<p>I am going to apply next year, and I'm having trouble deciding what to do this summer. I am going to take one class, but I need some sort of productive or meaningful activity. What are some good activities to do? Community service? Job (which is hard to get in the recession)? More classes? </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>My best advice would be to do something YOU like, and not necessarily what you think will look good on your college application. Duke really likes to see what you’re passionate about, and the way you show your passion to them is on the Duke supplement, there’s an optional essay where you can talk about what you did over the summer.</p>
<p>By default I’d simply relax, and probably study a little for standardized tests. I already have a lot of community service. To be honest, I am passionate about playing video games. I would like something a little better than that to write about. Of course, I might get into a week-long program for minor research, but I don’t want to rely on getting into that. If I do end up doing nothing, how can I write about it?</p>