5 Ways to “Get Ahead” During Summer Vacation

1. Attend summer school – You don’t need to be making up classes to benefit from summer school.  Many students use the summer months to take classes they dislike because the classes are typically only 6 weeks long.  Also, students can add in electives during summer school that may not fit in a packed college-prep schedule during the year.
2. Summer School not an option at your school?  Check into colleges and universities.  Typically, these institutions will offer special summer classes for middle and high school students.  One student was able to turn around poor performance in algebra by taking a “kid’s college” algebra class before taking it in school.  The student went from a low C to an A, thanks to the preview summer course.  Many colleges also offer the chance to earn credit for college through concurrent enrollment.
3. Find a part time job – Working shows that you understand being responsible out in the real world and that you understand the value of a dollar.  With tough economic times, it can be a challenge, but colleges are impressed whether you worked 24 hours a week or 4.  They understand that high school jobs are “beginner jobs” and do not judge you based on pay rate, job title (unless you get yourself into some sort of leadership role, which is a positive), or how many hours you worked.
4. Strike out on your own – In tough economic times, teens have to compete with older individuals with proven work records and a strong need to provide for families.  This means that teens are often the first to be eliminated from consideration for jobs.  Many students have coped by striking out on their own.  Some examples include: mowing lawns, babysitting, car washing, painting, personal assisting, internet related opportunities, caddying, etc.
5. Volunteer / Intern – Find a cause you are passionate about and volunteer your time.  This is especially helpful if you cannot find a paying job.  Make it relevant to your interests if at all possible.  Often volunteer work becomes a great basis for your admissions essays!
6. Take advantage of college preparation opportunities – A variety of opportunities surface for students to work on their college admissions quest.  Some programs are multi-day workshops while others are one-day events.  You can even use materials such as books and e-courses to help.  Visit www.racetocollegesuccess.com for information on camps and services that can benefit you, including the Mini-Camp in June at the Embassy Suites in Arcadia, CA.

Janelle Jalbert is the founder of Edusistance, a company assisting in education and business.  Currently, Janelle is heading the “Race to College Success” program to assist students with a variety of college issues including: college preparation, general education concerns such as SAT and other test prep, college admissions, identification of college options and college majors, scholarships, career planning, and such.  Visit www.racetocollegesuccess.com for details.  You can also follow Janelle and Race to College Success on Twitter (RacetoCollege) Facebook (RacetoCollegeSuccess), and MySpace (Race to College Success).