Summer Activities of Top College Applicants

Students vying for acceptance to the most competitive colleges know the benefit of highlighting impressive SAT scores and GPA, ideally including a perfect “5” on a gamut of AP exams. While that will move them to the top of the pack, more needs to be accomplished to acquire a seat at one of the most coveted universities.   

The summer provides a unique opportunity for students to engage in meaningful activities that will demonstrate their commitment to a particular field of study and help them stand out from their peers.  This can be accomplished through participation in extracurricular activities, volunteer opportunities, or enrollment in specialized courses. 

 

Students seeking acceptance into a particular course of study – business, engineering, pre-med, physical therapy – are often asked to write a supplemental essay about their “experiences” that have led to their passion for the field.  Summer is the ideal time to shadow a mentor in the field, participate in an internship, or engage in some pre-professional program.

Experience can also be gained through immersion in volunteer work.  Students seeking remote engagement should visit Zooniverse.org, which provides online opportunities to work in collaboration with professional researchers in a multitude of fields in science and the humanities.  Hundreds of in-person volunteer opportunities are posted on jerseycares.org, which hosts a daily calendar of projects in a gamut of fields.  

 

Students considering a specific college major can demonstrate their interest in the field by taking an online course at a renown university almost anywhere in the world.  EDX.org, for example, offers more than 4,000 options including Molecular Foundations of Medicine from Stanford University, Bioethics: The Law, Medicine, and Ethics of Reproductive Technologies and Genetics from Harvard University, The Art of Structural Engineering: Bridges at Princeton University, Becoming an Entrepreneur or Supply Chain Analytics at MIT.    Similarly, more than 7,000 online courses are offered through Coursera.org. These courses typically have a minimal fee ranging from $50 to $100.

 

Students can also use their summer leisure time to create a “passion project” – an endeavor that is uniquely their own. They can build a portfolio highlighting their accomplishments, create a film, or write and self-publish a book.  They can identify, and fill, a need in the community or organize a local fundraiser.  They can create a website as a resource for students or launch a free tutoring program – via Zoom or in person at the local library.  The options are limited only by one’s ingenuity, so students should make the most of the time they have left this summer. 

 

Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT^® preparation & private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362