How to Spend Junior Summer?

Pre-College Issues Summer Programs
1

<p>I had initially planned to spend my summer at my states governor honor program, but apparently my school did not think i was worthy of trying for it.</p>

<p>Now, i am trying to figure out how i will spend my last summer of high school before applying for colleges. </p>

<p>I know i must do what i love, not what colleges want to see yadadada, but i desperately need something to write on an app for a useful summer. (others were just spent traveling, non academic.)</p>

<p>Most of the college summer programs seem rather lame, the fact that you just need to pay to go...</p>

<p>I doubt i would get into any of the really exclusive national programs like RSI, USABO, etc. </p>

<p>So does anyone have any ideas of things i could do? Are there any programs that are kinda the middle ground between college, pay to go type programs and incredibly selective national/worldwide programs? Volunteer work, where specifically is highly considered? I was considering volunteering at a Hospital but this seems so overdone and cliche, no?</p>

<p>I want to spend my summer doing something i enjoy,yes, but obviously also something colleges will like on my app- any ideas/discussion would be appreciated.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

2

<p>Opportunities you have to pay for aren’t particularly well-respected by adcoms, though there are some available for specific talents that might be beneficial (ie, NDF for debate, Interlochen/Tanglewood for music, Kenyon/Iowa/Sewanee for writing, etc). </p>

<p>Volunteer work, in and of itself, isn’t going to wow adcoms. If you organize a mission trip and find a way to fund it that doesn’t include raiding your dad’s wallet, that would be impressive. If you organize a fundraiser that raises $10,000+, that would be impressive.</p>

<p>Otherwise, the best option may be to get a job. I have several friends who spent their high school summers as full-time camp counselors, baristas, lifeguards, cashiers, ice cream scoopers–you name it. Top colleges get an abundance of applicants who have resumes padded with cushy mission trips, club officer positions, and unpaid internships at daddy’s office. Working a real job for a big chunk of your week during the summer is, surprisingly, often unique.</p>