Summer Planning Resource Guide
Why Are Summers in High School Important?
Personal Growth & Self-Discovery
The summer is a great opportunity to explore your interests, develop skills, find new experiences and make new friends. Summers for high school students should include activities that are interesting, challenging and personally rewarding. While your summer should be enriching, also be sure to give yourself a well-deserved break, you've earned it. Take time to relax and have fun, but don't spend your entire summer in front of the computer and TV screen! Balance is the key to a successful summer - plan your summer so that you have a good mix of work and play.
Experiential Learning
Take the skills and knowledge that you've gained in the classroom and apply them in new settings. Hands on experience in the real world, whether through a job, internship or volunteer project will help you learn new skills and develop interests.
Distinguish Yourself in The College Admissions Game
Summer is a crucial time in the college admissions process. High school students that participate in productive and meaningful activities in the summer significantly increase their chances of getting accepted to selective colleges. Being able to highlight summer experiences in your college application will help show admission officers that you are a goal-oriented and motivated individual that takes initiative.
Prevent Summer Brain Drain
According to the National Summer Learning Association, "all young people experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer. Research spanning 100 years shows that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of the summer." Participating in challenging & engaging summer programs stem the effects of summer learning loss and will help you get off to a good start next September.
Summer Suggestions for High School Students
Pre-College Programs & College Courses
Most pre-college programs are at least 2 weeks long and allow high school students to "test drive" the college experience by taking classes, living in a college dorm, participating in campus life events and meeting new people. If spending a few weeks on a college campus is not viable for you this summer, there are opportunities throughout New Jersey to take college classes at nearby universities and earn undergraduate college credit. You can decide to take a college course in a STEM-related field to deepen your knowledge in an area of interest or you could pursue a new subject, such as psychology, journalism or a new foreign language.
Work/Internship
Look for opportunities that align with your future career interests, provide a challenge and build your leadership skills. If you can't find something in an area that interests you, working in a retail store or restaurant can be worth more than just some extra money in your pocket. College admissions officers tend to value minimum wage jobs just as much, if not more, than "fancy" internships. Real world, hands on experience is valuable, no matter what the setting.
Summer Camp - Day Camp & Overnight
More than 500,000 college students across the United States spend their summer as camp counselors. Working at a summer camp is a rewarding, challenging and memorable experience, with benefits that extend far beyond the pay check. As a camp counselor, you make a positive difference in the lives of younger campers, develop leadership skills and make new friends. If you enjoy working with kids and and being outdoors, consider becoming a camp counselor.
Service
Serving others and giving back to your community is one of the most meaningful things that you can do, regardless of the season. With you're extra time in the summer, you can dedicate more of yourself to a cause you're passionate about. Whether it's in your local community, in another state or in another country - there are service learning adventures out there where you can make a difference for others.
Travel
There are tons of opportunities for high school students to travel abroad and across the United States over the summer, including study abroad, service programs, cultural immersion, homestays, adventure/challenge programs and more!
Leadership
According to The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, the number #1 skill deficiency of today's young people is leadership - "leveraging the strengths of others to achieve common goals; using interpersonal skills to coach and develop others." Many of the summer opportunities featured above, including work, service and abroad programs, will encompass leadership opportunities. In addition to these, there are leadership training programs where you can learn the skills and behaviors of leadership.
SAT/ACT Preparation
The summer can be an ideal time to prepare for the SAT and/or ACT. Without the pressures or time limitations of the academic school year, the summer is a great opportunity to invest time in boosting your SAT/ACT performance.
Begin making your summer plans today!
On our Student Opportunities page, we have a list of available summer programs. We also have a list of websites for you to discover additional programs on the Find Opportunities page.