<p>So I've been told that I should start planning my summer now, but I don't have a clue about what I should do. I'm interested in science, especially bio and chem, and music, and I'd like to aim for the Ivies Princeton, Harvard, Penn, etc. I've looked at some summer programs and research opportunities but almost all of them are only open to sophomores and/or juniors.</p>
<p>So what should I do to have a productive summer? I'm not necessarily looking for specific programs, just advice in general. Also, fellow freshmen, what are you going to do?</p>
<p>Well, I’d say intern at a lab, or volunteer at a hospital but you may be limited based on age/geography. </p>
<p>Honestly, just enjoy your summer. Freshman and sophomore year summers (well maybe not sophomore year so much) are really the last summer vacations you’ll be able to enjoy without thinking about SAT’s, college admissions, volunteering, school, AP’s, college apps, essays, ect. </p>
<p>I’m a junior and I’m just like you, i’d love to get into any ivy (ESPECIALLY DARTMOUTH). I spent 150 hours in a lab this summer and i’m pulling a 3.7-3.8 gpa. I’m soooo happy I didn’t preoccupy my freshman summer with endless college app crap. I blew it off and spent my time at the pool and relaxing with friends.</p>
<p>If you are still dead set on filling summer up with EC’s then the best thing, IMO, that you can do is just limit your activities to what you actually like. Don’t just do research because colleges like it. If you like music, why not try to get a internship at a local radio station or something like that? That would be fun and it wouldn’t really require a lot of effort on your part. If you like chem, why not get a head start on sat subject tests and just self study it and prepare for the chem sat in october?</p>