3 Great Ways to Boost Your College Applications This Summer

As competition for admission continues to get more heated, competitive colleges now seek students with more than just good grades. The challenge then becomes proving that you’re the kind of student they are looking for - a determined and focused student on the path to high levels of success both inside and outside of academia.

For many students, the summer escape provides the best opportunity to demonstrate that they are that type of student, and while many common summer jobs and summer activities provide an enjoyable way to fill the summer, most do not substantively enhance a student’s application.

Below you will find three great ways to both enjoy your summer and meaningfully demonstrate that you are the kind of student colleges are looking for:

1. Stand Out by Demonstrating a True “Love of Learning”

College admissions officers want students whose curiosity and passion for learning extends beyond the walls of their high schools. Former Dartmouth admissions officer Michelle A. Hernandez writes that the “creme de la creme” of the applicant pool are those who demonstrate a “Love of Learning.” They take academic initiative outside the classroom,” taking college courses exploring “a wide range of subjects from astronomy and classical to zoology, impelled by their own curiosity.

Those that demonstrate a true “love of learning” and have excellent grades and test scores, Hernandez says, can get fast-tracked to an “admitted” stamp on their file (even at an ivy league college like Dartmouth)

How To Do It -

Pursue college-level study over the summer in a subject that you are passionate about. While the admissions officers have seen thousands of students that take calculus, how many have they seen that have taken college-level Renaissance History or Combinatorics? Perhaps none.
Earn a letter of recommendation from the professor AND earn an A- or higher in the course. Make sure the professor gets to know you so that he or she can write an insightful and meaningful letter of recommendation

Where to Sign up -

For many students, 1-on-1 University (1U) is an ideal choice. 1U offers courses that are taught one-on-one - just you and the professor in the video chat class - and you can take the classes from the comfort of your own home. Moreover, 1-on-1 University professors are professors, lecturers, PhD.s or PhD. candidates at brick & mortar universities like Yale.

1-on-1 University offers well over a hundred specialized courses such as Screenwriting, Game Theory, Positive Psychology, Abstract Expressionism, Environmental Science. (1-on-1 University List of Courses)

One of best features of 1-on-1 University for summertime learning is that, due to the one-on-one nature of the courses, 1U offers extremely flexible scheduling, which means students would not need to miss out on other summer activities, vacations or jobs.

Surprisingly, even though 1U courses are taught one-on-one with the professor, they actually cost less than taking the same course in a classroom setting of 20 or more students at most competitive private universities.

1-on-1 University Website

1-on-1 University List of Courses

(Please note that only high-performing students qualify to take most courses at 1-on-1 University)

2. Get involved in Science Research

Landing an internship in a science lab and immersing yourself in the world of research demonstrates. While you nearly certainly will not be doing your own research, you will enjoy a vibrant experience learning what it is do to science in the real world.

How to Do It-

1) First, brainstorm what kind of lab you want to intern in - Physics, Astronomy, Chemistry, Psychology, Biology, Neuroscience.

2) Find a lab. This part can be challenging.

The best way is if you know someone personally as they trust you and will be more amenable to the prospect of having you fill a position.
Try emailing or cold calling professors at local universities. Sometimes professors can be difficult to get in touch with so personal connections can be
Try using social media. Make a post on facebook or Twitter telling all your friends and followers what you are looking for and ask them for help connecting you with someone. Alternatively, you can also search for facebook groups and try to make connections that way

3) Make sure to explain why you want to work in the lab, and demonstrate your passion and enthusiasm to assure them that you will work hard and will be sure to follow instructions carefully. Doing so will help win them over and allay their biggest concern (that your internship would be more of burden than a benefit).

3. Start a Business

In the age of the internet, starting a business is now easier than ever. We particularly recommend original products, particularly software-based ones. For students who are already well-versed in coding and know how to create apps, this is an excellent opportunity. At relatively little cost, you can be a business owner. Even if your business is never profitable, it would be extremely impressive to admissions officers to have (1) developed a product (2) have had experience marketing it and (3) turning a profit.

How to Do it -

It all starts with the idea for the product. Think about something that you would like to use. If you are building an app, one up with the idea for a health tracking app, an sports instruction app, a productivity app, a video game - anything you can think of that you would like to use. If this is just a summer project, then keep it on the simple side.
Develop a thorough business plan and be sure to set yourself a planned schedule with a specific timetable as well as a specific budget
Read books, listen to podcasts and watch videos about building a start up. Here are some recommendations to get you started: How To Start a Startup Lecture course on YouTube, The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries and Jack Trout, and How I Built This podcast on NPR.
Put in the work so you can get started changing the world!

Final Thoughts

Summer provides an ideal opportunity to stand out to college admissions officers. All three of these pathways provide exciting summer opportunities.

Starting a Business is the most time intensive and challenging of the three, but if successful could reap the most rewards, both inside and outside of academia.

As far as which is most fun and most readily accomplished, demonstrating “Love of Learning” by taking a summer course at 1-on-1 University is probably your best choice as 1U provides a vibrant learning experience with a high level of schedule flexibility, allowing courses to fit comfortably around any other summer plans and provide an excellent opportunity pursue subject that excite you and fuel your passion for further academic pursuits.

Have a wonderful summer everyone and let me know what you think!

LINKS
1-on-1 University Website

1-on-1 University List of Courses

How I Built This podcast

How to Start a Startup Video Lectures

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