Top 6 Summer Activities - Summer Activities to Impress Colleges

As college admissions becomes more competitive, students are increasingly using the summer as a time to try new activities and get involved in programs that will look impressive to colleges. Here are some suggestions of summer activities in which you can get involved to bolster your college admissions resume.

1. Get a Job or an Internship

While some jobs will be more interesting to colleges than others, any summer employment will show colleges that you're doing more than sitting around and watching TV.

If you can (and this can be hard), try to do something that will provide you a glimpse into a potential future career. If you want to be a doctor, try to get a job in a hospital. If you're thinking about architecture, spend some time with an architect.

2. Perform Community Service

Because you'll have lots of free time and good weather, the summer can be a perfect time to investigate community service opportunities. Can you work at a soup kitchen or with a church project? Are there tutoring or mentoring programs at your local library? Colleges like summer activities where applicants get involved in their communities.

3. Take a Productive Trip Somewhere

While such trips are increasingly popular, there's no need to spend thousands of dollars on a charity mission to Africa or South America. Colleges can be suspicious of programs that only the wealthy can afford and that seem designed solely for resume building.

But when planning a trip in the United States or abroad, you might think about how you can turn the trip into a learning experience. Can you stay with a foreign family? Volunteer some of your time? See something important?

4. Summer School

Learn something! Try taking classes to help you advance in school subjects that interest you, or enroll in a class not available at your high school. The summer can be a great time to master a foreign language, study film or theater, or finally learn how to program a computer.

5. Study for Standardized Tests

If you're going to be a senior and don't yet have the scores you want on the SAT, ACT, or Subject Tests, the summer is the ideal time to study for the fall exams.

If you're going to be a junior, the summer could be a good time to get an early head start on the SAT or ACT.

Start by researching test prep classes or buying a popular SAT guide.

6. Improve Your Skills

If you're an athlete, you should spend the summer staying in shape or practicing your sport. If you're a debater, you can spend the summer finding arguments and practicing your technique. If you're a musician, in addition to practicing you can use the summer to learn a new style or instrument.

While this might not look super-impressive on your admissions resume, the practice will enable you to excel in your activities once the school year resumes.