Summer Activities

The official e-newsletter of The Equestrian College Advisor.

"...playing college sports is not a risk-free proposition. There are definite tradeoffs involved, and you’ll want to navigate the process wisely to make winning choices in your decision-making process. Below are questions you should definitely ask yourself before choosing to play college sports at a given school."

Read More

"As competition grows in a time of stagnating enrollment, colleges near and far reach out to students in an effort to catch their eye. That can make an already challenging situation even more nerve-wracking, but parents and students say they've learned to handle the mountain of correspondence."

Read More

From the blog:

With the holidays behind us and the New Year well underway, the new cycle has begun. (“What cycle is that, Randi?” you ask.) It’s the cycle of new students – high school sophomores and juniors – who find their way into my practice. These are the students with whom I will spend the next year and a half to two years helping through what is arguably one of the most stress-inducing times in their young lives.

(Championship horse shows have nothing on the college search process when it comes to teen stress, people.) Read More

Summer Planning for the College BoundIf you live in the snow belt of the United States right now, it can be a bit difficult to even remember summer right now, much less plan ahead for its return. Still, as you look ahead to the warmer months and to your pending college career, now is the best time to begin to consider your options and what they can mean not only for your college applications, but also for your personal development.Traditional summer options for students include:

• Camps (academic, athletic, etc.)

• Volunteer programs

• Work or internship opportunities

Which one (or ones) should you consider?Rather than worrying about gathering academic credits from an Ivy League institution on your transcript or dazzling admission officers with your tales of rescuing orphans in third world nations, your final decision should be based on balancing your interests and supplementing either your knowledge in a particular area or immersing yourself in a particular experience so that you can carry it forward with you into your college career.How do you do that?Identify your interests – perhaps you hope to work with kids in some capacity in the future or you want to know what it’s really like to work in a law office. Is there a subject in school that you don’t get to spend enough time on during the year? Do you have passion for a particular sport or art form?Next, research opportunities available in those areas. Do you want to work with kids as a camp counselor? Do any local attorneys have a position for a summer intern in their practice? A lot of legwork and research goes into finding the right summer placement but if you start now, you’ll undoubtedly find a variety of things that appeal to you and be able to select the one that will best fit your needs and goals.Don’t forget the fun.In your summer planning, however, don’t forget to leave a little time for fun and relaxation. Your high school years are your last true years of freedom before the responsibilities of adulthood begin to creep in and you don’t want to miss out. College admission officers were teenagers once too and will understand the difficult balance between building your resume and living your life.

Share