<p>I go to a very rigorous private school and it seems like everyone is away for the summer at top residential research or scholar programs or interning, and after they're finished with that they're going to do Habitat for Humanity or find a way to bring about world peace or cure cancer or something else that is uber-super-duper impressive, haha. I'm staying home and taking classes at UCLA for dual enrollment credit. I'd had other plans but then I got really sick in April and my mom is still in an overprotective mode. I am taking three classes and they normally only permit high schoolers to take two in a summer session, so that does involve a bit of an extra challenge. Two are on campus and one is online. I'm also going to be working at a dance studio teaching summer intensives (like advanced summer camp classes) for middle school aged kids, and in August I'm creating the choreography for dances for the upcoming school year. Then I'm going on family vacations. I'm going to do some volunteer work around LA throughout the summer but I'm not doing any big projects. </p>
<p>Does this sound okay? I'm a rising senior. I'm applying to Stanford, UCLA, and Berkeley for sure, and most likely Georgetown and USC as well. </p>
<p>Well its not going to distinguish you from the pool of applicants, but if other parts of your app do you’ll be fine</p>
<p>It looks like you’re doing three very impressive things. You’re</p>
<p>A) Taking classes for credit which other people often don’t have the opportunity to do
B) Working, showing responsibility and leadership through your commitment to dance
C) Volunteering showing your compassionate nature, it doesn’t have to be some big project
D) Taking some time to relax, which is probably most important before a rising senior’s big year.</p>
<p>You’re honestly going to be just fine. Great might I add. Colleges care more about your whole record than just what you do in one summer anyway. If there’s anything you could be doing is start thinking about what you want to write about for your college essays which you can brainstorm in your free time. Develop a whole list of schools with reaches, matches, and safeties, and don’t forget to enjoy yourself. Time goes by fast, so take advantage of it while you can!</p>
<p>@shawnspencer Dude, that’s 4 things. </p>
<p>^^Perhaps numbers would have worked better than letters</p>
<p>@Hawkace Haha perhaps I don’t know how to count. I originally put three on there, but I decided relaxation was as important as any in the end, so it was a last minute addition.</p>
<p>I’m with @CHD2013 on this one. Your summer plans are not as impressive as, say, attending RSI or starting your own business, but they show passion and dedication outside of the classroom, and that’s what colleges are looking for in summer activities.</p>
<p>A special thanks @shawnspencer for the encouragement, and thanks to all for your feedback. :)</p>
<p>You’ll be fine, don’t worry! Not everyone needs to get into RSI, SSP, TASP, or Science Olympiad Camp.</p>
<p>“Eeveryone” is going away to top research institutes. Hmm. No. Time to close the facebook page and open up the home pages of the universities you are most interested in. What do the undergraduates do there? </p>
<p>Teaching local middle schoolers dance (enriching their lives, both an art and physical exercise) aligns with USC’s strong values of supporting the surrounding neighborhoods–as just one example of how your summer activities could make you a good fit.</p>
<p>Uhh your over stressing your situation with the mind set that certain ECs are the favorites of admission officers. </p>
<p>Holy crap, relax. Whenever you do anything outside of school, your last concern should be what HYP, USC or whoever would think about it. Follow your passions and screw everything else. You will go further if you do what you like in lieu of what they like. </p>
<p>UPDATE:
I’d become nervous about my summer plans because of comments a friend made last week regarding them, but am very much at peace with what I’m doing now. When I wrote that “everyone” at my school is off at top research programs of course I was being hyperbolic, but in truth the majority of my class are away for the summer. I am most definitely pursuing my passions this summer and being productive with the time, and I think regardless of what college I end up getting into, I’ll be happy I spent my time this way.</p>
<p>Anyhoooo, thanks again for all the comments and the reassurances. </p>
<p>If I despised my job and did it for the sake of colleges, I would be dead. I am honestly a clean freak which is why I’m still alive and my coworkers and manager are ( let’s be real, if I didn’t clean everything, they would have died of some bacterial disease).</p>