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How often have you heard a comment like this: “This girl I know with
terrific grades, perfect SAT scores, captain of field hockey and
president of student council got rejected from her first-choice
schools.” There is good reason to wonder why students with outstanding
grades and test scores and impressive extracurricular activities are
not getting into their first or second choice colleges. Surely they are
capable of top academic performances. But what used to help students
stand out does not always work these days. The well-rounded student is
becoming an outdated concept, say today’s private admissions
consultants. Some counselors say that, for highly selective colleges,
it might be more relevant to demonstrate a profound or narrow passion.
With a concentrated interest, you might match a school’s particular
needs, such as for a college looking for a talented harp player or
shortstop. Some important criteria in the admissions process are: what
type of activity you pursue when not at school and how do you spend
your free time. It doesn’t matter whether you intern with a local
politician, attend an arts enrichment program, volunteer in a nearby
hospital or take care of a sick relative. All these options enrich your
mind and enhance your high school record. So does attending a summer
program. And it’s focused activity like that that can give you a leg up
in the admission process. Many colleges and universities throughout the
country offer academic, art, and sports summer programs for high school
students. If you’re interested in writing, check out the residential
creative writing program at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. You’ll
attend readings and evenings with published authors and get to work on
your own creative genius, too. If it’s college credit you’re looking
for, try UCLA’s summer sessions, taught by regular UCLA and
distinguished visiting faculty. You’ll receive an official UCLA
transcript for the coursework you complete. Students will find
week-long residential courses in astronomy, art and design, creative
writing and entrepreneurial leadership at Alfred University. Or, try an
intensive language or music camp. You can find many summer camp
resources on the Internet, in the library and book stores. And
sometimes, right in your high school counseling office. Attending any
summer program, whether they offer college credit or not, demonstrates
to a college that a student is spending free time improving or
perfecting a skill, studying an academic subject or exploring a totally
new field. The colleges are particularly impressed with the student who
shows a sustained interest in one particular field, but even attending
a five-day enrichment program for only one summer is well worth it.
Your choice may not necessarily enhance your high school record, but it
could be the beginning of a new life-long interest. It could provide
you with a rare opportunity to experience a new field that you might
take up again in college or later on in your life. Summer programs
offer many benefits besides making yourself look good on paper. Living
on a college campus can give you a glimpse into what college life is
like without the pressures you’ll experience as a college freshman. If
you have an interest in a particular college or university, call and
ask if they offer any summer programs for high school students.
Attending an academic summer program where you are applying to college
just might attract the attention of an admissions officer. A student
with an average record and test scores will not be admitted to a
college simply because he or she attended a six-week academic summer
program. However, all things being equal, students who choose to
chal-lenge themselves over the summer and develop potential in any
field can become more attractive candidates to a college of their
choice. Carole Warsawer is publisher of SummerOnCampus.com, a directory
of hundreds of sports, arts and academic summer programs.
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