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What can I do during the summer to prepare for college applications?

I am a rising senior and don't know what to do during the summer to prepare for college applications.

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Timothy’s Answer

As others have previously mentioned, your Summer break is the time to inventory what standardized tests you have taken or plan to take, identify a list of colleges or universities that offer the major you are looking to focus upon, review materials from prospective universities and colleges, and review courses to enroll in for your Senior year. Your Senior year of high school can be a time of celebration but realize that universities and colleges are still looking at your GPA, community service, extra-curricular activities, and courses taken. The Common Application is accepted by many universities and colleges but certain schools only accept their specific application, so learn from the school's website which application is required, which require standardized test scores, and which courses may or may not be considered during the application process (i.e., AP tests, Honors courses, etc.). Make a list of teachers, counselors, administrators, employers, and others who know you well that can write you letters of recommendation. Make a series of folders for every university or college in order to collect materials related to that program.

Enjoy your Summer break but understand that time will fly over the next few months and the December 1st application date (for most schools) will be here before you know it.
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Jacob’s Answer

In order to prepare for the college application process it is best to start by creating a list of you reach schools, target schools, and safety schools. Use this list to evaluate what score you should be striving to achieve on the SAT and/or ACT, as well as tuition costs and additional application requirements. You could begin brainstorming and even drafting topics for you application essay.
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Varvara’s Answer

1. Compile a list of colleges you're interested in attending
2. Set up individual folders in your drive or Microsoft Office
3. Daily, investigate the necessary documents for each university and save them in the respective folders
4. Add deadlines and reminders to your calendar
5. Organize folders by priority, focusing on your top choices first during research
6. Once research is finished, rearrange folders according to submission dates
Thank you comment icon Thank you for giving me advice. Adilene
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Nishant’s Answer

I would suggest getting as high as a grade on SAT or ACT possible. Perfecting your college essays. Getting as much experience as you can in the field that you are looking to major in - through internships or self studying. Build good relationships with your teachers as well, so you receive good recommendations from them. Don't stress too much over it - it is more so about how much effort you put forth while in college to make connections and excel your career than it is what college you attend.
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Jack’s Answer

It is and will definitely be a hectic time. Some stuff that helped me:

- Preparing for standardized tests. Depending on which college(s) you're applying to, they may want the ACT or SAT, or you might even opt to take both. Preparing for these tests so that you go into them feeling as confident as you can will definitely help!

- Do something to bolster your application. This can involve volunteering, working, learning, anything! Depending on what college and field you're interested in, doing something that relates to the field and showcasing yourself as a better candidate can only help your applications when it is eventually sent out!

- Do some research into colleges. If you haven't already, come up with a list of colleges that you will want to apply to. My counselor suggested having a list broken down into three major categories: "moonshots/reach," or schools that might be harder to get into due to a variety of factors (class sizes, acceptance rates, etc.), schools that you can reasonably expect admittance into (again, due to a variety of factors), and "safety" schools, or schools you're extremely confident with acceptance into.

- Look for additional resources. If money is of consideration, this is a good time to start applying for scholarships. There are hundreds of scholarships out there to apply for. If you're looking for someone to get consistent advice on, this can be a good time to engage someone as a mentor figure; this person can be a sibling, someone who is in college, parents, etc.

- Enjoy! This will be your last summer in high school, and senior year will be your last year as a high school student. Don't forget to take the time to slow down and enjoy this time!
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Julie’s Answer

- Prepare for standardized tests
- Summarize the skills and experiences you gained - this would be helpful for your application essays
- Think of how you contribute to your community - also helpful for application essays
- Make sure to show you have worked towards a cause you care about - such as by volunteering, or if you are in a club, helping out with events
- Come up with a list of colleges - divide them by reach schools, ones that are a long shot, reasonable schools, and safety schools
- It is difficult when you are figuring things out and you have to make such a big decision, but make sure you take it step by step
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Lindsey’s Answer

In the summer before I started applying I made a big list of all the schools I wanted to apply to and wrote down all the application information for each of them. I kept track of information like where to apply, either through the school directly or another website like commonapp, what essay questions they require, if they are test optional or not, everything that I thought I would need. And slowly throughout the summer, while still enjoying my time off from school, I worked on essays and got materials together so the weight of applying wouldn't be so heavy during school.

Additionally, if you haven't finished taking standardized testing yet, I would really practice for those tests. I found that Khan Academy was really helpful and took my past tests and made me work on what I missed and needed to study.
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Christy’s Answer

Of course, as a high school student, you're not expected to have much work experience when applying for college. However, what colleges want to know concerns any volunteering that you've done in your community or online. The summer, when you have free time, is precisely when you can pursue that goal. When volunteering for a company or organization, always choose the one that has something you are interested in, such as working with animals (grooming shops and pet stores love volunteers!), creating crafts, or coaching a sport. Still, do not hesitate to approach large nonprofit organizations such as The Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul. Such nonprofits are always in need of volunteers to help their staff and members with simple tasks that take no previous experience to do such as filling donation boxes or stocking in their thrift store. A great place for youth to get started volunteering and making a difference is DoSomthing.org. Check it out and tell your friends. You can find other options for where you can volunteer in your area by using a search engine on the web and entering the words...nonprofit organizations in my area that use volunteers.
Good luck!
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Jarred’s Answer

Volunteer activities consistently impress on applications. If you're eager to acquire a straightforward certificate in a skill like programming, consider enrolling in a Udemy course and completing it during the summer. This achievement will not only enhance your college applications and job/internship resumes but also demonstrate your determination to improve your abilities independently. Best of luck!
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Carly’s Answer

I recommend making a list of about 10 schools that capture your interest and conducting some background research on them through websites, YouTube, or by talking to someone who attends or has attended those schools. This will help you narrow down your options and focus on the schools you truly like once application season begins! Writing the main essay for the common app/coalition, which most schools use, can be a bit stressful. To make it easier, start thinking about the topics or aspects you'd like to highlight in your essay that best represent your character and what matters most to you.
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Paige’s Answer

- Prepare for standardized tests/study
- Volunteer in your community
- Get a part-time job to earn some money
- Create or Polish your resume
- Tour colleges that you're interested in
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