With only weeks remaining in the 2022-2023 school year, high school students must determine which approach to take in regard to their summer break. Students must factor in financial responsibilities, volunteer requirements and college preparation while attempting to maintain their youth. Though summer may pose an opportunity to relax by the pool with friends and family, the break can also offer a time to boost a college resume or add extra zeros to a bank account. 

“I think summers mean a lot to college admissions. How you spend your time can show who you truly are. Because I am a very hard-working person, I know that my work experience during the summers will show on my college applications. When colleges look at your resume, they want to see who you really are, not just the classes you took,” junior Nyla Bryant said.

Learning a new language 

Learning a new language takes time, persistence and practice. Unfortunately, students may feel burdened by assignments during the school year and consequently may find difficulty in picking up a new language while juggling their courses. Learning to read, write and speak a new language can improve memory functions and can further an understanding of one’s own language.

            Furthermore, the development of the skills to learn a new language holds a positive correlation to higher SAT scores, math grades and English grades. Though colleges have begun to look beyond GPAs and made the submission of SAT/ACT scores optional for applicants, high test scores and grades can aid a student’s chance of acceptance.

Gaining work experience 

Whether students wish to work as lifeguards for their neighborhood pools or work in the nearest fast-food restaurant, gaining work experience, and extra dollars, can help students in the long run. With college application fees averaging at nearly $50, students who plan to attend college can benefit from working before their application season. Work experience can also improve a student’s resume as working for a company can help strengthen customer service skills and build a work ethic. For those contemplating joining the workforce this summer, a bit of change to add to the piggy bank does not hurt.

Researching and experimenting

By utilizing free weeks of the year without any other academic responsibilities, students can supplement the extracurricular section of their applications by performing research. Those who plan to major in STEM fields can perform various science projects and indulge in research on genetic disorders. Showing colleges that a student holds enough passion about a topic to deeply investigate it demonstrates a work ethic and can help him/her stand out on college applications.

Publishing

Not only can students publish their research findings to educate others in their fields, but students can publish any work that sparks their interests– including entertainment books. Publishing work related to a student’s intended major or current focus can help sculpt a student’s resume. To write and publish work takes dedication which college admissions recognize and reward.

Not to mention, various self-publishing sites exist for authors who wish to publish books independently. The rise of self-publishing techniques eases the burden of publishing the traditional way and makes publishing as a young student possible. A student simply needs a topic to write about and the dedication to write about it to boost his/her college application. 

“Though I’ll be working this summer, I know I am young and I need to enjoy my breaks. I work hard all year and I definitely deserve a break from schoolwork. Taking a mental break can actually improve my performance in the next semester. I do not want to feel mentally drained during the first semester of my senior year,” Bryant said.

Nevertheless, the summer break has always remained as a time that students long-await. While the summer break offers a time for students to build their resumes and indulge in new tasks, students should enjoy their well-deserved break after working diligently all school year.