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How should I get involved during the summer?

I am in 9th grade and want to get into a college like UCLA majoring in psychology. I wanted to do something specific to my interests of psychology this summer but I am lost. I have asked my sister and other family to help but they clearly did not do much. What should I do this summer that you think could help with my college resume?
#psychology #college #summer

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Arshia’s Answer

Dear Naaima,

I am pleased to see your commitment to your education and career at the 9th grade. What interests you about psychology? Psychology is a very broad major and field of practice, allowing you to partake in a multitude of opportunities. I recommend starting here and spending some time with major and career exploration and learning more about yourself. Please keep in mind that our wants, needs, and interests are dynamic and changing, so my best advice is to be open-minded and enjoy the journey.

What I recommend is for you to take rigorous courses in high school and do well in them, get involved in extracurricular and co-curricular activities that are of interest to you and seek leadership opportunities. I will outline a few ideas in the next steps section of my response.

I wish you the best and enjoy the process. Remember, be open-minded and always explore.

AM

Arshia recommends the following next steps:

Look into taking AP Psychology
Start a Psychology club at your school
Volunteer for mental health causes and associations
Identify psychologisits/therapists/professionals and conduct informational interviews
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Dee’s Answer

Research the psychologists in your area, and reach out to those whose work interests you. You can either try and connect through family/friends/teachers, or calling the offices and introducing yourself and requesting a call/visit to discuss a potential career in psychology. You should have a list of questions for e.g. ask them what their background was prior to getting their psychology degree, and what you might do next summer to familiarize yourself with the field. Also you might want to ask them if they would be willing to mentor you, or offer to volunteer in their practice. This would in my opinion be a good way forward. Good luck!
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Carson’s Answer

Similar to what Dee said, start networking as soon as possible. It's great that you're only in 9th grade and are already thinking about long term career goals. Look around and try to get a gig in that area next summer. And whenever you start working, take advantage of all the resources available to you. And as always make good grades to get into the college of your choice!
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Diana’s Answer

Hello! To add onto the many good options suggested above, here are some more:

1. Start to think ahead about the courses you want to take in high school. I saw AP Psychology was listed above, which is a great option! Research to see if that class has pre-requisites and investigate what other psychology related classes your school offers. Sociology is also a related realm you can explore courses in.

2. If your school does not have a psychology club, join other clubs/organizations! Things like Peer Leadership, tutoring, and honor societies can show a dedication to academic success and helping others.

3. During the upcoming year, check on job/internship listing sites (such as Indeed) to see if any psychology-related places near you have openings next summer for high school internships. It can be more challenging to get an internship as a sophomore, so keep an open mind!

4. Soak in psychology knowledge! Research books and/or informational videos targeted to high schoolers wanting to pursue psychology. This can be great foundational tool to explore more.

Good luck!
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Kylee’s Answer

Hello there,

It is awesome that you already have an idea of what you want to do long-term when you're just in 9th grade. When I was in 9th grade I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do yet. My advice is to network throughout your High School years and into college. College's love High Schoolers who were active in their community and organizations. It shows leadership skills and teamwork. I would recommend volunteering for local organizations this summer. When school starts up, join the psychology club, and if your school does not have one, then you can create one! Find an organization that you are passionate about, and this may be something you can narrow your psychology field in. Psychology is such a broad field, so finding whatever you are passionate about can help you find out what psychology position you want to acquire after college.
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Cameron’s Answer

Hi Naaima! If you are interested in psychology, you could take psychology courses at your local community college or a university near you. Many high school students take these college-level courses over the summer, and there are always lots of different kinds of psychology courses to choose from, like personality, social, or abnormal psychology. You can also try to get involved in summer research programs specifically tailored towards psychology. Several universities hold formal programs for high school students to conduct research under a mentor.
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Justina’s Answer

I would recommend reaching out to professors at local colleges who may do research on psychology topics. See if they are looking for any volunteers to help with research during the summer or can offer any advice. Look for pre-college summer programs that focus on psychology. Are there any psychology projects that you can work on your own or do an experiment on this summer that you can do a write-up on?

All things to consider! Good luck!
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