Almost Summer ... Next Up, Applications!

Once again, college admission officials say that this past year was the most competitive ever.  A recent issue of Time has a great article on just why admissions rates at selective colleges are so low, and it has much to do with the increased number of applications each college-bound student submits, and the resulting rankings game.  Still, with summer and the promise of more free time looming, is there anything students can do to enhance their chances of being admitted to the school of their choice?

Yes.  While summer might seem like a great time for kicking back at the beach, it’s also a great opportunity for students to beef up their resumes and/or get a head start on the application process in order to impress the college of their choice.   And, while it is true that the selective colleges look more favorably at sustained and deep involvement in fewer activities than superficial or sudden involvement in many activities, experts say it is never too late to enhance your profile.

Work

Employment is one of the most practical ways to build your resume and impress colleges. Even if working during the school year is not an option, there are often seasonal establishments that look for help specifically during the summer months.  At this point, most of those jobs may have been snapped up, but you can always become your own boss and start a business: walk dogs, organize garage sales, mow lawns, organize photo libraries, clean and detail neighborhood cars, etc.  Entrepreneurship looks great on a college application.

Volunteer

Do good. Community service is another great way to gain some valuable work and leadership experience. Find a nonprofit organization that could use an extra pair of hands for a few hours a week during the summer.

Take Classes

Colleges can look kindly upon applicants who take the initiative to further their education over the summer. California’s community colleges offer credit-bearing summer courses for high school juniors and seniors on a variety of introductory-level topics, and students can take online classes from any California community college, provided there is space. This will not only look great on your transcript, but it also provides an opportunity to get a jump start on general education requirements and to explore possible career options.  While many colleges have already begun summer courses, others are beginning summer terms June 16 or later.  Search online at the California Virtual Campus.

Visit Colleges

It almost goes without saying that campus visits should be part of any college applicant’s summer plans. Of course, while these visits are a priority when considering which colleges to apply to, it is important to remember that they should be just one part of your summer equation. A few campus tours don’t constitute a summer’s worth of experience; they should be included in your plans, along with other resume-building activities and experiences, to set you apart from your fellow applicants.

Beef Up Your SAT or ACT Skills

Standardized tests are an important part of the admissions equation at most of the country's highly selective colleges. If you've taken the SAT or ACT and your scores aren't what you think you'll need to get into your top choice colleges, then the summer is a great time to work through an exam preparation book, take a test prep class, or explore the many excellent and free resources online.  Find a list of links on our website.

Eliminate The Last Minute Mistakes

College admissions officials say that some of the most common application mistakes or problems result from the applicant waiting until the last minute.  This includes not giving recommenders sufficient time to write letters with information not duplicated elsewhere in the application, grammatical or typographical  errors in essays, and foregoing opportunities to share additional information when the application allows for it.  The applications and prompts change very little, if at all, from year to year, so there is no reason to wait until school starts to begin.  Start now.  If you need a kick start, check out our Senior Smart Start college application boot camps.

Assess Yourself Online

Now is the time to take a look at your online profile and see what it says about you, as colleges and scholarship committees are increasingly checking social media sites to get more information about prospective applicants.  The bottom line is: would you want your Grandma, your principal or your pastor to see it?  If the answer is “no”, you don’t want your college admissions officer to see it either!