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When my kids were teenagers, “I’m bored” came flowing out of their mouths almost every single day during the summer. They missed their friends. They missed the constant activity. They missed participating in all the school-related extracurricular activities. If you have kids, it’s inevitable that those words will be spoken in your household during the summer.
When you hear those words (and even if you don’t) here’s a list of summer activities that will keep your college-bound teen busy AND help their college admissions process in the future.
SAT Prep
Kahn Academy has many hours of videos to help your student prepare for the SAT. Even though many colleges are going test-optional, it’s a good idea to take the test in case the college your student is applying to requires it for application.
You might also consider hiring a private tutor over the summer to help your student with study skills and using formulas and tricks needed on the test.
Itunes University
Content on iTunes U is accessible through iTunes, an application many students are already using. So it’s easy and intuitive for them to find what they’re looking for. They can download iTunes U audio and video offerings one at a time or subscribe to entire courses and have new items download automatically as soon as they become available.
There are over 600 universities with active iTunes U sites. About half of these institutions — including Stanford, Yale, MIT, Oxford, and UC Berkeley — distribute their content publicly on the iTunes Store. In the Beyond Campus section of iTunes U, students and faculty can access a wealth of content from distinguished entities such as MoMA, the New York Public Library, Public Radio International, and PBS stations.
Preliminary College Visits
Use the summer to visit some colleges and get a feel for the campuses. Schedule some visits during family vacations, or set up multiple visits over a few days. You won’t get the “complete” college experience because it’s summer, but you can walk around freely, check out the library, student union building and even the campus bookstore. If you’re lucky, the summer staff will still be conducting college tours.
Volunteer
Find something that your teen is interested in and encourage them to volunteer over the summer: Habitat for Humanity, a political campaign, or the local hospital. The opportunities are endless and it will teach them community responsibility while contributing to their overall high school resume/portfolio.
Essay Writing
Encourage your teen to use the time over the summer to write, even if it’s a daily journal. This activity will spur ideas and often give them essay topics for the college essay. The more they write, the more comfortable they become and the more accomplished their essays will be.
Start a Business
Yes. Your teen can become an entrepreneur over the summer. They can mow lawns, baby sit, write a neighborhood newspaper (and sell ads), start a Blog and sell ads, or even tutor or coach younger kids.
Search for Scholarships
Summer is the BEST time to concentrate on the scholarship search and send off some applications. Websites abound (Cappex.com, FastWeb.com) to help you find the right match and even if your teen is a freshman, there are scholarships available for all ages and grade levels. It takes patience and time to find them, but worth the effort when the awards start coming in!
Summer doesn’t have to be spent vegging on the couch watching television. “I’m bored” will NEVER be uttered with this list of recommended summer activities.