<p>I've been wondering this for quite some time. For some of the more competitive and most competitive colleges, how much importance is given to how a student utilizes his summers??</p>
<p>They just want to know that you’re doing something. you don’t have to do anything amazing just do something interesting. i had to write an essay for princeton about my summer activities. i just said i visited some colleges, volunteered, play summer vball and mowed lawns for my grammy. i don’t think any of those things are amazing but at least i was active.</p>
<p>does it count for anything if you write that you self-studied AP us history and AP Bio</p>
<p>im doin a short leadership conference and will be doin a job the rest of the summer
im worried for schools like columbia etc the fact that im not doin sci. research or something epic will hurt me</p>
<p>I think that most successful applicants utilize their summers quite effectively, although not necessarily with resume worthy EC’s (they may improve standardized test scores or work on essays).</p>
<p>Brown 14, leadership conference and a demanding job is fine. Not everyone has the chance to do groundbreaking research 
Just take advantage of your summer and self-studying is a great idea.</p>
<p>Colleges like to see you active and taking advantage of your resources and opportunities in the summer, so just keep busy doing worthy activities.</p>