<p>Will a student get more A’s if he is given a longer summer break? While most students may argue that summer should be longer, some parents concede with the notion that long summer breaks can be detrimental to a student’s academic life. Thus, these parents propose a 356 day school year. However, as a student myself, I strongly believe that a long summer break has more benefits than it does consequences. </p>
<p>Long summer vacations are a student necessity when it comes to building a college resume. During the school years, students (myself included) are so busy and stressed with keeping up their grades that they struggle with making time for non-academic activities. Because school takes up half the day, and homework and study takes up the other half, students cannot do what they enjoy most: sports, theatre, shopping, etc. Ironically enough, colleges weigh grades and extracurriculars equally in the college application process. Therefore, a long summer is the optimal time for students to participate in a variety of activities without having the time constraints of the school year. Students will be able to travel to Africa to feed the impoverished, conduct research on the effects of certain drugs on neurodegeneration in a medical college, or build status in a club. Activities that require much time and dedication like these, would not be possible without a summer break. Evidently, students must balance their grades with their community participation. Long summers make a great time to build the other half of a student’s application. While some may say that summer vacation is when students only have fun in exotic islands and beaches-- and are thus not being intellectually stimulated,-- experiences outside of school can be just as educational. A trip to China may teach a student how to make his/her own rice bowl out of leaves. After all, schooling is supposed to teach students how to live in the real world. Our education is not merely in stuffy classrooms-- education should go beyond that. </p>
<p>Long summers are also beneficial in that they give students a mental break. With the monotonous days of learning, studying, and testing, students are bound to get restless. In fact, most teens in high school stay up past midnight just to finish up homework or study. Deprived of sleep, these students cannot focus in class or perform well on a test, resulting in a drop of grade letters. In addition, the stress that results from school can cause acne breakouts, undereating, overeating, lack of exercise, anxiety, or other health complications. Long summers can provide students with a time to improve health, which in the long run, will improve academic performance and focus. While some may say that an all-year school year will prevent students from forgetting school material, teachers already assign summer work, such as three books to read, a packet of calculus problems, or biology textbook reading assignments. Therefore, students are forced to dedicate a generous amount of summertime to studying. In addition, the school curriculum is based upon progression: a student does not suddenly forget how to add numbers if he knows how to solve complex word problems. Even if a student forgets how to solve a certain type of math problem, it will probably come back to him in the beginning of the school year since teachers always set aside a week or two to review old material.
Abolishing summer vacation would do more harm than good. A student myself, I not only get to have a physical and mental break from all the studying and homework from school, but I also get to do many of the activities I enjoy. I get to conduct research, play tennis, and practice the piano. I am able to develop my skills in all of these activities only because I have unrestrained time during the summer. Summer vacation helps students like me develop into more well-rounded beings (and therefore a better college candidate), get healthy and happy, and focus on my academics. </p>