No more pencils. No more books. Every student knows the pure joy of turning in that last assignment and cleaning out the locker. Freedom! Three months!
Freedom is a good thing. Relaxing and unwinding is a good thing. Sleeping in. Hanging out. Chillin’. It’s all good. Students need this time to recharge.
But three months is a long time. Really, it is. Students can accomplish a lot during this time without the stress or restraints of the school year. When you start planning your summer, think about these ideas:
• Travel – Whether to the family reunion, to visit friends, to relax at the beach or in the mountains, travel is an enriching experience for students and families. Why not swing by a nearby college? There are over 3000 4-year institutions in the United States so I bet you’ll find one on your travels. Visit colleges that you haven’t heard of, campuses of varying size, schools you aren’t considering. These visits are exploratory. You’ll start to notice things that you love (and don’t love) and those things will make building your college list a lot easier. I can help you build a check list of things to see and questions to ask. I can also help you organize your thoughts and opinions. Let me know where you are headed and I can help you plan your visit and perhaps connect you with a friend on campus.
• Study – Wait, what?? I thought we were talking about relaxin’. True. But you can try a course at a community college or online or via your own school without the normal semester pressures. Take a course that interests you or one that challenges you. If you want to try on the full college experience, you can enroll in summer programs for high school students at many colleges. I can help you evaluate different options and find the best program to fit your needs. Wouldn’t it be fun to try out dorm life before your first day of college? We can make that happen.
• Adventure – Maybe you need a full-on adventure that takes you outside of your comfort zone and teaches you things about yourself and the world around you. There are literally hundreds of programs in the US and around the world. I can help you find the right program for you (taking time, money, goals, interests into account)
• Volunteer – Many high schools have community service requirements for all students. If your school does (or even if it doesn’t), summer is a great time to get involved. You’ll be able to fully engage without worrying about your regular classes or extracurriculars. Volunteering gives you a chance to explore your passions and interests and get to know your community.
• Work – it’s never too early to start building a little “fun fund” for college and you might have the chance to dabble in an area that is interesting to you. Along with some extra cash, you’ll earn valuable life skills like communication, responsibility, organization and character.
A special note for rising seniors: this summer is your best friend. We can get a lot of things accomplished for your college applications during the summer so that you can enjoy senior year. Specifically, we’ll work on knocking out the ACT or SAT, brainstorming your essays, creating an application schedule and building your college list. Wouldn’t it be nice to start senior year with a shorter to-do list? I can help you make this happen. Let’s get started!
**originally posted 6/3/15**
Freedom is a good thing. Relaxing and unwinding is a good thing. Sleeping in. Hanging out. Chillin’. It’s all good. Students need this time to recharge.
But three months is a long time. Really, it is. Students can accomplish a lot during this time without the stress or restraints of the school year. When you start planning your summer, think about these ideas:
• Travel – Whether to the family reunion, to visit friends, to relax at the beach or in the mountains, travel is an enriching experience for students and families. Why not swing by a nearby college? There are over 3000 4-year institutions in the United States so I bet you’ll find one on your travels. Visit colleges that you haven’t heard of, campuses of varying size, schools you aren’t considering. These visits are exploratory. You’ll start to notice things that you love (and don’t love) and those things will make building your college list a lot easier. I can help you build a check list of things to see and questions to ask. I can also help you organize your thoughts and opinions. Let me know where you are headed and I can help you plan your visit and perhaps connect you with a friend on campus.
• Study – Wait, what?? I thought we were talking about relaxin’. True. But you can try a course at a community college or online or via your own school without the normal semester pressures. Take a course that interests you or one that challenges you. If you want to try on the full college experience, you can enroll in summer programs for high school students at many colleges. I can help you evaluate different options and find the best program to fit your needs. Wouldn’t it be fun to try out dorm life before your first day of college? We can make that happen.
• Adventure – Maybe you need a full-on adventure that takes you outside of your comfort zone and teaches you things about yourself and the world around you. There are literally hundreds of programs in the US and around the world. I can help you find the right program for you (taking time, money, goals, interests into account)
• Volunteer – Many high schools have community service requirements for all students. If your school does (or even if it doesn’t), summer is a great time to get involved. You’ll be able to fully engage without worrying about your regular classes or extracurriculars. Volunteering gives you a chance to explore your passions and interests and get to know your community.
• Work – it’s never too early to start building a little “fun fund” for college and you might have the chance to dabble in an area that is interesting to you. Along with some extra cash, you’ll earn valuable life skills like communication, responsibility, organization and character.
A special note for rising seniors: this summer is your best friend. We can get a lot of things accomplished for your college applications during the summer so that you can enjoy senior year. Specifically, we’ll work on knocking out the ACT or SAT, brainstorming your essays, creating an application schedule and building your college list. Wouldn’t it be nice to start senior year with a shorter to-do list? I can help you make this happen. Let’s get started!
**originally posted 6/3/15**
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