(Quick note to Moms, Dads, and other primary care givers: I know you’ve said very similar things to your kids. But, of course, they won’t believe it coming from you. So print this out and leave it on their pillows. The third-party approach often works like a charm ;-))
The most important criterion—and the most frequently heard buzz word—in today’s college admissions game is passion. Demonstrable passion. Anyone can CLAIM passion about his or her interests, but picture admissions committee as one giant D.A. from Lily Tomlin and company’s awesome kids’ show The Magic School Bus, running around with a clipboard demanding that you “PROVE IT!”
The way to prove passion on college applications is being able in good conscience to report lots of hours of time on task. 
Most applications, including the CommonApp, REQUIRE you to list the number of weeks per year and hours per week you are engaged in your most meaningful activities. Summertime is your biggest block of discretionary time, and how you choose to spend it speaks volumes about who you are. Don’t squander the opportunity. You have Dr. Yo’s permission to sleep in till noon for ONE WEEK after your last final or standardized test. Then it’s up and at something, junior!
I’m a great believer in goal setting in general. After all, if you don’t know where you’re heading, how will you know when you get there? See, for example, A1 Tip for High School Success and College Admissions, Catch the Back-to-School Wave, and Dr. Yo’s 6 Tips for September Goal Setting.
If you want to make a change in your life, if you want to replace an old habit or develop a new one, if you want to pursue and be able to demonstrate your passion for something, it really is simple: carve out a chunk of time every single day and DO IT! Right now, open a document and type a list of things you want to do before school starts in the fall—places you want to go, people you want to visit, books you want to read and movies you want to see, goals you want to accomplish. Hurry! It’s July already! (Among the things you should consider doing with your time is a CPE SAT or ACT Prep Class, or Precalculus Preview, or APUSH Companion Class or a FREE Academic Stress and Test Anxiety Workshop. I hear they’re excellent. ;-))
Perhaps no time is a good as the summertime for developing and pursuing passions. From summer flings to championship level athletics, from learning how to code that killer game you’ve been dreaming up to finally painting en plein air like the Impressionists, you have time to explore your interests and develop your passions. Let your freak flag fly. The idea is to take a step in the direction of who you really are by throwing down with SOMETHING. Maybe you’ll discover what you don’t love this summer, and that’s okay, too. You tried. You took a risk. They like that, and it’s good for you to be ALL IN.
Many parents and ambitious teens want to know, yeah, but what’s the BEST thing to do during the summer vacation to impress admissions committees. The answer is…I hope you’re listening…THERE IS NO BEST THING.
It’s a classic example of it’s-not-WHAT-you-do-but-HOW-you-do-it that matters. Find something. Anything. And pursue it with passion. Like you actually LOVE it, cuz you do. Video games don’t count, unless you’re coding, not playing.
We’re here to help :-).
See also:
- A1 Tip for High School Success and College Admissions
- Catch the Back-to-School Wave
- Attention Underclassmen and Parents: CommonApp 101 & Hot Tips for Extracurrics: Passion is no ordinary word
- Dr. Yo’s 6 Tips for September Goal Setting
- Two Ways to Choose a College Essay Topic
- Six Quality Summer Activities For Success in the College Admissions Game
- Using the Summer to Gain a Competitive Edge
- Reminiscences of Summer Travel and Study Abroad
- Smart Summer Sessions Course Descriptions