Tagged: Summer

Summer is the right time to get ahead of the college application process

June 8th, 2021

Summer is here for Kentucky students! Although our advisees in some other regions remain in school a little while longer, I think we’ll all welcome a cleansing exhale following the unusual school year. We hope everyone finds time to enjoy the break from structure that the start of summer brings.

Rising seniors: after a little break, I highly recommend getting ahead of your college application work, little by little. It can really ease the pressure when fall semester of senior year begins. While specific college questions may not be available until August 1st, you can begin chipping away at the Common App throughout the summer.

Because essay writing is one of the most important aspects of your college application, we encourage students to begin brainstorming and drafting prose in the summer months. Use this time to set the central spirit of your message, which will become the foundation for the rest of your application prompt responses. Most importantly, the stress-free summer months are an ideal time for self-reflection and creativity as you begin this process.

To get started, take a few minutes to read the article below from “The College Essay Guy,” one of the best resources we have found on this topic. You’ll learn what colleges are looking for in an essay, and how this differs from academic essays, i.e. what you would write in English class. I highly encourage you to take time to explore the entire site, as there is plenty of useful information throughout (and much of it free!) .

Article referenced below from The College Essay Guy

What do colleges look for (in a college essay)?

In the long, long ago, when I first started my college applications, I felt a little lost as to what exactly I was supposed to be doing.

What were colleges looking for from me?

Luckily, I’ve spent many, many years since then figuring those things out. And I’d love to share them with you.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

The differences between a college essay an English class essay
How to show who you are through what you value
Qualities of a strong college essay
Options for structuring a personal statement/college essay
Differences between a personal statement and supplemental essays

Start the school year with GREAT habits

August 6th, 2019

For many students in our area, school will begin in just a matter of days. The beginning of school is a great time to hit the reset button and have a fresh start. With enough organization, determination and preparation, this year will be the best one yet!

Do you want to know how successful students are making it happen? In the article we share below, 8 Habits of Highly Successful Students, having healthy habits inside and outside of the classroom is key. This particular article, although written for college students, is applicable to each and every one of us as we strive to keep a balanced life while setting goals for the future.

Article linked below from College Info Geek, published August 14, 2017 by Thomas Frank

We have talked a lot about how to do well academically here at CIG. That includes:

But of course, successful students don’t just do well academically; they usually do well all around.

So, the question is:

What separates truly successful students who have it together and do well in all areas of their lives, from the ones who just do well on the academic side of things?

This question could be answered many ways, but one clear answer is that successful students cultivate habits that set them up for success.

Summer is the right time to tackle the Common Application and main essay

July 9th, 2019

We have officially entered into the “dog days of summer,” typically the most sweltering stretch of this season. For high school seniors, this is the perfect opportunity to spend a few hours in air conditioning and get a head start on college applications.

Don’t wait until school starts, when you’ll be overwhelmed with new classes and activities. Follow the steps below to get a jump start on college applications now.

If you haven’t yet done so, set up your account(s) at www.commonapp.org and/or http://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/
- Be generous with details as you list and describe activities, work experiences and academic honors.
- If space in Activities and Honors sections seems insufficient to explain fully, the “Additional Information” portion of the writing section is a great place for supporting details.
- Everything you’ve put time and energy into during your high school years, summers included, is worth describing.
Your main essay should provide insight into who you are and complement the balance of your application
- Think of yourself as a Hollywood screenwriter telling a story packed with vivid details! The story should help readers understand how you think, and what makes you tick.
- Brainstorm topics and make notes about how best to develop ideas before beginning to draft prose.
Caution: supplements currently showing up in Common App are for the admission cycle just completed, so should not be tackled; after the Common App refreshes August 1, new supplements for your application cycle will begin to appear
- In the meantime, some college admission websites will feature their essay and short answer questions for the upcoming cycle’s supplement, so you may have a chance to begin work on these.
- When responding to supplement questions asking, “Why this college?” respond with concrete details demonstrating your depth of knowledge and understanding about the institution. Discuss areas of study, down to course names and faculty research interests. Mention extracurricular organizations by name. Show colleges where you’ll plug in, where you’ll make a difference. One more tip: avoid references to reputation, beauty of campus, special shops nearby since these are widely understood as mere space-fillers.

Rising seniors will start the academic year right if their Common Application (and/or others they’re submitting) are largely complete by the start of fall term. Use the summer to move application and essay work forward, and we promise you’ll be glad you did.

Tagged: Applications, College, Common application, Essays, Summer

A summer job or internship can change your life

June 25th, 2019

Summer break lends the perfect opportunity to gain real world experience through an internship or summer job. Teenagers who take on this responsibility can foster skills in organization, time management, and self-confidence. And sometimes these opportunities can lead to a better understanding of their field of interest.

In today’s blog post we share an article written for graduate students working on summer internships. Why?

Believe it or not, it’s equally relevant to high school and college students. The most important thing you can do this summer is make the most of your time. Use each opportunity as a learning experience whether it’s an internship, or paid or volunteer work. This will lead to a proactive approach and can help you not only determine your future goals … but reach them!

Article linked below from Inside HigherEd, published June 12, 2019 by Andrew Bishop

For many grad students, summer is a chance to leave the classroom and have a new experience outside of the university environment. Some programs (like mine) require students to participate in a summer internship within their respective disciplines so that they can practice newly acquired skills, explore potential career paths, and build their resume. Internships can provide you with a new lens through which you can contextualize your work and see where you fit in the broader field.

The problem with internships is that they can often be hit-or-miss. While some organizations have a robust program that allows interns to dive into engaging projects and receive mentorship, others are ill-equipped and barely have enough work to fill one’s time. As an undergraduate, I had internships across this spectrum. I remember the excitement of digging into research on education policy that came with one internship, but also the boredom that came with another.