<p>The summer is coming and I want to have some plans. What should I do to help my college applications? Do you have any suggestions?</p>
<p>What are you interested in? Do you live near a college where you can make a connect with a professor/grad student and do some research (pair/unpaid) over the summer that’s worth writing a paper about? Note that research goes on in all fields at the college level, not just that lab work that many students think research means.</p>
<p>How can I make a connect with a professor? Will the professor select a topic for me?</p>
<p>As to your original question, the answer is DO SOMETHING! That’s what they want to see. Even if it is saying, “You want fries with that?” it indicates you did not spend your whole summer at the beach or playing video games. And as to the prestige of the summer activity, believe it or not, summer jobs are not looked down upon. Some adcoms think they show a good work ethic and humility, something they often find lacking in many of their applicants. </p>
<p>As to your follow-up: How do you connect with a professor? Ummm … e-mail. Telephone. The same way you’d connect with anyone. </p>
<p>Here’s a less snarky tip: What is the field in which you desire to do research? If its, say, nanotechnology, search “nanotechnology” and the name of your local colleges and see what hits. That should tell you who at what local college is doing something in your field of interest. Then look up their e-mail address – very easy to get on the college’s website. Then shoot them a letter telling them you are a HS kid interested in their field and do they have any openings for some summer help. </p>
<p>My son did exactly this a while ago. He began with one local college prof, who then steered him to another. The second prof put him together with his main grad student/TA and ta dah! That’s often how it works. </p>
<p>No, they will not “select a topic for you.” That would be lame. This is college, not grammar school. Best of luck.</p>