<p>What I'm thinking right now is this:
1) maintain good grades
2) send in midyear and final report
3) buy everything needed for college</p>
<p>To the parents who've gone through this process before, should we students do more? What's missing from my list? Are there any low-cost to free summer programs we can attend or should we just use this last summer to hang out with friends/family?</p>
<p>Thanks. I believe this will be pretty useful.</p>
<p>You should take care to maintain good grades like you state and take care of sending in additional required docs.</p>
<p>You should enjoy the rest of the HS experience (while maintaining your grades) since this is your last hurrah in HS.</p>
<p>You should start thinking about what you want to do in the summer - preferably a family vacation since once you start college it gets more difficult for the family to all coordinate leisure time together.</p>
<p>Thanks! I’m wondering if there are any summer programs in the math, finance, humanities, or writing field… not science or research. I will also spend time with family.</p>
<p>Spend quality time with your parents. This family transition is a bittersweet event for them, more than you can appreciate.</p>
<p>If you can swing it financially, travel to a weird and wonderful place. Somewhere outside of your comfort zone. See how the other 7/8ths of the souls on the planet live. The exposure will enrich your college experience. </p>
<p>EDIT: I just saw that you’re a Questbridge acceptee to Yale. Way to go! I’m sure you’ll bring a lot to the college mix. The comment about foreign travel still holds, but maybe for different reasons.</p>
<p>I don’t know about Yale but lots of colleges allow you to start taking summer classes the summer before Freshman year if you’re so inclined. </p>
<p>But, you’re better off IMO to get out and travel if you can. You’ve got another 4+ years to take classes and don’t forget that once there you’ll likely start to get involved so your summers might get used up doing internships, study-abroad (a different experience than traveling abroad with your family), etc.
You might also want to get a summer job to save up some money before heading off to college. You can take a few weeks for your vacation and work the rest.</p>
<p>All right. I guess what I’ll do is stay home and try to find an internship or something useful nearby. Possibly take you up on that offer at a local CC. We don’t have enough money for a vacation or travel experience. Moreover, I’ve experienced much diversity already, so I may not need it as much as others.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the great advice!</p>
<p>I think earning some money is a good way to spend the summer before college. Your parents will be shelling out a lot. It’s good if you can pay for your own entertainment at least.</p>
<p>I vote for gainful employment, too. There are always unexpected expenses in college beyond the offical COA. I also think that it’s important for students to contribute financially.</p>
<p>definitely get a job! :)</p>
<p>Have fun and soak up the joy of being free of academic pressures, at least for a couple of months.</p>
<p>Work. And don’t make the same mistake I did and spend everything you earn.</p>
<p>I don’t know if this applies to you, but my son did a lot of “project” stuff for all of his pre-college years, which resulted in a lot of what might be called “junk” in our garage, attic, work room, basement, underneath the deck and on the patio. I’m talking about parts of computers, robots, other strange inventions like hovercraft. If you have left little pieces of all your pre-college activities all over the place, spend a little time this summer cleaning things up before you leave for college. Your parents really will appreciate it.</p>
<p>Otherwise, you might be spending the summer after your freshman year cleaning it all up, as my son will be.</p>
<p>Also, you mentioned summer programs in humanities and writing. Those are pretty pricey. Why not start a writing project, like a book, a journal, a collection of poems? This is the last time for a while you will be free to spend time on the intellectual projects of your choice.</p>
<p>Congratulations on the QB and Yale success.</p>
<p>Whatever you do, don’t waste your time working unless you really need the money or the job interests you.</p>
<p>Spending quality time with my friends. If I get into PSU Summer session, I will be there.</p>
<p>Work (now why couldn’t that have been a 10 character word!!).</p>
<p>You could consider a job, but above all, arrive at school rested, relaxed and ready to work! That first freshman yr can be exhausting and stressful.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Get a summer job if possible. There seem to be few internships and summer programs designed for this particular summer, so you might as well earn some money.</p></li>
<li><p>Open a checking account in your own name and learn how to use it.</p></li>
<li><p>Read all the stuff that comes from your college as soon as it arrives, and actually do the things it tells you to do (like signing up for housing and dining).</p></li>
<li><p>Familiarize yourself with your college’s catalogue so that you can make intelligent course choices when you get there. Even at this early point, having a general understanding of the graduation requirements would serve you well.</p></li>
<li><p>If there are any medical or dental things you need to get done, try to do them before you leave for college. It will be much less convenient to do them when you get there.</p></li>
<li><p>Make sure that the bursar’s bill gets paid.</p></li>
<li><p>Figure out what transportation arrangements you are going to make for the breaks during and after the first semester, as well as for your arrival at the beginning of the year. Make reservations in advance if necessary. Flights to popular destinations and charter buses between campuses and major cities sell out remarkably quickly.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>My S had a great summer job before college. He found an independent moving company and went to the lot any morning he wanted to work. If the family had something in mind, he’d skip that day, but mostly he worked. He built up his muscles and the money was good. He’s not huge or strong WHATSOEVER. Crews have different kinds of “guys” - some with big muscles to lug the heaviest things, others are the light carriers, putting boxes onto dollies. Prerequisite: tact, not share your college excitement, ability to handle smokers nearby.</p>
<p>Schedule the required physical exam with your home doctor as soon as you get the college paperwork on it. Doctors go away in August, and if anything surprises you, you’ll need time for lab tests and so on.</p>
<p>Read up on these crazy threads from CC, about dorm sheets and what to pack. Discover how obsessive we really are. Do half of what is suggested or less.</p>
<p>Consider organizing a garage sale with your whole family; Sell lots of your stuff and ask family to keep all the money for “your stuff” sales, in exchange for doing a lot of the legwork/organizing on their stuff. Working parents are often too busy to organize these but they benefit the whole family.</p>
<p>If you have younger sibs, try to take them out somewhere special for a day and say it’s their special day since you’re going to college. They’re going to miss you!</p>