How to Make Your Summers Count: A Guide to Strategic Summer Planning

Every spring, we get some version of the same question from students and parents alike: “What should I be doing this summer?” And every spring, we give relatively the same answers. You might be surprised to know that our response does not include a list of prestigious programs or résumé buzzwords — but rather invites an honest conversation about what actually moves the needle in strategic summer planning for college admissions, particularly in highly selective processes.

After years of reading thousands of applications from the other side of the desk, we can tell you with confidence: admissions officers are not impressed by a summer that looks productive. They’re moved by a summer that is productive. And there’s a big difference between the two.

So let’s talk about how to actually use your summer well.

What Admissions Officers Are Actually Looking For

What admissions officers are really assessing when they look at what you did with your summers is this: When no one is telling you what to do, who are you? Because you’re often creating the structure yourself, your summer choices reveal your character, initiative, and intellectual interests in ways a transcript never will.

Here is the framework we use when evaluating applications. We were always looking for three things:

• Depth over breadth. A student who spent three summers deepening a passion for Marine Biology — volunteering at an aquarium, conducting a research project, teaching scuba diving lessons — tells a far more compelling story than a student who did a different “prestigious” program every summer just to fill space on a list.
• Authentic ownership. Did you choose to do this summer activity yourself? Or was it your parents? Did you follow through on your own, or did someone manage it for you? We could almost always tell the difference.
• Growth over time. The best applications showed a student who started somewhere small — out of curiosity, a bit unsure, but still exploring — and by senior year had developed genuine expertise, leadership, or a meaningful contribution. That arc is what moves people.

Summer is not about stacking impressive college logos. It’s about deepening real interests.

The Truth About “Pay-to-Play” Summer Programs

There are many summer programs with prestigious university names and glossy brochures that cost thousands of dollars. Here’s the part families don’t always realize: many of these programs are not selective. If you can afford it and have decent grades, chances are you will be accepted.

That does not automatically make them bad. Some are genuinely enriching, well-run, and can give students a valuable preview of college life — particularly after ninth and tenth grades when many students are still in the exploratory phase. They also give students the chance to interact with peers from all over the country and world.

But from a selective admissions standpoint, these programs are often neutral — they do not demonstrate that you were chosen based on merit, talent, or intellectual distinction. They show exposure, but not necessarily excellence.

In contrast, competitive programs like the Research Science Institute (RSI) or the Clark Scholars Program — where a committee of adults evaluated your work and said, “Yes, there is something impressive here” — can genuinely move the needle in your favor.

Grade-by-Grade Summer Planning Guide

Rising 9th & 10th Graders: Time to Explore

If you’re heading into your freshman or sophomore year, the best thing you can do this summer is explore widely and without pressure. This is not the time to manufacture a point of distinction. It’s your time to try things and see what sticks.

• Get a job. Admissions officers love service and retail jobs that teach you how to interact with a wide variety of people and backgrounds.
• Learn a skill. Coding, a new language, cooking, pottery — anything that genuinely interests you.
• Read widely. Students who read publications like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Atlantic, or The Economist demonstrate intellectual curiosity that stands out in applications and alumni interviews.
• Volunteer somewhere that exposes you to people or perspectives different from your own.
• Start a small project related to your academic interests — no matter how modest.

The primary goal at this stage is to build self-awareness and clarify what you like or don’t like. The students who struggle most in the application process are the ones who arrive at junior year not knowing who they are or what they care about.

A note to parents of younger students: The healthiest approach is light structure combined with real autonomy — give your student a few meaningful commitments but leave room for boredom and self-directed exploration. The most compelling applications we read came from students whose parents provided guardrails but trusted them enough to lead.

Rising 11th Graders: Time to Go Deeper

By the summer before junior year, you’ve had some time to figure out what you care about. Now is the time to go deeper in one or two of those areas.

• Writing: Pitch articles to local newspapers, start a substantive blog, or enter local and national competitions.
• Public Health or Science: Find a research lab at a nearby university, a community health organization, or a nonprofit working on an issue you care about — and reach out to offer your services.
• Entrepreneurship: Build something, no matter how small. Think about the problem you’re solving and for whom.
• Academics: A legitimate college course at a local state university or an independent study with a mentor can demonstrate intellectual initiative in a way that resonates with admissions readers.

One more thing: this summer, start paying attention to the stories you’re already living. Your college essays are not far off, and much of the material shaping those essays is being written right now.

Rising 12th Graders: Finish the Story

By the summer before senior year, the most important thing you can do is complete and deepen the narrative your application will tell. This is not the time to pick up a brand-new activity hoping it looks impressive. It’s the time to do something meaningful within the areas you’ve already been developing.

• If you’ve been conducting research, present your findings.
• If you’ve been building a project, launch it with a test group.
• If you’ve been serving your community, mentor someone coming up behind you.

This summer, also give yourself time to reflect. The students who write the most honest and moving essays are the ones who have done that internal work. You cannot fake clarity or authentic voice — and admissions officers can sense when it’s genuine.

What Actually Moves the Needle, No Matter Your Grade Level

If you’re wondering how to use your summer well, here are three principles we encourage every student to follow:

• Go deeper, not wider. Instead of collecting five unrelated activities, deepen one or two interests and produce real work — writing, research, a portfolio, a project, or measurable community impact.
• Choose merit-based opportunities when possible. Prioritize programs with an application process, selection criteria, and academic rigor — where you leave with something tangible.
• Authentic passion beats prestige. One of the biggest mistakes we saw was a résumé that looked curated for adults. It looked impressive on paper but it did not feel real. Colleges can tell when a student is chasing prestige versus pursuing curiosity.

A Few Things That Are Never a Waste of Summer

Regardless of your grade, some things will always serve you well:

• Working a part-time or full-time service job builds maturity, responsibility, and perspective that absolutely comes through in an application. We’ve read hundreds of essays about cashiering at a grocery store that were more compelling than essays about European “study tours.”
• Reading widely and on your own terms. Read fiction. Read history. Read about science, politics, or philosophy. The students who read are the students who can write, think, and engage in an alumni interview with an intellectual spark that clearly sets them apart.
• Resting. You are a high schooler, not an investment banker. A summer that includes joy, relaxation, and time with people you love is not wasted time. You will perform better academically and in your application if you are not running on empty.

The Big Picture

Instead of asking, “What will impress colleges?” try asking, “What would I choose to do if no one were watching?” That is usually the right direction. Top colleges are not looking for perfectly packaged students. They are looking for intellectually curious, self-aware, engaged young people who pursue what matters to them.

Use your summer to become that person. The rest will follow.

If you’re ever unsure where to start, the Admittedly team is ready to help. Our counselors can help you choose a summer plan that fits your interests, builds authentic momentum, and supports a cohesive application narrative.

Frequently Asked Questions