Prep for College by making the most of your Summer Vacations

Gaining admission into the college of your dreams requires plenty of preparation and smart planning. Now that the winter holidays are behind us it’s a great time to start thinking about how you can spring ahead of the competition and have an impressive curriculum by the time you’re ready to apply.

Stay Focused
It’s a good idea to sign up for college preparatory courses for your spring semester. College counselors like to see a course schedule with at least five solid academic classes every semester. This includes English (Language), Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language, The Arts, Computer Applications, Advanced Placement Program, and if you’re interested in a course not offered in your junior high/high school, you can participate in Independent Study.

Explore Summer Opportunities
Now’s a great time to start looking for a summer job or volunteer opportunity, as early preparation and planning equals less stress and perhaps less competition for summer jobs as the season approaches. Don’t forget that college admissions officers look at your participation in important summer activities as a way to measure your commitment and dedication.

The best way to find the summer job/internship of your dreams is to ask people you know. Figure out what your professional or educational goals will be after high school, and let those around you know what line of work you are interested in for the summer.

If you’re still undecided, simply ask about any and all job openings or volunteer opportunities for students your age during the summer. The more varied experience you manage to obtain, the better your chances of finding out what careers you like and don’t like. This insight will be very useful to you as a college student by helping you narrow down your choice of major.

This post is also available in: Spanish