Rising Seniors: Our Top Four Tips for Making the Most of Your Summer
While other summer breaks may be best used for rest and relaxation, the summer before your senior year is a critical period in the college admissions process. In this article, we break down the most important things to consider when trying to find things to fill your summer.
Use your summer to beef up your resume
This is your last summer to do something that can impress an admissions committee. Most competitive applicants will use this time period to do internships, conduct scientific research, or get work experience. Do not lose this free opportunity to expand your CV.
Research/Visit colleges and narrow down your application list
The summer is a perfect time to do in-depth research on the colleges you might be attending the following year. Use this time to narrow down your college list to around ten schools. Reach out to alumni, attend college tours, and try to learn as much as you can about your selected schools during this period. If you do all this then by the time you begin your supplemental essays you will have plenty to write about.
Begin drafting your college essays
It’s never too early to create an account on the Common App and begin drafting essays. College essays require several rounds of writing/editing to become perfect. Try to get all of this done before school starts and you’re inundated with classwork and assignments (remember senior fall grades still count!).
Study for the SAT or ACT
We always recommend that students take their first SAT or ACT in their junior year or earlier but if you weren’t satisfied with your previous scores then the summertime gives you the perfect opportunity to redouble your studying and ensure that you get the highest score possible come the autumn.All in all, rising seniors should not remain idle during their summer. The summer is a gift to be taken advantage of. Don’t fall behind. For more tips and resources for your summer, reach out to us today. Our advisors and IB online tutors would be more than happy to offer their assistance.