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Pe-collegiate summers are battlegrounds for increasing your chances for college admissions. If you are someone who is not participating in any internships or summer programs (whether it be because you were not admitted or because you could not attend) do not fret! Below we will talk about your options for maximizing your summer opportunities.
Summer Options
Depending on your availability and home situations, you may want to consider the following: a part time job, a passion project, or a research project.
Part-Time Job
If you are looking to make some extra cash and gain interpersonal and leadership skills, you may want to consider a part-time job at a place of interest. Think about what you enjoy doing and where you could potentially see yourself in the future. If you are able to discover your passion for the field or further develop your passion in something you are interested in, this work experience could definitely help you achieve your goals. Ideally, you would want to partake in a leadership position and this could take multiple forms: manager at a restaurant or local store, small group leader, project manager at a non-profit, etc. If you are cautious, start small and work your way up.
If you are unsure of where to look for a part-time job, you can start by deciding what your focus is for the job experience: to learn about different fields, to earn money, to specialize in a certain field, etc. From there, look up local opportunities that meet your interests. For students interested in healthcare but are unsure of where to start, shadow different fields and look into smaller clinics that specialize in your area of interest. For students that have no particular interest in any field and just want to earn extra money, apply to a local store or restaurant to gain interpersonal skills and network. Just remember that there are plenty of valuable learning opportunities within each aspect of all jobs.
Passion Project
For students that have a personal interest that they hope to pursue, we recommend a passion project. A passion project is where students identify areas of growth within their community and collaborate with others to design and execute a project to address that area of growth. For this project, it’s important to make concrete and tangible steps that address current concerns and display your skills and talents. Some ideas to consider are establishing a tutoring program that connects more experienced students with students who struggle in a particular topic or subject, designing a schoolwide or social media campaign that raises awareness on a particular topic and advocates the cause, or launching an app or software program that offers a useful and practical service. There are many opportunities to make a difference in your community through a passion project and they will help show colleges that you are working towards a goal. Linking this project to what you want to achieve in college will definitely make you a more qualified college applicant.
Research Project
Especially for those interested in STEM, you can boost your college admissions with research ⇒ [INSERT THE LINK TO THE ARTICLE: “Boost Your College Admissions with Research”]. We recommend you choose areas of interest that are tied to either the major or occupation you intend on pursuing. There are multiple options for you to explore, but it depends on what kind of research experience you are looking for. If you want something that is more routine and hands-on with the potential of publishing your research and presenting at conferences, then you may want to consider joining an established research program. If you are someone who wants a more flexible schedule and a personable approach where you have the full creative liberty to manage the research, then you may want to consider running your own independent research.
How SK Education Can Help
Here at SK Education we can help your student identify the best course of action for your summers and connect you to resources that will help you develop your college applications.
Key Takeaways
- You do not always have to have a summer internship or program to make your summers productive.
- Depending on your interests and availability, the best options for you can be a part-time job, a passion project, or a research project.
- Make sure you fill your time with something that shows you are willing to learn and grow.
