Summer is right around the corner and most families are solidifying summer vacation plans and looking forward to a little break from the school routine.  Even with extra challenges because of Covid-19,  summer provides a perfect opportunity for students to take advantage of some free time and develop their leadership, academic, athletic, and social skills. 

Most colleges are looking for students who have pursued their passions and explored a variety of extracurricular activities throughout their high school career.  So, rather than spending your summer binging netflix or tik-toking the days away, consider participating in enrichment activities that will help build your student profile and resume.  Even simple activities can be valuable as you navigate the college admission process.  Here are a few summer enrichment ideas to consider:

• Volunteer.  Give your time to a local library, food bank, homeless shelter, or other community organization that is meaningful to you.  By giving 5-10 hours per week, you can help local  and national organizations make a significant impact on our world. Sites like volunteermatch.com and DoSomething.org are great places to explore in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities. Whether you participate in volunteer work in your own backyard or across the sea, it's good for you and it's good for others. 

• Pursue an Internship or Job.  To gain experience and invaluable exposure to a career field, consider a summer job or internship in an area that you're interested in pursuing as a profession someday. A job demonstrates responsibility, work ethic, and passion towards those areas of interest.  Work at a law office, a local news station, or at a doctor's office.  Even if you only file papers for the summer, you're still getting great experience and  learning valuable tools for your future.

• Take a College Course.  Consider taking an online class through a community or four-year college to gain credit and possibly satisfy one of your high school or college class requirements.  Programs like Baylor University's Summer of Discovery give students the opportunity to earn course credit at a discounted rate. Many colleges offer summer class options online and most are available to high school students.  Additionally, sites like Coresera, edX and Harvard offer online enrichment courses for free with thousands of course options to choose from.

• Join a Pre-College Summer Program.  There are hundreds of college campuses across the country that provide summer programs for high school students and a few are moving forward with in-person opportunities in 2021.  Most programs run anywhere from two weeks to six weeks and allow students to live on-campus and participate in seminars designed especially for high school students. These programs allow students to learn directly from college faculty and get a glimpse of college life.

• Test Prep for SAT/ACT. Your college application can be enhanced by higher test scores, even if you are looking at colleges with test-optional policies. What better time to test-prep than when you don’t have other school activities and homework as distractions? Consider individual tutoring or classes to learn how to improve your SAT/ACT scores. As a bonus, this prep will help your mind stay sharp over the summer for when you return to classes in the fall. Contact us for more information about summer test prep tutoring! 

• Work on Your College Applications. There's no better time to begin working on your college essays, getting your resume in shape, and finalizing your college list than during the summer months.  Many college applications open August 1st, with a few opening as early as July 1. CLC College Prep offers application and essay assistance to help students get ahead and reach their goals. Contact us for more information.

Whether you take a class, pick up a job, volunteer, or do something else meaningful, remember that the most important thing is that you do something!  Contact us for more information on individualized help that includes summer enrichment planning and advice.