Page 7 - KnightTime News May 2019

KNIGHTtime News
GUIDING YOUR COLLEGE PROCESS
By Natalie Ford
We get a lot of questions about what students should do with their summers. And that breeds the next question—is
there any correlation between
the experiences a student has during the summer and how
they present on their college application? Ultimately, we in College Counseling, and certainly the colleges themselves, want students to spend their summers in high school doing what they like to do, and being high school-aged students! Admittedly, this covers
a broad spectrum of options. We know that the vacancy during summer months is a point of worry
SUMMER THOUGHTS
“ULTIMATELY, WE IN COLLEGE COUNSELING, AND CERTAINLY THE COLLEGES THEMSELVES, WANT STUDENTS TO SPEND THEIR SUMMERS IN HIGH SCHOOL DOING WHAT THEY LIKE TO DO, AND BEING HIGH SCHOOL-AGED STUDENTS! “
for families who want to do the “right thing” with the freedom that this block of time affords. Before
I launch into the varied options, here’s the spoiler alert: there’s no right answer.
Do some (not all) colleges ask what an applicant has done over the summer? Absolutely. Are they looking for a specific activity?
Absolutely not. Instead, colleges like to know what students do with their time when they’re not in school and why. The what piece can be a direct result of a student’s interests, resources, and family responsibilities. The why piece
can be a little more nuanced as
it may be dictated by financial resources or constraints, networking opportunities, or something as simple as family caretaking duties
in the home. Summers should be viewed as a time of exploration and not another credential simply to “look good for college.”
What are some examples of what students do during the summer? Due to Menlo’s proximity to renowned research institutions and Silicon Valley companies/ organizations, it’s common for Bay Area students to attach themselves to a research project, which makes sense if you’re into research. And
if you’re not, or don’t know how to
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