Make the most of your Summer – Edition 1 (Grade 12 / Rising Seniors)

Temperatures rising and vacation approaches and as much as we want our days to devolve into lazing by the pool and watching Game of Thrones (Season 6 woohoo!) we want to give a few great tips and hints to college applicants. So this, is the first of a Three Part Series on how to make the most of your summer!

This first edition is for our 12^th Graders and Rising Seniors. Before you know it, October will be here and Early Decision deadlines will be upon us. Colleges like knowing what you’ve done with your summer, so get yourself up and go out and conquer!

1) Common App essay

I don’t have to repeat this to the seniors who have already started, but the Common App essay is an essential part of the process. Topics for 2016-17 came out early January  and seniors, if you haven’t already started, get a jump start on your essay! The topics are the same as last year, and are, as always, eliciting personal thoughts, opinions and stories. Whether it’s writing about a time when you stood up in class and challenged a popular opinion on the way a student election was going, or stepped up to become an adult, taking on responsibilities that transformed your perspective, the colleges can’t WAIT to know. A CommonApp essay is never one and done, and the summer is the perfect time to work on your drafts, give yourself the time to work, rework and rework again.

If THIS is how you’re feeling, reach out to us! We’re doing essay brainstorming sessions with our students every week.

Pro Tip: Carry a notebook or start a notes section on your phone. The most fascinating essays we’ve ever read have been inspired at the oddest moments – on a plane when cut off from all wi-fi and external distractions, a student reflected on an illuminating trip to Haridwar or when the metro broke down and a student stepped back to observe the people around him.

2) Recommendations

Summer means school is closed! And while you as students are looking at filling your free time, so are your teachers. Before school closes, you should absolutely request your teachers for Letters of Recommendation – THEY ARE FREE! Remember, your teachers are probably writing letters for dozens of students and in case you’re applying early and hoping that your teacher can get your thoughts in on time, give them time to work on it.

Pro Tip: While it’s a good idea to get a teacher who can comment on your academic readiness for the major you are applying for, it’s more important to choose someone who really knows you. Remember to help your teachers by giving them a copy of your resume or list of activities, maybe even filling out a page of anecdotes reminding them of a time you participated in class, interacted with them on something important (whether inside or outside the classroom) or went above and beyond.

3) Standardized Tests

The last few attempts of the SAT and the ACT before the Early Deadlines (Nov 1) are upon us. You have two attempts of the SAT (June & October) and two attempts of the ACT (June & September) left to finish up your Standardized Tests and Subject Tests. The summer is a great time to work on them and make sure you nail the exams. If you’re still unsure, read up on the New SAT vs the ACT.

Pro Tip: Both exams are marathons, not sprints. We aren’t SAT / ACT coaches but, as third party bystanders, the biggest mistake we’ve seen students making is not enough full-length tests. When the students tire at the end of three hours, they make stupid mistakes, ruining the effort they’ve put in. Use the summer to do at least 20 practice tests! Then go kick that exam’s ass.

4) Research Colleges

Besides the Common App essay, you will have the much-dreaded Why X College essay, so use the summer to research colleges and finalize your college list. You may not get the chance to go visit colleges (check out our tips if you do) but you can still do your research while at home. This first great resource is the website. No seriously, the website is there for prospective students, so USE IT. Next, check out the college on social media.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, keep up with colleges via their social media networks. Just don’t forget to clean up your own.

Pro Tip: Besides primary data, use forums like College Prowler, College Confidentional and Unigo to learn more. Additionally, YouTube is an amazing resource as well, for college virtual tours and general videos to get a sense of the campus.

5) CommonApp Application

Late 2015, Common App announced a new feature – the Common App Rollover! This is a huge change for us all because seniors would otherwise have to wait till August when the new Common App came out to begin their applications. While students still need to wait for the supplements, you can now get a jump start filling out oodles of data in the Common App during your summer. So grab your passport and information and settle in, let’s get this show on the road.

Random Note: We as counselors love the Common App for bringing families together. Confused? Well, every time we sit with a student to help them through the app, we reach a point when they need to call their parents – “Dad, when did you go to college?” The sound of a student reaching out to their parent to learn more about them warms our hearts. And makes us laugh.

6) Activities

I wish it was that easy, but ever since Oprah retired, you have to WORK for the resume. Once you start the application, you’ll realize that the Common App has 10 little sections for you to write about your involvement in various extracurricular activities. Depending on the kind of person you are, 10 can either be a lot or too little. This section isn’t easy and can take a lot of time for a few reasons 1) you need to rank your activities 2) you need to condense your experience with each activity into a character limit smaller than a tweet.

If you don’t have 10 activities, the summer is a great time to find some! It could be Community Service or an Internship, or something that sets you apart. But really, you don’t have to cure Cancer to get into Harvard or Stanford, you can find other activities to pique the admissions officers’ interest. Admissions Officers are looking for a few things – Leadership, Depth vs Breadth and time spent – and they use that connect to what you would do on campus.

Pro Tip: Start with a resume so that filling out the sections becomes easier.

7. Online Courses

I know I know, you’re sick of hearing about them. But really, MOOC’s have been a boon, allowing students to explore their interests beyond the curriculum. Looking at the rigid CBSE and ICSE curriculums in particular, the classes you attend in school rarely allow you to mix and match across interests or show that you can and will go above and beyond. Thus, online courses are extremely valuable because they allow you to show an array of interests and explore your major in greater detail. Check out Coursera, MOOC List, eDX for a few! Moreover, colleges understand the value too and have been asking you about them. Brown had an essay in 2015 that said – “Please list the courses, including those you may have taken outside your secondary school, that relate to your chosen field.”

Pro Tip: Look for certified courses so that you are able to share them with colleges. You can also refer to these courses in Why Major type essays.