What seems like the best way to spend the summer?

Here are some options to consider if you don’t have summer activities lined up already.

Carry a Current Extracurricular Into the Summer

Your present extracurricular activities don’t have to take a break for the summer. Find ways to continue to participate in your existing clubs or activities during the break.

If you’re in the debate club, organize a few “off-season” debates to help you and your teammates stay sharp and prepared for the fall.

If you host an after-school program for music, see if you can continue that for students who may be attending a day-camp during the summer.

Find creative ways to stay active in your current activities even though school is out of session.

Volunteer

Reach out to local organizations to see if they need volunteers for the summer. Have a passion for nature and the outdoors?

Students interested in art could volunteer at a local museum or gallery, helping with ticket sales, events, or other administrative duties. Also get in touch with local children’s organizations, like the Boys and Girls Club, to see if they need volunteers to teach art or coach a sport.

There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer in your community – and colleges like to see students making an impact and helping others with their passions and interests.

Gain Hands-On Experience

A summer job in a field of interest is another way to have a productive summer while also gaining real-world experience – and a paycheck.

A student with a passion for swimming, water, and water engineering can take a summer job at the local pool teaching swimming lessons and helping the staff find clean and efficient ways to take care of the pool itself.

Maybe you’re interested in healthcare and your doctor’s office is looking for a summer intern to help process paperwork and organize patient records. This can give you insight into the day-to-day activities of a doctor’s office and what it takes to keep a practice organized and running efficiently.

Take College-Level Courses

You don’t have to have a job or internship during the summer to learn more about a subject of interest or be productive. One way to delve deeper into your interests is to actually learn something new about them through online or summer courses. Check with local universities or community colleges to see if they have any summer classes in a topic of interest, like business, communications, art, or some other field.

Prepare for the ACT or SAT

The summer is a great time to stay on top of your test prep and it is a productive activity, however, it’s not the only activity you should spend your time on this summer. Continue to take practice tests, evaluate performance, and work on test-taking skills during the summer in between other activities like working, volunteering, or another activity of interest. This is especially important for students who plan to take the June SAT or ACT, or even the August SAT.

Work on Your College Applications

Just like with test prep, rising high school seniors shouldn’t devote the entirety of their summer to college applications – they should also pursue other activities that relate to their interests.

However, it is smart for students to get a head start on their applications during the summer. especially since students using the Common Application can create accounts now that will roll over when the new application opens.