what are good extracurriculars to do over the summer?

Trying to get internships or opportunities to shadow are often standouts. They demonstrate a) leadership- that you were accepted and responsible in a position of your interest in a professional setting b) curiosity- that you took the time to learn about your passion c) commitment- especially if your internship is unpaid. This demonstrates that you are responsible and willing to dive into your passion, even when it’s hard some days. BUT, there are still plenty of opportunities if this isn’t accessible for you. Volunteering, having a job, athletics, and clubs still all look great. If nothing else, dive into your hobbies! Colleges want to see you as a whole, someone who has developed themselves in a lot of areas (even if it’s something as small as a knitting club).

You got this!

I would recommend participating in volunteer work that relates to your top passions that are expressed within your application, like in your essay or other extracurriculars. Along with that, if you are looking to join more extracurriculars this summer I would recommend joining things that are also related to your passions. I would say it would be even better if you were able to get a leadership position as a volunteer in a passion area. Otherwise, I would recommend joining groups such as tutoring groups, reading clubs, groups that volunteer and help the community, and if your town has town meetings or any other groups that you would be able to join that you would be able to help serve your community it as well. I hope some of this helped!

I'd suggest trying just to get involved in your community. I think a someone interested in international relations this would be valuable to show that you care about people. This could be by helping at a soup kitchen, your local YMCA, or just offering to mow people's lawns who might have a lot of difficulty getting it done.

Also internships or job shadows are always great, just making connections with people will be very important in your future, so getting some experience in this will not only show colleges that you are prepared for the social aspect of the work force but also that you are confident. Extra points if you can get a letter or recommendation from someone you meet through one of these.

Also, taking action yourself will look great, whether it's getting involved in volunteering normally done by older people, or starting something independently to help out people, be it making a tech help desk for senior citizens at a library, making blankets to give to kids at your children's hospital, or organizing peer mentoring! Taking action and making something happen independently will look amazing- especially if you are struggling to find a program to get involved with.