Seize The Summer (2024 Edition)
Summer is almost here! Are you involved in a summer program? If so, great! Summer programs can be a significant booster to an application. But, if you missed the deadlines or couldn’t find a summer program that suits your interest, there is plenty you can do to continue building your academic profile.
No matter what grade you are entering, one idea is to plan and begin executing an independent project. Or, you can apply to contests to win academic awards. If neither of these ideas work for you, there are other things you can do to keep busy while stimulating your academic curiosity.
Rising Seniors:
Applying to a first choice school is a long process. The application itself will take months to complete. Every year, Ivy Link gets a rush of stressed-out students who need help with their applications. To avoid the stress, here’s what we recommend our students focus on (and don’t wait until August!):
Prepare a “template” essay early on. This will be a good base that can be used in different applications. Common App prompts are already available for the 2024-25 application cycle. So take a look!
Finalize your school list. This is a big decision process that is worth spending a lot of time thinking about. Make a pros and cons list, and decide which school will be your ED/EA choice. You can even start planning early college visits for the fall.
Line up recommendation letters. This is more time-consuming than you think! Teachers or mentors may not see your email, or they may want you to draft a letter for them to build upon. Some might even bail! So start asking now, and line up as many quality recommendations as possible.
Research scholarships. This will take some time. There are so many scholarships out there and you need to find ones for you! You need to give yourself time because applying for them is a process in and of itself!
Prepare your activities list. This too is more time-consuming than most students realize. The Common App asks for a lot of detail for each of the activities you include, so take a look at the application and start compiling that information now.
Rising Juniors:
Eleventh grade is a challenging year. Classes become more difficult, final projects become more involved, and students have to prepare for upcoming SAT and ACT tests. To get ahead of the stress, we recommend our students do the following over summer break:
Get ahead of your upcoming classes. If you know the upcoming reading list for English, or have access to the syllabus for math and science classes, take advantage! It never hurts to get ahead, and you’ll likely thank yourself later.
Create your own project. Turn your talents into a summer-long project.
Research scholarships. The sooner you start the better!
Begin prepping for the SAT and ACT. If you haven’t done so, register to take Ivy Link’s SAT or ACT diagnostics to determine how much prep you’ll need.
Rising Sophomores:
College might seem a ways off, but trust us, it’s never too early for students to start planning their future. Getting a head start on this planning allows time to strategize achievable goals that have maximum impact on their record:
Research profile boosters. Spend some time looking for interesting scholarships/awards and internships to enhance your profile.
Plan for the upcoming year. Make the most of your school’s offerings in academics and extracurriculars.
Get involved. Brainstorm interesting ways to get involved at school and outside of school, such as joining a club with a leadership role.
Whether it is Test Preparation, Academic Tutoring, or College Admissions Advising, Ivy Link helps students maximize their potential and carve a path to success. For further information on any or all of our highly-regarded one-on-one programs, contact us today.
