SUMMER!!!!

Well, here we are at the end of another long year.  Summer is finally here, and the last thing most students want to think about is school.  For those students, I have a bit of advice: take a few weeks to relax and enjoy the freedom, but if you want to preserve some of that freedom and leisure later in life, spend some time this summer thinking about (and working towards) your college plans.

Before I jump in with suggestions on how to do that, let me re-iterate some arguments from my very first post on why you should give up some of your precious summer vacation time to explore college:

• College graduates, on average, earn about $20,000 more per year than students with only a high school diploma.  This is mostly due to a higher rate of pay (rather than working more hours), so you have to work less hours to maintain the standard of living you want => more free time.
• More importantly, you have more options for work - more possibilities available to you and possibly more variety in the places you can get a job => more freedom.

Furthermore, summer is a great time to explore some options because you probably have more time to look into different colleges (on the internet as well as through campus visits) without the stress of homework and tests to study for.  Of course, I am going to suggest you use some of this free time to prepare for the SAT or ACT, but that's different than studying for a chemistry midterm next week.

So, where do you go from here?  Below is my advice for how to spend your summer, year by year, to help minimize the stress of both students and parents (and your counselor!) when the time comes to apply to colleges:

FRESHMEN

If you've just finished your 9th grade year, congratulations!  Not only have you completed an important first step in your high school career, you're beginning to plan for your future.  This is an exciting time - you're in a place where almost infinite possibilities are in front of you.  Your biggest task is to start exploring those options and figuring out a direction for your life.  I don't expect you to decide exactly what you are going to do at this point, but a little direction is a good thing.  During this summer, I urge you to do the following:

• Create a "long list" of college choices.  This list should include any colleges and universities that look interesting to you.  This is like the pre-writing/brainstorming phase of writing a paper - anything goes.  Don't edit yourself.  Don't consider price, admission prospects, or anything besides "does this look like an interesting college?" You'll narrow your list down (way down) later; at this point you're just generating a list of possibilities
• Take some time to spy on yourself.  Notice what you like to do when you have a little free time.  When you're randomly surfing the web, what sorts of sites do you land on?  When you're flipping the channels on TV, where does it end up?  If you have a few minutes (or, now that it's summer, hours) with nothing to do, how do you fill it?  Noticing what you do when you don't have to is an excellent way to determine what your interests are.  Spend some time this summer exploring these interests.
• Try to find some work - either paid or volunteer.  If you're doing volunteer work, see the note above and notice what sorts of things you're inspired to volunteer for.  Make sure to take notes on  what hours and duties you have; your college and scholarship applications will ask for this information
• Begin working on figuring out how much college will cost and how you will meet those costs.  Most colleges have a net price calculator that will give you a general idea of the cost.  Go to Fafsa4caster.ed.gov to get an estimate of your family's expected contribution (what the government expects your family to pay before financial aid kicks in).

SOPHOMORES

You've just finished your 10th grade year and you're halfway through high school.  College admission time is coming closer and closer.  Your focus this summer should continue to be exploring your goals and aspirations, while starting to narrow down your college list (if you started one last year) and prepare for college admission tests.  In addition to the steps listed above for 9th graders, take some time this summer to do the following:

• Continue to add to your "long list" of colleges as you find new places of interest, but you might also start removing some that won't fit your long term goals.  How do you know?  Spend some time on the internet researching the schools on the list. 
• If you haven't already done so, explore some private as well as out of state schools.  Some students reject these out of hand based on financial considerations, but some private schools offer all aid in the form of grants (rather than loans), and some out of state schools participate in interstate tuition exchange programs and may be more affordable than you think (see my previous blog on the Western Undergraduate Exchange for more information).
• If you happen to be taking a trip near some of the colleges on your list - go visit!  Nothing will give you the feel of a college like being on campus.
• Get a job.  Paid or volunteer; either one will give you valuable experience, some good information to put on college and scholarship applications, and possibly some income.  Don't, however, volunteer simply to have something to put on your application - make sure to find something you care about and want to make a contribution to.  It's not just about the applications, your volunteer work should be personally fulfilling and make a contribution to your community.
• Prepare for college admission tests (SAT and/or ACT - if you don't know which to take, see my previous post on testing options).  A wealth of information can be found at collegeboard.org (for SAT) and actstudent.org (for ACT).  Plan to start taking these tests next year, and if you haven't already done so, ask your teacher or counselor if your school offers the PSAT or PLAN when you get back in the fall.

JUNIORS

Only one more year of high school to go!  In terms of college planning, you have the biggest job this summer.  Once fall rolls around, things will get busy with your final academic push of your high school career as well as college applications.  For your own benefit, please spend some time this summer on the following tasks:

• Narrow your long list down to 5-7 college you are planning to apply to.  I encourage you to put at least one private college and one out of state school on your list.  You should also have at least one school on the list you are fairly sure you will get into, along with one or more you consider a "stretch".
• Make a timeline of deadlines for admissions for the school you will be applying to and put these dates on your calendar.  This will make things much easier for you, your family, and your counselor once you get back into the craziness of school.  Once school starts, try to meet with your counselor and share this calendar with him or her.
• Start writing your admission essays, if required.
• Make a list of people you plan to ask for letters of recommendation, if you need them.  When school starts back up in the fall, ask them IMMEDIATELY, so they have time to think about it and write you a good letter.
• Get a job.  The advice I've given to the freshmen and sophomores applies to you as well - this could be either volunteer or paid.  
• Think about how you're going to pay for college.  For the schools on your short list, estimate the net cost of attendance and your expected family contribution (this can be done at fafsa4caster.ed.gov).  This is a really good time to begin planning how you are going to meet the financial demands of college.  Don't let the price of college scare you off though - remember the statistic above on earnings.  The total estimated cost of attendance at many public institutions is around $20,000 per year.  Chances are your cost will be a little less, as most students get some sort of financial aid.  Averaging an additional $20,000 per year in income, your education will pay for itself after a few years of working. 
• Decide if you need / want to take the SAT or ACT one more time.  If so, you'll want to do this early in your senior year so schools will receive your scores in time to consider them in their admissions decision.  If you will be taking the test, visit the college board website (for SAT - collegeboard.org) or the ACT website (actstudent.org) for resources to help you prepare.
• If possible, go visit the colleges on your short list.  Plan to attend an informational session with an admissions counselor as well as the general campus tour.
• Take a minute to congratulate yourself on the hard work you've done so far and experience the joy of the possibilities in front of you.

SENIORS

First of all, congratulations! You've graduated.  Take a moment to bask in the glory of your accomplishments.  Ok, now my advice for you depends on what you've done so far.  If you've followed the list of recommendations above and already been accepted to college, enjoy some time with your family and friends before you head out on your new adventure.  For those of you that don't have your plans laid out, consider the following:

• Some schools still have room for the fall.  To see where you could still apply for fall, check out the following space available list: NACAC Space Available List
• Consider starting at a community college.  California has an extensive community college system with some great schools and very affordable tuition.  Neighboring states have community colleges that participate in the Western Undergraduate Exchange Program, so you can attend at a reasonable cost.  Keep in mind, though, that if you are planning to attend a UC or CSU school, and if you take any community college classes after graduating high school, you will need to complete a full two years of lower division coursework before you can transfer.
• If you are planning to take a year off and apply to a 4-year school next admission cycle, think about what you are going to do with this year to improve your chances of admission.  Look into programs like Americorps that will give you valuable experience, contribute to your community, and provide some funding for your education in the future.

Wow, I think that's my longest post yet.  This is an exciting time for all of you, and I wish you the best of luck!  Finally, in spite of all the homework I've just given you, don't forget to enjoy your summer!