How prospective college students should spend their summer | College Connection
While it may be snowing, or at least cold, these days, students with college in their future would do well to be making their summer plans.
Time off from the restraints of the school year gives students the opportunity to stand out from their peers and create experiences that will prepare them for higher education and impress college admissions officers.
One of the most important decisions that college-bound students need to make regards their choice of major. This is the key criteria in identifying best-fit colleges, and students can easily gain insight through their summer activities. There are a multitude of pre-college summer programs offered at colleges throughout the country, including many close to home.
High school students interested in business may want to consider attending The Rutgers Business School Summer which costs $2,200 for a one-week program, including housing, meals and field trips. Students are introduced to various business disciplines: Marketing, Management, Accounting, Finance and Supply Chain Management. Registration has already opened for this program which typically sells out by late February.
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Students interested in learning more about disciplines in STEM may want to consider pre-college summer programs offered at Stevens Institute of Technology. One-week residential programs cost $2,950 while two-week courses cost $4,500. Among the program offerings are “Artificial Intelligence in Modern Society,” “Exploring Career Options in Engineering and Science,” “Pre-Med Biomedical Engineering,” “Biology, Genetics & Medicine” and “Cybersecurity.”
The summer also provides opportunities for students to gain “shadowing” opportunities to learn more about a prospective career field. Students seeking to major in physical therapy, physician assistant or a pre-med discipline are often asked, on college applications, to provide information on how they have engaged in the field. Summer is the ideal time to shadow a mentor, participate in an internship or engage in some pre-professional program.
Experience in a multitude of fields can also be gained through volunteer work. Students seeking remote engagement should visit Zooniverse.org, which provides online opportunities to work in collaboration with professional researchers in many fields in science and the humanities.
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For in-person volunteer opportunities, students should check out jerseycares.org, which hosts a daily calendar of projects in a gamut of fields.
Students may want to focus on a “passion project” during the summer, such as creating a portfolio, writing a book, starting their own business or filling a need that they identify within their community.
The options are limitless, but many opportunities require students to plan now in order to have a memorable and productive summer 2024.
Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT® preparation & private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: How prospective college students should spend their summer
