Summer Opportunities to Boost Future College Apps

Students may be looking forward to the end of the academic year as a respite from their studies and harried schedules.  But they should also be making plans to have a productive summer as it’s an ideal opportunity to enhance their future college applications. 

Summer is the perfect time for students to engage in activities that will provide knowledge and experiences in the field they are considering for their college major and future career. Opportunities abound through internships, volunteer work, and pre-college programs.

 

Those seeking a future in the field of medicine may seek a shadowing opportunity at Hunterdon Health or a position with RWJ Barnabas Teen Volunteers. Students can also use the summer to train, and get certified, as an EMT for their community.

Most Appealing Advanced Placement (AP) Courses

More than 81,000 New Jersey high school students took AP exams last year, recognizing their importance in the college application process.  According to statistics from College Board, AP courses are offered at 86% of public high schools in the state. In Central New Jersey, the participation rate in AP courses is particularly impressive with more than 50% of students partaking at a multitude of schools including Hillsborough High School, Montgomery High School, Princeton High School, and West Windsor-Plainsboro High School, both North and South.

But not all AP courses are equally appealing. Among 9^th and 10^th graders, the most popular AP courses are Human Geography, World History: Modern, European History, AP Seminar, Computer Science Principles, and World Language and Culture.

 

Among 11^th graders, the favored AP courses are English Language and Composition, U.S. History, Psychology, Biology, Physics 1, AP Seminar, AP Research, Computer Science Principles, and Art and Design.

4 Achievements to Highlight on College Application

It’s no secret that getting accepted to a top college has never been more competitive.  A stellar GPA and impressive SAT scores are just the start. According to Forbes, admissions officers are favoring applicants with evidence of leadership, extracurriculars that have an impact, demonstration of an entrepreneurial spirit, and engagement in a “passion project.” 

A recent report from the National Association for College Admission Counseling found that college applicants who demonstrate leadership roles have a distinct advantage in the admissions process. There’s a wide range of opportunities to do so, including serving as captain on an athletic team, securing a position on student government, spearheading a volunteer activity, or founding a club or securing a leadership role in an existing one. Since colleges want students who will be active leaders on campus, evidence of this trait in high school activities carries a great deal of weight.

Top 10 “Return on Investment” Colleges in 2025

Students searching for their ideal college often have varying criteria in mind. But one that should garner careful consideration is “return on investment” (ROI). This is the amount of money that one earns after a set period of time – typically 10, 15, 20, 30, and 40 years – minus the cost of education.  

 

Such data, collected by the Center of Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University, demonstrates that earning a college degree results in a significant return on investment in the vast majority of cases.

 

Money reports that the Top 10 colleges and universities, when it comes to ROI for a bachelor’s degree, include many of the most prestigious schools as well as those that focus on Computer Science, Engineering and Medicine -- fields that typically result in high earning potential.

The Best Colleges Based on Declared Major

Students dreaming about their future college often consider many criteria, including location, athletic reputation, and the abundance of campus amenities. But the most important factor, for those focused on their academic experience and career preparation, is their choice of major. 

Once students identify the majors they will pursue for their college studies, they can easily make a list of potential schools based on those with a strong reputation in their future academic field. Reputable sources for this data include usnews.com, niche.com, and collegetransitions.com.

 

Students interested in Accounting or Marketing will find Indiana University – Bloomington ranked among the top five schools. This is a program to which local students, with good grades and SAT scores, can likely gain admission. Other schools among the top five for these fields, which are a “stretch” for almost everyone, include University of Pennsylvania and University of Texas – Austin.

Top 10 Apps to Discover Best-Fit Colleges

Students can put their screen time to great use in the college application process by using mobile apps to garner a wealth of information. U.S. News & World Report has recently identified some of these particularly helpful apps. 

BigFuture School app by College Board, free on iPhone and Android devices, offers customized career information and provides information on specific majors, financial aid, and many aspects of campus life.

 

Loper, available free in the Apple App and Google Play stores, matches students with best-fit colleges based on desired campus size, major, and student life. Over 200,000 students have already used Loper for college planning.

The Latest College Admissions Trends of 2025

Students looking ahead to their college application process are aware that many aspects are in a state of flux. They are left wondering whether they will need to apply “early decision,” how much time to devote to maximizing their SAT scores, if they should prioritize academics or extracurriculars, and what kind of financial investment will pay off. 

Since numbers don’t lie, an examination of the acceptance rates at a multitude of colleges popular with New Jersey students reveals that there is often a distinct advantage in applying “early decision” to one’s favorite college. In doing so, students are committing to attend the school, if accepted. But many view this as a wise choice. The acceptance rate of Early Decision vs. Regular applicants are as follows at these popular institutions: Columbia University (15% to 4%), Northeastern University (39% to 6%), Boston University (26% to 11%), American University (85% to 47%), University of Miami (60% to 19%), Villanova University (49% to 25%), and Lehigh University (53% to 29%).

 

As for SAT scores, standardized test requirements have made a comeback and provide a distinct advantage to students in the competitive application process, according to Forbes. Universities that require SAT scores of all applicants include Harvard, Brown, MIT, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, University of Georgia, Purdue, and University of Florida. Others are adding the requirement, starting in the Fall of 2026, including Cornell, Stanford, and Johns Hopkins. Even colleges that are still “test optional” often require SAT scores for scholarship consideration.