Summer Planning: Your Questions Answered & Myths Busted
While a bit surreal for this Los Angeles native to write a blog about ‘summer activities’ while sitting outside in 40 degree weather (I know, I know…downright balmy for some of you), the winter months present the perfect time to start thinking about all things summer related.
How should your child approach their summer? Should they double down on academics? Should they ‘round’ out their resume? At Village, these types of questions abound at this time of year. So, with my hot coffee in hand, allow me to share some tried and true answers to the most common questions we receive about summer planning.
Is summer planning really that important? Does it really matter?
Yes. Unless you’re interested in your child whiling away their time perfecting their Tik Tok videos (said no parent ever), summer planning matters. The summer months present a unique opportunity for students to focus on personal growth without the added pressure of schoolwork. From a college standpoint, admission officers aren’t simply looking to admit good students, they are looking to admit good citizens, members of the community that will be involved and contribute. To gauge that potential, they will be curious about how your child spent their time outside of school.
What types of activities should students do?
Summer planning is not a one size fits all deal, so what worked for your best friend’s child is not necessarily going to be good for yours. So, rather than a prescriptive list, let me offer some common denominators of a ‘good’ summer activity. Ideally, summer activities are authentic, self-directed, challenging, and enable a student to either deepen an existing area of interest or try something totally brand new. As students mature, they hopefully begin to think of ways in which they can apply their talents and skills in service of others and/or take initiative to create something from scratch.
Should summer activities change depending on my child’s year in school?
Often, yes. For those finishing up their 9th grade year, make summer about exploration. At this stage, exposure is the name of the game, so it’s important that students try different kinds of activities on for size to see what they like. For 10th graders, it’s still about exploration, but students might want to consider ways to deepen and focus their involvement. By junior year, hopefully your child has acquired some news skills and refined some of their interests. Now, how can they put those talents to good use? At this stage, it’s great to see students apply what they learn and go beyond the self to consider ways that they can lead or serve others.
My child could accelerate their math (or science, or foreign language, etc) curriculum if they take geometry this summer. Shouldn’t they do it?
Lots to unpack on this one. While it’s not an inherently bad thing for a student to take an academic class during the summer, it’s important to closely examine the motivation for doing so and consider the tradeoffs involved. 7 - 8 hours of school, five days a week, for nine months out of the year is no joke. To be healthy, students need pursuits outside of academics. Just like little kids, teens still need time to play, rest, be creative, and (gasp) get bored and (double gasp) figure out how to get unbored. So, think carefully about having your child spend all of June and July in a classroom for hours on end. Unless they are SO passionate about math and it’s this passion, rather than a perception of ‘what looks better’ for college that is driving the decision, I’d consider steering in a different direction.
In addition to answering some of the most common questions we receive about summer planning, I also wanted to take a moment to bust some common myths.
Myth 1: If my child takes this summer program at X university, it will increase their chances of getting in.
Sorry, this one is generally a big fat no. Don’t get me wrong, college programs can be wonderful opportunities for students, particularly younger students. Spending time at a college can help your child determine if they are interested in a particular subject and can be a great way for them to try out quasi-independent living. Those programs can build knowledge, resilience, and new friendships. And it's for those reasons that you should consider a college program. Rarely, if ever, do these programs have meaningful bearing on an actual admission decision.
Myth 2: I heard that…my child needs more community service…or leadership…or sports…or any other number of options in order to be competitive for X school.
I am almost always wary of sentences that start with ‘I heard that’ and I would encourage you to cultivate a similar skepticism. I cannot recount the amount of times I sat across from a prospective student and asked them ‘why’ they did a particular summer activity, only to be met with a blank stare and the most superficial of answers. More than once, students would outright explain “my parents made me.” So, the ‘best’ summer activities are ones that authentically reflect your child’s real interests and curiosities and that are pursued in ways that grow progressively more challenging over time.
To learn even more about how to support your child as they plan their summer activities, be sure to listen to our Summer Episode on our podcast, Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You.