Enhancing Summertime with Goal Oriented Focus
Continuing relationships from previous volunteer experience is a great option for your student this summer. They can easily add hours without learning a new skill or treading unfamiliar territory; we’re going for efficiency. Why? Because now is also the time to aim for an internship in the field of study that fires your mentee up! Our fellowship provides a wealth of opportunity from yours and other mentor’s careers, our community connections, and even the prestigious pool our students are already swimming in.
Summer Plans
This summer, your student’s goal should be to complete at least two of the following:
100 hours of Community Service
Attend a Summer Program
Clench a Prestigious Internship
Get a J-O-B
“Picking five favorite books is like picking the five body parts you'd most like not to lose.” ―Neil Gaiman
Finalizing a college selection list can be so tough. Big campus or small? Close to home or far? Degree specific or broader options? Your mentee should spend some time this summer comparing their favorite college’s scorecard to help clear their ranking. Ultimately, we hope they can select a dream school, a reach school and a safety school (and more!) If Ivy League options are on the docket, there are interviews to prepare for, as well.
The College Entry Essay
Test scores, GPA, Honors and Advanced Placement courses all provide quantitative measure for your student’s achievements. A thoughtful, genuine and creative essay is the necessary piece to provide admissions officers a glimpse into what makes your mentee unique.
Tips from Admissions Officers at Leading Schools
Rec Letter Ready
Brag Sheets act as summaries of your accomplishments for recommenders.
Who to request a letter from: mentors and the most challenging teachers.
THE ASK: “WILL YOU WRITE ME A STRONG RECOMMENDATION LETTER FOR COLLEGE?”
Application Deadlines
We recommend researching the top ten schools your mentee has selected and marking down their specific application deadlines on a calendar based on their personal priority and wish list. There are several options for when your mentee can apply, with varying benefits in each category:
Regular Decision (RD) - due early January
Early Action (EA) - can be deferred to RD, due early November
Early Decision (ED) - binding contract, also due early November
Rolling Admissions (RA) - due between Fall and Spring, generally a priority deadline in November