Summer Before Senior Year To-Do List
The most successful applicants get started early. This means that the summer before your senior year of high school is an essential time to get ahead of the game!
But the CommonApp doesn’t open until August 1! That’s true, but there are still plenty of ways you can get a head start on the application process even before the application opens.
That’s right– it’s time to commit to a summer to-do list!
1. Solidify Your College List
Maybe you already have a great sense of what schools you are interested in. But are they in your reach? Do you have safety schools? Are you applying to enough schools, or too many? Summer is a great time to refine your college list. Consider:
Acceptance Rate
Location
Programs and Majors
Extracurricular Opportunities
School Size
Cost of Tuition
Opportunities for In-State Tuition or Financial Aid
Religious affiliation, school culture, and other factors that are unique to each school
Having a solid college list going into senior year will make the application process much more streamlined and less overwhelming.
2. Go On College Tours
The college list will also help inform what schools you tour! The summertime often allows for more flexibility in your schedule, so use that time to visit some schools!
Touring schools helps the applicant figure out what they like and don’t like in a school. Also, it’s a great way of showing a school that you are interested.
Unsure where to begin? Read this post on the ins and outs of the college tour.
3. Take Stock of Your Activity List
Start to make a list of what activities you’ve been involved in throughout high school, and any notable achievements or awards that would be impressive to colleges. Think! Have you been involved in:
Athletics
The arts
After-school clubs
Music
Community service
Jobs or internships?
This activity list can also be adapted into a resume that you will submit to some colleges. Look up some sample resumes, and format accordingly.
4. Engage in Resume-Building Activities
Feel like your activity list is lacking? Well, summer is the perfect time to bulk up your resume! Whether it’s working a summer job, volunteering, or planning out your involvement for the following school year, use the summer to add the finishing touches to your activity list and make your application shine.
5. Get Started On Your Essays
Even if the essay prompts are not released yet, getting started on your essays over the summer will save a lot of time in the fall. You can:
Research prompts from years past. While the CommonApp’s Personal Essay prompts do change each year, school-specific supplemental essay prompts are more likely to stay the same.
Brainstorm potential topics. Pulling inspiration from your prompt research, start to map out ideas that you could easily write about. What are your goals/aspirations? Who is most important to you in your life? What do you value?
Draft sample essays. Start to write base essays that could be adapted to different schools. For example, most schools ask “Why do you want to attend this college?” That’s called a Why Essay. See this blog for more details on how to write the Why Essay.
Essay writing is the aspect of the college application process that takes the most time. Applicants who get a head start on essay writing save a lot of headache once the school year starts up!
6. Prepare for Standardized Tests
Maybe you are planning on taking the SAT or ACT for the first time, or hoping to improve your score with one last attempt. No matter where you are at, summertime is a great time to focus on studying without the distraction of school.
Need help? We offer private tutoring services for the ACT and SAT. Set up a free consultation with Ariel today.
7. Take Standardized Tests
Feeling ready to take the test? There is still time to register for the SAT and ACT this summer!
Upcoming Test Dates:
ACT: July 16, 2022. Register by June 17, 2022.
SAT: August 27, 2022. Register by July 29, 2022.
Although many schools are going test-optional, strong standardized testing scores can still serve your application and make you stand out from the crowd.
Is my whole summer ruined?
No way! Making sure you make time to relax and do fun things is just as important. You want to go into senior year feeling ready to take on the world. That means you need to rest and recuperate.
But, that also means it would do you well to get ahead of the game so you aren’t too stressed senior fall.
Time management not your strong suit? Or just need some extra support along the way? Schedule a free consultation with us today, and we’ll help you make a college application game plan.