Summer is just around the corner!

What are you planning to do? Spend time lounging in the pool or scroll on your phone? Game all summer long? Of course you should do all of those things because it’s your summer vacation!

However, it’s a good idea to consider doing other things to beef up your experiences, because college is also coming. Let’s take a look at some opportunities you can do to enjoy yourself this summer, and at the same time, get yourself ready for college.  

Why Improve Your Experiences for Your Applications?

Colleges are always looking for unique individuals to round out their classes. Even though you aren’t privy to colleges’ and universities’ enrollment goals and objectives, you know for sure they are looking for students who will add their own color and experiences to the class. Here’s the truth: They aren’t necessarily looking for students who have taken Calculus II — many, many students take Calculus II — they’re looking for students who stand out.

You have to demonstrate to colleges and universities that you have had unique experiences. This isn’t necessarily about traveling the world or spending a lot of money to have the experience, whatever it is. 

In addition to general ideas for your college application that I discuss below, think about how you want to integrate esports into your college experience, and consider how to plan ahead in that area too.  

How to Beef Up Your Experiences Over the Summer to Improve Your College Applications

So, how do you boost your experiences over the summer to improve your college applications? Let’s dive in.

Whistle While You Work

Why not consider working during the summer? It’s a great option because work gives you all the skills you need for your future career: It can develop your communication, time management skills, teamwork, conflict management, boosts your self-confidence and pushes you to handle new responsibilities. Above all else, you can also build your resume. 

Colleges absolutely love to see high school students who have work experiences. And even better, it can help you pay for college. Never underestimate your ability to help pay for college. Earning $5,000 can make a huge difference in helping pay your college tuition.

I’m currently working with a student who astounds me. She and her parents agreed that she (the high school student!) will pay $10,000 per year for college. She has already saved $9,500 and has the rest of the summer to fund the rest of her freshman year — it won’t be a problem for her. She’ll even be able to start earning the money for next year during this summer.

You can do amazing things if you just work hard — including paying for college! (And never, ever say, “I’ll never be able to help pay for college.” My student is a walking example of the possibilities.)

Evaluate What’s Important to You

This might not sound like an “experience,” but it’s still an important part of the process. What’s important to you? 

• Health (physical and mental)
• Family relationships
• Close friendships
• Personal growth
• Education and learning
• Independence
• Faith or spirituality
• Happiness or joy
• Experiences (travel, memories)
• Helping others/impact
• Stability and routine
• Creativity or self-expression
• Community and belonging (esports anyone?!)

Spend some time thinking about what’s important to you and make a list. At the very least, it’ll help you determine how you might want to orient your life. This, in turn, could also help you figure out what you want to do in college and beyond!

Can I share a secret? My favorite thing on this list is “helping others/impact.”

Get an Internship

Ahhh, an internship. What a great option for high schoolers. If you’ve assumed this is only for college students, think again! Internships are great opportunities for high schoolers. I have a student who walked into a physical therapy clinic and told them how she is passionate about helping kids by going to graduate school to work as a pediatric physical therapist. She got the internship immediately. 

What do you love? (See exercise above.) Go find an internship as a high school student by checking out various companies in your area. What’s interesting to you? Have you always wanted to explore business? Check out local businesses in your area and drop in. Don’t be shy. That’s exactly what my student did — she just walked in!

Here’s another technique: Contact as many people as you know. Talk to your parents’ bosses, your parents’ friends, your aunts and uncles, your neighbors, everyone you can think of. Ask them about whether you can join them for an unpaid summer internship, even if it’s just for a few months. It looks great on a resume and gives you a chance to build your soft skills. All good things! 

Are you interested in community colleges and universities with esports programs? Whether local or distant, do some research to find out who the Esports Director is. Reach out and ask them if you can volunteer there, whether in-person or virtually. It’s a great way to establish connections for the future, in addition to building your resume. 

Join a Summer Experience

What’s a summer experience? Many colleges and universities offer summer experiences, from pre-college academic programs to specialized STEM workshops to outdoor adventure camps. How do you know what type of program fits your specific needs? Lead with your curiosity! In other words, what are you insatiably interested in? If you’re interested in robotics, look for pre-college programs and specialized STEM workshops related to that.

For example, Carnegie Mellon offers pre-college summer session courses that allow you to take the same rigorous, college-level courses as an undergraduate student studying at Carnegie Mellon. 

Here’s another example: The Research Science Institute is a selective research experience at MIT where you present STEM research under expert mentorship and present your work in a professional academic setting. 

Now, do you have to get high-level experiences like these to achieve a summer experience? 

Not at all. There are hundreds and hundreds of other options. These are just a few opportunities.

Consider How You Can Benefit Others

Remember how I said earlier that my favorite thing on this list is “helping others/impact?”

I just sent a family an email this morning:

Hi Jessi!

I wanted to show you this scholarship! Carter cannot apply for it yet — he has to be a junior, and right now, he’s a sophomore. However, I wanted you to consider the qualifications for the scholarship and see what he thinks he might be able to do to create demonstrated excellence in leadership, community service, extracurricular activities, and academics. What can he do to create something that combines his interests to make the community a better place? Just food for thought!

Thanks so much!

Melissa

I was challenging Carter to think about how he can benefit his community. What can he do that combines his interest in tuba with community efforts? Doing this can do several things — it can give him fodder for his college applications, show him how he can make a difference — heck, it can do about a million different things for him.

Other Important Things You Can Do This Summer

Besides these experiences, what else can you do to get ready for summer? Let’s take a look.

Rising Seniors: Start Writing Your College Essays

Summer is a great time to start writing your college essays. Why wait until fall, when things get crazy and your schedule is even crazier?

I always suggest to families to get going on college essays during the summer. You can take a look at the Common App prompts here and then get started. If you have no idea what you want to write about, that’s okay. Reach out to me for assistance with a free planning session! My biggest suggestion is to think about your values and how you’d like to communicate them to a college. Combine that with a great hook, and you’re off to the races!

Visit Colleges and Make Your College List

Who says you can’t visit colleges during the summer? Sure, it’s a little more boring on campus, but why not check them out if you think you’re going to have trouble squeezing in spring visits? Colleges frequently offer summer sessions, and if not, you can certainly take a campus tour. One of my students, Lauren, did campus tours alongside her family’s summer vacations, which worked out really well for the entire family! Just be prepared for less activity on campus and potentially not as much opportunity to meet with certain people on campus.

Take a Look at Your Upcoming Fall Plans

What do you have scheduled to take at your high school this fall? Does it align with the colleges on your list? Are you thinking about a future major pivot toward pre-medicine from your original plan of English? If so, have you satisfied your required course requirements for college? 

Also, are you getting deeply involved in your extracurriculars? Managing your classes well? Ask all these questions. If you’re not in a great place with some of these questions, squeeze in a meeting with your school counselor before school ends this semester and have a conversation.

This Summer: Have Fun, But Look Toward the Future!

Summer will fly by, and with it, opportunities to get prepared for your next year in high school, whether it be freshman, sophomore, junior or senior year. Consider where you are now and whether you’re ready for your next steps.

And yes, have a ton of fun this summer while you’re at it!

Melissa Brock is an editor, freelance writer, essay and college coach, and founder of College Money Tips. She spent 12 years in college admission as an admission counselor and senior associate director of admission. She was the author of Game On! — an article about esports for the Journal of College Admission. She works with esports students and families to help them identify the right college fit for them. Reach out for help at melissa@collegemoneytips.com.