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How you spend your summer break matters, and strategy is key. Students who seize the moment and spend their time wisely demonstrate to colleges that they’re quality applicants who are serious about their future.

This summer, strategy is key for college-bound high school students with lofty aspirations of getting into their dream schools. How you spend your summer break matters. 

That’s not to say you must spend every single day working, studying, and volunteering. Colleges and universities expect young people to take some much-needed leisure time to relax when school is out. However, they also expect you to put in some effort and manage your time wisely when you have two to three free months to spare. 

Top schools aren’t necessarily looking for applicants who’ve participated in the most prestigious or expensive extracurricular activities. According to Dr. Nick Strohl, a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale University, “While highly selective summer programs can offer a valuable experience, they are only one of many ways to distinguish yourself as an applicant during the summer months.” 

Summer is the perfect time for high school students to fully immerse themselves in hobbies, explore new interests, spearhead unique projects, or participate in advanced research. So, when admissions officers are poring over college applications, they’re looking for students who have seized the moment, not those who’ve squandered their time away from school by being unproductive. 

We can think of five solid strategies to make the most of your summer break and show your dream school that you’re serious about your education and future. Just remember to also leave room in your schedule for fun, family, and friends.

Pursue Genuine Interests

During his career, Dr. Strohl reviewed hundreds of college applications, and the ones that prioritized quantity over quality always stood out. But not in a good way. “It becomes evident, I think,” he said, “when reading an application, how much a student is invested and passionate about their activities.” In case you weren’t aware, admissions officers are trained to notice when a student’s resume is filled to the brim with disparate, random activity fluff. And they do not reward the applicants who spend their time engaged in busy work to feign community involvement and character.

Quality over quantity is the only effective way forward. To demonstrate passion and intellectual curiosity in your academic profile, pursue endeavours that genuinely interest you. Don’t be afraid to dive into activities or studies that reveal who you are as a person and what you’re passionate about. If that means teaching little kids how to swim at the local YMCA, do that! If getting creative means penning a critical analysis on the storyline development in Avatar: The Last Airbender, go forth and prosper!

Schools want to know that they’re admitting interesting, well-rounded students who’ll add depth and value to their existing culture. Show them who you are.

Develop Valuable Skills

Another way to spend your time wisely during the summer is to develop skills that sharpen your mind, further your professional pursuits, or just make you a more useful person. Again, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to skill development. If you’re a young artist, take some classes at local studios. Or secure an internship at an art museum or gallery, so you can learn how to nurture relationships with professional artists, preserve their work, and curate exhibits. You can also participate in coding courses, work with animals by volunteering at a local ranch or farm, or take cooking classes. 

For students interested in becoming nurses or doctors, see if you can volunteer at a nearby hospital or clinic. You could simply sit with patients and keep them company during their treatments. This will enhance your bedside manner, which will come in handy later in your professional life.

Craft an Authentic, Compelling Narrative

What’s commonplace in your world could be exotic and inspiring to someone else. Don’t take for granted the little things that make you and your life unique. Use your experiences, family dynamics, and community culture to create a narrative in your academic profile that accentuates your character and connection to others. 

Maybe you work at your dad’s auto shop part-time. How has this enriched the bond between you and him? Perhaps you’re turning 15 this summer and are working with your mom and aunts to plan your quinceañera. What values is that experience instilling in you? On an academic note, have you considered creatively combining your interests into an interdisciplinary signature project?

Colleges and universities are attracted to applicants who make unique contributions to their community or can demonstrate standout experiences that differentiate them from other similarly qualified students. Dr. Strohl recalled one student’s stand-out extracurricular activity that sticks with him to this day:

“I’ve worked with a student who was interested in biology and medicine, but also loved to dance. So [during the summer] she organized and taught a dance movement class at a nearby senior home…The classes that she organized were a kind of movement therapy for older adults and seniors in this assisted living home. And to me, it was a really interesting way of her combining her interest in dance with her interest in healthcare and helping others.”

What can you do to stand out?

Demonstrate Academic Fortitude

It should come as no surprise that top schools want to admit students who demonstrate academic excellence in their applications. In addition to sterling GPAs and higher-than-average test scores, admissions officers are on the lookout for applicants who participate in challenging academic courses or programs during the summer. This can be advanced research programs that expose you to niche subjects not typically covered in the classroom, language courses that help you become fluent in Japanese or French, or pre-college programs that introduce you to university-level rigor. 

Having a great personality and well-rounded background are extremely important, but no elective or passion is a substitute for intellectual intelligence.

Take Initiative as a Leader

Admissions officers also love to see high school students who can demonstrate their propensity for leadership and independence. Self-starters who create their own opportunities, rather than just waiting for things to happen, have the upper hand in the increasingly competitive admissions landscape. Students who participate in our leadership and entrepreneurship programs are well-equipped to show top schools what they’re capable of. With the help of Leadership and Innovation Lab mentors, one of our alumni even created an educational cybersecurity module that attracted over 100,000 online students from across 4 U.S. states and Canada. 

From starting school clubs to creating a new business or organization, there are many ways for high school students to pursue leadership. Taking the initiative provides clear evidence of maturity, courage, and a sense of purpose, which has taken LIL alumni far in their collegiate careers.

This summer, remember to spend your time wisely. Pursue only the endeavours that genuinely interest you. Challenge yourself by learning a new skill or studying advanced subjects. Contribute to your community in new and exciting ways that are unique to you and your values, and take the lead on innovative projects. Your dream school isn’t looking for cookie-cutter applicants. Instead, it’s trying to create a student body filled with clever, curious, and well-rounded young adults who make their schools better academically and culturally. Convince them that who they’re looking for is you.