Make the most of your summer
February 5th, 2019The recent warm-up after a bitter cold spell has me thinking that now is the perfect time for students to think about summer plans!
The long break from school provides a perfect opportunity to explore your interests more thoroughly. Nothing matters more than a student’s growth during the high school years and by making great choices with curriculum, extracurricular activities and summer engagement, you can become a stronger and more compelling individual. A great bonus: you’ll also become a stronger and more compelling college applicant.
I want to share an article from The Princeton Review titled, 14 Summer Activities to Boost Your College Application. Now, while I can’t promise that each of the items listed will “boost” your college application, I do know that having fun while also working on self-growth is a win-win.
Article referenced below from The Princeton Review
Did you know summer activities can push your college application to the “yes” pile?
Colleges want to see that you are committed to extracurriculars throughout the school year, but they also love it when you are making the effort to expand and stretch yourself over summer vacation. What you do with your time can help you stand out from other applicants who have similar test scores and GPAs.
What Should High Schoolers Do Over the Summer?
Your summer vacation is the perfect time for college prep and to explore potential careers. All summers in high school are important, especially the summers after sophomore and junior year. Check out these summer activity ideas that are fun, creative, and will make admissions officers take notice.
Read more at Princeton Review >>Tagged: Applications, High school, Opportunity, Sports, Summer, Travel, volunteer
Evaluate a global university from afar
November 7th, 2016In the midst of application season, it’s easy to be so task-focused that we lose excitement for what the next step is all about. Yet college is exciting! It is, above all, a place where you will build your future and expand your worldview. Most of our students choose a college away from home so they can be challenged by different experiences; some students choose to be even more adventurous and attend a school outside of their home country.
Although contemplating a school outside of the country may be an excellent choice, there are some factors to take into consideration. It may be difficult to visit all of the international universities that you would like to, or you may not be able to travel abroad at all before making your final decision. According to Anayat Durrani, author of the article we’ve linked to today, there are some great ways to assess colleges overseas without visiting in person. We might add that as is so often the case, the advice in Durrani’s article is also highly relevant to families considering boarding schools outside of their home countries.
Article below published October 25, 2016
Written by: Anayat Durrani
When Singaporean-French student Claire Deplanck and her parents began researching potential universities abroad, they used all available resources – and did so from their home in the Philippines.
Not all prospective international students have the luxury of visiting university campuses abroad. They have visa issues to contend with, as well as time constraints and travel costs. But there are other ways to adequately assess a university without visiting.
Read more at US News >>
Tagged: Applications, Campus visits, College, Travel
Happy travels
February 15th, 2013By Jane S. Shropshire
One of the great joys of college advising is the opportunity to travel. Recently, I visited Charleston, S.C., to visit colleges, attend a conference and explore the city. It didn’t take long to develop appreciation for the beauty and hospitality that so many have extolled over time. As my visit concluded and I boarded the plane to Atlanta to connect to my flight home, the gate agent wished me “happy travels.” I was struck by how perfectly that expressed my experience in Charleston.
Read more at Bizlex.com >>Tagged: Travel
Deadlines Approach on Great Opportunities for High School Seniors
March 7th, 2012by Jane S. Shropshire
Lexington, KY
“If you have the opportunity to go away, go away. When you return, you’ll be that much better of a contributor to our community because your horizons will be broadened and you’ll diversify our thinking,” says Pamela Trautner, Executive Director of the Business and Education Network, a subsidiary of Commerce Lexington, to graduating high school seniors. But before they go, Trautner wants five of the best to participate in her Best in the Bluegrass program over the summer.
Read more at Bizlex.com >>Tagged: High school, Local happenings, Opportunity, Travel