<p>well, what im doing over the summer after my jnr yr is exam prep, essay skill build-up, reading resourceful books, volunteering at library and artfairs, doing some work out… and etc etc.
i really wanted to do some kind of an internship or camp… but… i figured out that I’m not in a such shape. I think you should do some fruitful activity that will grow your sight while taking your exam issues seriously as well for the fall season.
hope u end up with a satisfactory :)))</p>
<p>Work on your Common app essay It takes a tremendous amount of practice just to get into the groove and mind set of generating an idea that feels right. But you don’t need the common app prompt to get started (like * write about an influential character in a book, OR * write about diversity and how it has affected you.) You just need to start writing. Start the essay about a wide variety of topics., assuming you’re just going to create your own topic.</p>
<p>Contact the colleges. Get on their mailing lists. </p>
<p>Start the supplemental essays. They may also have already created their supplements. UChicago already has and writing a phenomenal essay to one of their prompts is the key to getting accepted.</p>
<p>Some other colleges have the same supplemental question every year. Investigate those. It’s not the common app “main essay” that can drain your creative juices, it’s the supplemental essays.</p>
<p>Create a resume. You may want to include that as a supplement to your common app. Even if you don’t, it’s helpful to consolidate all that information onto one page, for easy reference. You may also want to have a resume to give to interviewers.</p>
<p>Create an Excel sheet that lists the colleges on one the Y axis and all the steps and details on the X axis. Our sheet included: visited, interviewed, sent application, supplement, paid for app, extra (i.e. abstract or portfolio or resume), other (photo?), ID number, pin code / password (which colleges send you after you submit) It was incredibly helpful to have this information altogether.</p>
<p>I recommend writing your essays now. Then, put them away for a month or two. When you re-read them, it will seem as if someone else wrote them, and you’ll be able to be objective about them. Then, editing them will definitely improve them.</p>
<p>The best thing you can do for yourself going into Fall of your senior year is focus completely on your classes. Getting the essays out of the way early will let you do that.</p>
<p>I would say talking to people in your town who have recently been through the college admission process would be a good use of your time.</p>
<p>The advice to write your essay and resume is good advice. I would add that after you write them to email the teachers that you want to write your recs and ask them if they would write them. If they agree to write them send them the resume and essay. This gives them the entire summer to come up with a great rec. My daughter did this, and one of the teachers even mentioned it in the rec, of how on top of things she was to email her in the summer before she got busy with classes in the fall.</p>
<p>Hello.
Sorry from being kind of offtopic, as I don’t want advice for the summer before senior year.</p>
<p>However could having a really packed summer hurt somebody ? Like 4 summer schools (that era of genuine interest for me), Science Olympiad, volunteering and math pre-season ? Does this look like <em>ooh, I am so desperate!!!</em> ?</p>
<p>^I don’t think that’s a problem at all. Unless you think it’s too stressful or you really are that desperate, I think it will come across as you being interested in a lot of things and not wanting to be bored.</p>
<p>Well, I love being constantly busy and I particularly love being busy with these things that I am doing. 
On the contrary some people got me worried with “you should get some rest !! & you will look so desperate” thingies. Thx</p>
<p>My daughter (now a rising Junior at her top-choice college) worked on the essays during the summer with some pushing from me. She wasn’t very happy about it at the time; however, her story changed a lot. In the fall, when she was up to her eyeballs in AP chemistry and physics, she thanked me (still amazing!) for the push. She was so relieved that she only needed to revise the essays and didn’t have to choose between keeping her grades up and writing killer essays. The book “Acing the Common Application” points out that the little throw-away essays (one-paragraph statements required on the college-specific applications in particular) should be treated just as seriously as the big essays. Crafting these too in the summer enables you to take as much time as you need to make each word in those paragraphs count. Even if this year’s application forms are not out yet, the topics for the long and short essays tend to be similar from year to year and progress can be made.</p>
<p>Excellent list, limabeans.</p>
<p>I suggest doing what limabeans says. I had done almost exactly that last year, it really helped me stay organized and not freak out as much by the time deadlines rolled around. (I’m a horrid procrastinator who still ended up submitting some apps at 11:53pm).
The excel sheet really helps you remember what you did and what you still need to do, especially if you plan on applying to a lot of schools. </p>
<p>I also suggest writing a college essay. Or multiple. I went through multiple drafts of one idea before I scrapped it, considered a few more ideas, and then settled on something I never thought I would write about. And then throughout the fall, that went through multiple drafts and edits as well. Make it good, since that’s the one thing admissions sees that isn’t just numbers. Now that I look back on it, writing those essays and supplementals was sorta enjoyable. It was a bit of soul searching and creativity rolled into one. Really makes you think about yourself, and what’s important to you. </p>
<p>Summer programs and volunteering and doing loads of research or interning and whatnot isn’t a huge deal. enjoy the summer, but dont laze around and not do anything, either.</p>
<p>limabeans- Where can I find the UChicago supplement?</p>
<p>Incidentally does anyone know if these schools have released supplements?</p>
<p>UChicago
UMichigan
UNC
Georgetown
UWisconsin Madison</p>
<p>
[quote]
/You should be doing some summer programs, research, or meaningful traveling.</p>
<p>Worry about visits later (in December or something) and essays towards the end of the summer./
[quote]
</p>
<p>That is the best advice so far. You still have time to build your application before you fill anything out. For example, before this summer ends, i hope to finish my college level courses at a university (possibly be able to shadow) and organize a fundraiser.</p>
<p>Honestly I did absolutely squat during the summers in high school (besides marching band camp). Nobody I knew did “summer programs” or “meaningful traveling” because they were expensive and I lived in a solidly middle-class neighborhood, and very few did research over the summer. Yet we got some great admits. Unless you’re planning on applying to tippy-top schools, I reject the notion that you have to volunteer in a Thai soup kitchen, take a mission trip to Guatamala, or do research with Noam Chomsky in order to get into college.</p>
<p>You can work and save money, but in terms of application, I’d start outlining application essays. The actual application filling is tedious but easy. </p>
<p>LIke k314sig09 said, this will likely be one of your last lazy summers if not THE last one. Enjoy it.</p>
<p>Limabeans, your advice was very helpful. I’ll start doing that now.</p>
<p>Georgetown has released their app already (not a Common App btw) </p>
<p>[Georgetown</a> University- Office of Undergraduate Admissions](<a href=“http://uadmissions.georgetown.edu/applying_firstyear_forms.cfm]Georgetown”>http://uadmissions.georgetown.edu/applying_firstyear_forms.cfm)</p>
<p>there are PDF versions of the apps under “Downloadable Application Forms” and that way you can get started on the essays :)</p>
<p>I would begin visiting the schools as soon as possible. This is important because if you don’t like the school, that is less work you need to do. And plus, tours are much more fun in the sun than in the snow.</p>
<p>I was wondering if this is considered a meaningful/productive summer:</p>
<p>[ul][<em>] Volunteering at a local hospital (8 hours per week)
[</em>] Taking two classes at the local public university (12 hours per week + 5 hours per week of hw)
[<em>] Practicing Varsity football & basketball (20 hours per week)
[</em>] Work on Saturdays at an accountant’s office (4 hours per week)
[*] Studying for the SAT (3 hours per week)[/ul]</p>
<p>For a rising senior, there’s no shame in spending the summer visiting colleges and brainstorming for possible essays. With that said, as others have posted, spending some time working a part-time job, attending sports camps, doing extended volunteer work, etc., can enrich summers and resumes alike. Or, find a project to work on (with some sort of ultimate goal or land mark) - I’m actually a rising college freshman, but I have Rosetta Stone for Spanish, and I’m going to try to learn some before school starts. Be creative!</p>
<p>To prepare for college over the summer you should be doing dual enrollment to prove to colleges that you handle college level work. Also you should have a summer job, volunteering , and doing resaearch for an institutue( intern) that will make you stand out with colleges. In addition to starting your admission essay. Keep this in mind not just foir the summer you should have no prom getting into a college in addition to your gpa and test scores.</p>