Let's face it: it's hard to get motivated during the summer. We all need time off, but seniors also need to spend at least some time thinking about their college list. So between summer jobs, volunteers positions, those books you have to read before school begins again, and hopefully some relaxing by the pool, what should you be doing?
1. No matter what the college "experts" say, you really do need some time off. Last night I saw an interview with the author Malcolm Gladwell, and even his mother told him that sometimes you need to be bored. That's when your brain gets to take a rest, and after a busy school year, it needs one! Ideally that means you should try to separate yourself from social media as well. Really turn off and give yourself a break. Personally I believe that if a college doesn't understand the need to recharge everyone once in a while, it might not be the place for you. (And some times the best things happen when you're not looking for them!)
2. However, you do need to spend some time thinking about college, and hopefully you have carved out some time for some campus visits. Summer might not be the best time to tour, but sometimes it's the only chance you have. I am a firm believer that you can glean enough from your visit to know whether you need to go back and visit during the school year.
3. If you want to brainstorm some ideas for your college essay, the summer can be a laid-back time to do it. Review the Common Application prompts and notes you took during your college class third quarter, and maybe even try writing a few opening lines. Read these tips from "The Prospect", a website written by college and high school students that aims to help other students through the college process. If you've got a great idea for an essay and want to go ahead and write a rough draft, do it! But don't expect that your first draft will be the one you submit to colleges. More likely you'll have to write four or five drafts before it's close to being a finished product.
4. I hope you've found something interesting and fun to do this summer. It might be a job or internship in a career that you're considering, or it might be a volunteer position that has nothing to do with your future career. Then again, you might discover a career you haven't considered before.
5. Yes, you have required summer reading to do, but I also hope you pick up at least one book that is just for you. It doesn't have to be a weighty tome, a beach read is just fine. And I hope you have made some time to be with your friends. Seriously, I want you to have some balance in your life this summer. I want you to come back to school refreshed and ready to tackle your senior year!
Finally, one word of caution. Parents notoriously want this process to be finished as quickly as possible, and I understand that. But some things take time, and the college application process is one of them. You will need to slow down and do your applications very carefully and thoughtfully. That's the best path to a good decision next May.
No comments:
Post a Comment