What are some good ways to spend your summer?

<p>I am going to be a freshman and I want to research good summer college programs now to be prepared. I want to know any good summer college programs, volunteering gigs, internships, summer jobs, etc... that would look good on a college application. I know that many people say that you shouldn't do something just to impress colleges, but I just want to experience various activities this summer (and the summers to come). Also, money is tight, so any programs with financial aid would be great. Thank you in advance and any response or feedback will be greatly appreciated. By the way, I will check in with my counselor for programs and such later on, but unfortunately, I can only meet with her when the school year begins. </p>

<p>Free, selective summer programs/internships are usually better than ones that cost money. If you can’t get into a free program and you’re just trying to impress colleges, you may as well just get a job at home.
[url=&lt;a href=“http://cty.jhu.edu/imagine/resources/summer_programs/index.html]Here[/url”&gt;http://cty.jhu.edu/imagine/resources/summer_programs/index.html]Here[/url</a>] is a listing of summer programs and [url=&lt;a href=“http://cty.jhu.edu/imagine/resources/internships/]here[/url”&gt;http://cty.jhu.edu/imagine/resources/internships/]here[/url</a>] is a listing of internships.</p>

<p>Are those internships for high school students as well? </p>

<p>Everything is for high school students.</p>

<p>The majority of programs seem to cost money. Is their like an option/button so that I can only see the free ones? </p>

<p>OP, read the Cal Newport book recommended to you on another thread. It will also help you think about how to spend your summers. Really… you are at a perfect point to benefit from it if you are motivated to do so. You will get a ton of different recommendations on a forum like this, but that book will help you figure out WHY you should choose one option over another. </p>

<p>Unfortunately no. Most of the internships are free, though, and some of them come with a stipend.
[Here[/url</a>] is a list of free programs that might be useful, but a lot of them are governor’s-school type programs that require you to live in a specific state. Aside from the programs on that list, I also know of the [url=&lt;a href=“404 - Page Not Found”&gt;http://www.uwyo.edu/epscor/fellowships-and-student-programs/srap/index.html]Summer</a> Research Apprenticeship Program](<a href=“Loading...”>Loading...) at the University of Wyoming and the [Physics</a> of Atomic Nuclei](<a href=“http://www.nscl.msu.edu/teachersstudents/programs/pan]Physics”>http://www.nscl.msu.edu/teachersstudents/programs/pan) program at Michigan State. If you’re interested in pre-college programs where you take classes, the University of Mississippi will give you a full scholarship to [their</a> program](<a href=“http://www.outreach.olemiss.edu/schs/]their”>Summer College for High School Students | Ole Miss) if your ACT score is between 33 and 36 (and smaller scholarships for 27-29 and 30-32). </p>

<p>Okay thanks</p>