As part of its commitment to student success, CLC encourages students to participate in extracurricular activities during summer breaks. Colleges highly value students who use their free time to engage in activities that showcase their positive character traits, expose them to different cultures, and relate directly to their interests. CLC mentors guide students to participate in personalized activities that will help them differentiate themselves from other applicants.
Summer break is the perfect time to recharge your batteries and spend time with family and friends. But don’t relax too much! When it’s the summer after the 10th or the 11th great, it actually means ‘’do not rest’’! While it’s important to let go off stress and have fun, it’s also essential to think about how you can use your summertime to gain valuable experience, develop new skills, and showcase your positive traits to enhance your college application.
Here are some ways to take advantage of summer’s free time.
Volunteer
Volunteering is an excellent way to give back to your community while also showcasing your positive traits. In Greece, there are various non-profit organizations and initiatives that welcome volunteers. CLC collaborates with such drives, such as refugee aid organizations (“Streetlights NGO’’ and ‘’O Allos Antropos’’), environmental groups (“Fairlife’’), social welfare organizations (“WE4ALL’’), and education equality activists (“Library4All’’). Our mentors will choose volunteering drives that align with your interests and passions. Our mentors at CLC will choose volunteering drives that align with your interests and passions.
Participate in a specialized summer program
Many universities and organizations offer summer programs (on-campus or online) that provide opportunities to explore your interests and develop your skills. It is very important that you engage in a summer research program, a language immersion program, or a leadership camp. These programs can give you an edge in the college admissions process, as they demonstrate your ability to think critically, analyze information, and apply your knowledge to real-world problems. Additionally, research projects can demonstrate your interest in a particular field of study and highlight your potential as a future researcher or scholar.
Take an online course or attend a workshop
Summer is a great time to expand your knowledge. CLC identifies the most suitable and recognized online courses that align with your field of interest or could help you with your future academic or professional goals, choosing from a wide range of topics, from coding to creative writing to public speaking.
Intern or get a part-time job
Internships and jobs can provide valuable real-world experience and teach you skills that will be useful in your future career. This is the optimum way to gain real work experience and probably earn some money too. A summer job can mainly show your organizational skills and responsibility, introducing you to the real corporate world and the current conditions of the job market. The student’s families are recommended to contact their network and provide their child with a position for 10-15 days during the summer. In addition to formal internships, job shadowing can also be a valuable experience.
Pursue a passion project
If there’s a project you’ve been wanting to work on but haven’t had time for during the school year, summer is the perfect time to tackle it. Whether it’s writing a novel, starting a blog, a podcast, a band, a small business, or creating a short film, starting your self-initiated project shows colleges your dedication, creativity, and commitment to your interests and will be highly appreciated by the admissions committee. CLC offers a unique opportunity for you to participate in a group research project. Through CLCEngage, we form 4- to 6-student groups, and, based on their profiles, give them the opportunity to conduct research on specific topics from scientific fields, mentored by CLC’s alumni.
All in all, we can reassure you that by following our advice and guidance and taking advantage of the summer break, you can differentiate yourself from other applicants and increase your chances of being accepted into your top choice universities!
