As our senior friends on the Westside start to hear about their college acceptances, the reality for us juniors is beginning to sink in that it is our turn next. As spring break looms, I know I’m not the only one planning the inevitable East-coast college tour.
But, before we can begin our “National Lampoon†road-trips, my classmates and I have been contemplating how we should spend our summers. While it is beyond tempting to want to spend our last high-school summer poolside and sun-soaked, the pressing question which lurks in our minds is should we utilize that time to polish our college resumes.
I wondered if it would be of value to our readers to create an anonymous survey from various college-bound seniors, asking them to share their views. The survey consisted of responses from 40 students west of the 405.
When asked, “What did you do last summer?†52% of the students said they participated in a pre-college residential study program; 39% said that they held an internship or a job; 5% said they did community service; 3% said that they traveled; and 1% said that they did nothing. Pre-college programs included courses at UCLA, CSU, and Harvard; while the diversity of internships ranged from working for a Shakespeare company, fashion institutes and also doctor’s offices. Additionally, nearly all students agreed that it is imperative to finish your personal statement.
Among these students, 65% admitted that the societal pressures to do something that “looks good for college†acted as an influence when planning their summers. Several students agreed that it is necessary to do something that looks good for college; one in particular said, “I think it’s far more beneficial to do something that looks good for college. The truth is that the applicant pool is very competitive, so anything you can do to get ahead will help. If you can find something that looks good for college and is in your field of interest then you should do it!â€
However, certain respondents strongly opposed this notion. One student said: “You should participate in something over the summer, but not for the college application process’ sake. The most important thing to remember is to be true to yourself. It will make this undertaking a whole lot easier.â€
In my opinion, I agree that there should be a balance between being productive and having fun. From my own experience of speaking with college admission personnel, they all advised not to try to impress them with extravagant summer activities, but to pursue your own passions. College representatives who visited my school comically mentioned that “if building huts in Africa is your dream, go for it, but if not, don’t do it to try to impress us.â€
I really appreciate everyone’s honesty and help with this survey. My next column will be written from the road, as I too, embark on visiting colleges back east!
