PRODUCTIVE SUMMER FOR STUDENTS AND ATHLETES (2025)
"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot." - Michael Altshuler
School is out and it is time to relax, unwind, travel with friends and family, and enjoy some much needed down time away from school. Below are some suggestions for how you can make this summer productive while still enjoying having less of the time constraints of the academic year.
TED TALKS
Expand your knowledge into new avenues or continue learning with existing passions and interests. Here is a Google Sheet with every single TED Talk. They are quick, fun, and powerful.
Every TED Talk in One Google Sheet
BOOKS FOUND ON COLLEGE SUMMER READING LISTS
These lists of books for summer reading were found for colleges across the country: A handful of colleges and universities release a recommended summer books and reading lists for incoming students. Not every shoe fits every student, of course, but take a look if inclined.
GoodReads - "Summer Before College"
CollegeRaptor - "Making the Most of Your Summer"
CommonReads – hit list from many colleges
GET OUT INTO YOUR COMMUNITY
It is no secret that colleges want well-rounded applicants who view the world as something bigger than themselves. It is never too late to get out there and volunteer for a cause that speaks to you. Here is a great website that lists tons of volunteer opportunities in your area.
In the link, use the buttons below the pic for lists of opportunities that may be in your areas of interests. Remember: On a college application, it is better to be passionate about one or a few things where you invest real time and energy instead of many where your time is thin.
GREAT READ ON “DEMONSTRATED INTEREST”
This is a little older now but is an excellent look at how demonstrated interest has affected admissions decisions at three very different schools: Large Public, Ivy, and Small Private. There are some nice pointers in here and definitely worth a quick read!
Colleges and Demonstrated Interest
PODCASTS
Here are two pretty quick podcast episodes that have some great information.
Schools Most Generous with Financial Aid
Planning a Summer as a Student or a Parent
ATHLETES: GET TO CAMPS AND SHOWCASES
You can go national or you can stay more local, but get out there and get in front of coaches. Try to attend at least one “mega camp” or multi-school camp where you compete against many other athletes from your area and beyond.
This is excellent for gauging coach interest and especially too in gauging the competition that you are up against for roster spots!
“Time” is very important in the search and recruiting process, so the more information we have now, the better and more educated decisions we can make down the road.
Please let us know if you need any assistance at all with finding camps!
STUDENTS AND ATHLETES: GO LOOK AT SCHOOLS
No matter where you are in your search process or where you are geographically, go get your feet on the ground and see different campuses with your own eyes. Go to private, public, large, small, whatever you can find. You may be surprised with the results.
Think of it like you are about to buy a new vehicle: Sure, a car, a ruck, a jeep, a motorcycle, those will all get you to a destination, but they are certainly very different rides. Go test drive!
Let us know where you are headed and we can give you more info on what to look for, ask, make sure you investigate, etc., while on campus either on your own or with a campus rep.
You can also use Google to find thousands of virtual tours for colleges and universities. These are not the same as in-person, and they will always show you the best parts of campus, but it will give you an idea. Appily has a lot of schools registered, you may need to create an account first though.
