School’s out for the summer, which means you have plenty of time on your hands to focus on accomplishing other important tasks you need to complete.
With a mix of fun, smart and savvy, these tasks are sure to help keep you on track for your college search and occupy your summer down time with meaningful to-do’s.
Whether you’re a high school junior or senior, there’s plenty to do this summer.
Check out the following suggestions of what should be on a high school student’s summer bucket list, complete with links to help you accomplish each task item:
• Attend college fairs to learn more about potential colleges you’re interested in and get answers to any questions you may have from college representatives.
• Visit colleges you’re interested in to get a feel for the campus to see if it could potentially become home.
• Familiarize yourself with admissions terms – come fall, you will be hearing them often so understanding them would be majorly beneficial.
• Clean up your social media accounts – you never know who might be looking at them!
• Incorporate as many money-saving tips as you can in your daily life.
• Figure out your student banking situation, if you haven’t already.
• Learn how to recognize student scams and scholarship scam signs – you’ll want to be aware of the red flags as you apply for scholarships, financial aid and student loans to pay for school.
• Think about alternative methods of raising money to pay for school. Crowdfunding, anyone?
• Take advantage of the summer melt – financial aid’s best kept secret which can help you gain access to loads of extra money to help pay for school.
• Catch up on your reading by curling up with a great book – it will help you prep for your exams and stay sharp for the upcoming semester.
• Make a test prep study plan that you can follow to prepare for the ACT and SAT.
• Upcycle some old textbooks into cool projects to use as future dorm room décor.
• Consider taking on this list to improve yourself personally and professionally and learn skills which will be beneficial for your future.
• Start volunteering for a cause you care about. Not only does the experience look great on college applications, but will be sure to make you feel great as well.
• Find yourself getting bored during your down time this summer? Conquer boredom with free-time fillers that happen to be free of charge as well.
Your College Search
• Kick off your college search by considering these college choice questions.• Attend college fairs to learn more about potential colleges you’re interested in and get answers to any questions you may have from college representatives.
The College Admissions Process
• Write expressive, insightful college admissions essays so you’re ahead of the application process this fall.• Clean up your social media accounts – you never know who might be looking at them!
Paying for School
• Apply for all of these summer scholarships!• Incorporate as many money-saving tips as you can in your daily life.
• Figure out your student banking situation, if you haven’t already.
• Learn how to recognize student scams and scholarship scam signs – you’ll want to be aware of the red flags as you apply for scholarships, financial aid and student loans to pay for school.
• Think about alternative methods of raising money to pay for school. Crowdfunding, anyone?
• Take advantage of the summer melt – financial aid’s best kept secret which can help you gain access to loads of extra money to help pay for school.
Test Prep
• Prepare for standardized exams like the ACT and SAT…at the beach.• Catch up on your reading by curling up with a great book – it will help you prep for your exams and stay sharp for the upcoming semester.
• Make a test prep study plan that you can follow to prepare for the ACT and SAT.
Life Hacks
• Download these awesome student apps to make life a little bit easier on yourself.• Upcycle some old textbooks into cool projects to use as future dorm room décor.
Action It!
• Contact professionals with careers that interest you and arrange and conduct a job shadow to help you discover your own career path for college.• Consider taking on this list to improve yourself personally and professionally and learn skills which will be beneficial for your future.
• Start volunteering for a cause you care about. Not only does the experience look great on college applications, but will be sure to make you feel great as well.
• Find yourself getting bored during your down time this summer? Conquer boredom with free-time fillers that happen to be free of charge as well.
