much summer fun.


Rising seniors, don’t wait until the fall to work on these 5 things:



Essays


Your personal statement, UC personal insight questions, supplemental essays, and possibly scholarship essays are likely to be the most important writing you’ve done in life so far. The entire point of these essays is for you to represent yourself as a future college student, so taking your time to craft and polish your essays is truly essential. Use the summer when you have the ability to focus and don’t wait until the school year starts when you have classes competing for your brainpower.



College list


You will spend much of the fall semester of senior year completing the applications for college, but that won’t go very well if you don’t know where you want to apply. Colleges and universities can be very different in a variety of ways and so can the requirements of their applications. If you don’t yet have a college list, you need to use time this summer to research colleges that are a good fit for you.


College visits 


Summer isn’t the ideal time to visit college campuses since you won’t be able to observe a typical day when classes are in session. However, most families are already traveling so make the most of your vacations around the US and visit colleges. If you haven’t decided where to apply yet, an in-person glimpse of a few campuses can help you decide what you’re looking for in a college experience. 


Math


Don’t fall into the trap of giving up on math. Even if it is a challenging subject for you, remember that you’ll probably be taking math in college regardless of what major you choose. So putting math aside for your last year of high school will only make it more difficult in the long run. Pursue math courses to the highest level available to you. The summer is the best time to either take a summer course to get ahead, take a class that isn’t offered at your school, or participate in a refresher or review program to prepare for your senior year math.


Extracurricular activities


This is the last summer you have before completing applications, so think of it as your last chance to participate in a truly impactful activity that will be reported on your college applications. Even if you haven’t been chosen for an internship or leadership program, you can still dedicate time to volunteering or paid summer jobs. Some of the most impressive activities are designed and executed by the students themselves and not necessarily as part of a program or organization. 


The most important tip I have for summer extracurricular activities is to take the time to follow your passions. Don’t feel pressured to join activities that you aren’t truly interested in so you can still have a fun and exciting summer!






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