How to Survive (and Win) the Summer Before College Apps: Real Talk for Every High Schooler

I’ll tell you a secret: the best college admissions strategies aren’t just for the Type-A superhumans you see in movies. They’re for real students—like you and me—juggling late homework, club meetings, and occasionally binging a bit too much Fortnite. Once, I spent an entire summer grinding away at what I thought would be the perfect science fair project—only to realize I'd have rather learned coding or explored an interest that actually excited me. Here’s the thing: summer isn’t just a break; it’s the unsung hero of college admissions, offering breathing room to explore, experiment, and build an edge in this wild process.

Freshman Summer: Planting the Seeds (and Not Stressing Out)

If you’re reading this as a freshman, first of all—major respect. You’re already ahead of the curve just by thinking about college admissions competition this early. But let’s get real: it’s only your first year of high school. I wish someone had told me it’s totally okay to take it slow in 9th grade. Embracing downtime is actually a power move, not a setback.

Embrace Downtime, But Don’t Tune Out Completely

Freshman summer is the perfect time to let things settle in. High school is a big transition, and you deserve a break. Don’t feel pressured to fill every day with “resume builders.” Instead, give yourself permission to relax, recharge, and just enjoy being a high schooler. That said, don’t tune out completely. Stay curious and open to new experiences—you never know what might spark your interest.

Pick a Lane (Even If It’s Just a Guess)

Here’s the thing: you don’t need a perfect plan. In fact, almost nobody has it all figured out at this stage. What you can do, though, is start thinking about what genuinely interests you. Ask yourself: What do I actually enjoy? What do I want to learn more about? It’s normal if your answer is “I have no idea” or “I just played 10 hours of Fortnite.” The key is to start somewhere, even if it’s just a guess.

"I'm a big fan of being directionally correct rather than absolutely correct."

Don’t stress about picking the “perfect” theme or major for your future college list strategy. Instead, focus on being directionally correct. That means gently guiding your activities toward something that interests you, even if you’re not 100% sure it’s your thing yet. Early exploration now will help you build a more authentic and convincing college narrative later.

Dip a Toe into New Skills

Summer after freshman year is the ideal time to experiment. Try out coding, painting, volunteering, or anything else that catches your eye. The goal isn’t to rack up achievements for your college application—it’s to find out what excites you. This experimentation is way more valuable than forcing yourself into activities just because you think they’ll “look good.”

• Sign up for a free online course in something random (like photography or Python).
  

• Volunteer at a local animal shelter or food bank.
  

• Start a small project—write a blog, build a model, or organize a neighborhood event.
  

Remember, most people don’t have their path mapped out in 9th grade. The goal is to plant seeds, not stress about the harvest. By gently exploring your interests now, you’ll be way ahead when it comes time to build your college list strategy and stand out in the college admissions competition later on.

Sophomore Summer: Build (Don’t Just Dream)

Let’s get real: after a year of AP and honors classes, you’re probably exhausted. But with college applications increasing every year—especially with the volume growth at public colleges—summer isn’t just for bumming out anymore. This is the moment to do what 99% of students won’t do, so you can get the opportunities 99% of students won’t get. And here’s the good news: you don’t need to be in school to make it happen. In fact, summer is the best time to step outside the classroom and start building something of your own.

Leverage Last Summer’s Self-Discovery

Think back to last summer. Maybe you explored a new interest or picked up a skill—coding, painting, volunteering, whatever. Now is the time to take that spark and turn it into something real. Don’t just dream about what you could do; start a small project, join a nonprofit, or create something tangible outside of school. Trust me, most students won’t even try. That’s your advantage.

• Start a beginner-level project in your area of interest.
  

• Join or volunteer with a local nonprofit that aligns with your passions.
  

• Build something—an app, an art portfolio, a community garden—anything that puts your skills to use.
  

It’s not about being the next billionaire or launching a viral startup. It’s about creating, not just consuming. I remember spending weeks on a small coding project the summer after sophomore year. Half of it flopped, but that “failure” actually helped me discover what I really enjoyed—and it gave me something real to talk about when college application season rolled around.

Double Down on Skill-Building

This is the summer to double down on your chosen area. If you’re into AI, try building a basic chatbot or experiment with open-source frameworks. If art is your thing, start a portfolio or organize a small local show. Interested in community work? Launch a neighborhood clean-up or tutor younger students. Every hands-on project counts, and admissions committees notice when you take initiative early. With the popularity of public colleges and the fierce competition, showing momentum now can set you apart later.

“The summer of sophomore year is for building whatever it is—your nonprofit, your personal project, your art collection, whatever it may be—just keep your head down and start creating.”

Don’t be afraid of project failures. They’re normal and, honestly, they’re gold for learning and growth. Admissions officers know that real-world projects don’t always go as planned. What matters is that you tried, learned, and kept building. The sophomore summer is about action, not perfection.

Junior Summer: The Final Sprint (Yes, You Need a Plan)

Let’s be real: Junior summer is the most important stretch of your high school career if you’re aiming to win at college admissions 2025. With Common App reporting a 6% jump in application volume this year, and more students than ever applying to 20+ schools, the competition is fierce. You need a plan—and it starts now.

Start Your Essay Marathon Early

Trust me, you don’t want to be writing your Common App or UC essays while juggling AP classes, clubs, and senior year stress. The best move? Start your essays this summer. Here’s a trick that saved me: pick two prompts you actually like, jot down three ideas for each, and leave the list by your bed. Sleep on it. In the morning, you’ll see which ideas are actually good and which are just late-night nonsense. This “bedside idea list” method gives you fresh perspective and helps you avoid staring at a blank screen for hours.

Build a Smart College List—Not a Random One

With college applications increasing and waitlist admissions more unpredictable than ever (some waitlists are bigger than entire freshman classes), your college list strategy matters. Don’t be that person who applies to 30 random schools just because everyone else is panicking. Instead:

• Research each school’s acceptance rates, especially for early decision advantage.

• Balance reach, match, and safety schools.
  

• Consider how waitlist trends might affect your odds—don’t pin your hopes on a waitlist spot.
  

Strategic selection is your best weapon against the chaos of college admissions competition.

Get Help—But Don’t Burn Out

If you can, get professional input on your essays or college list. Even a single session with an experienced editor or counselor can make a huge difference. But here’s the thing: essay burnout is real. Schedule real breaks—yes, Netflix is allowed. You’ll come back with better ideas and more energy.

Prepare for the Rollercoaster

Admissions timelines are longer than ever. Over 50% of the class at some selective colleges is filled in early application rounds, but those rounds can be binding or restrictive. Waitlists are massive and unpredictable. Expect late responses, emotional ups and downs, and a lot of uncertainty. The key is to finish your essays before senior year starts, so you’re only making tweaks—not rewriting entire drafts—when school gets busy.

“Success Demands a price and that price is hard work—it isn’t privilege, it isn’t money, it isn’t circumstance, it’s hard work over a sustained period of time.”

Junior summer is your final sprint. Persistence, not panic, is what wins in the world of college admissions 2025.

Wild Cards and Curveballs: What Nobody Tells You About Admissions

Let’s get real: college admissions in 2025 are nothing like what you might have heard from older siblings or friends. The landscape is shifting fast, and the data backs it up. Public colleges—especially in states like Texas and Florida—are seeing record popularity. These schools used to be considered “safeties,” but now, thanks to surging applications and changing college admissions data, they’re more competitive than ever. If you’re aiming for a public college, don’t underestimate the challenge. It’s time to treat every application like it counts, because it does.

For international students, there’s another wild card: visa delays. It’s not just a rumor—2025 is shaping up to be a tough year for international student enrollment. Visa processing is slow, and that’s causing headaches for both students and colleges. If you’re applying from abroad, build extra time into your plans. Flexibility is your best friend right now. And here’s something you might not hear elsewhere: these delays are affecting waitlist trends, too. As one admissions officer put it,

“Colleges are increasingly using waitlists strategically, with some extending waitlist activity into summer months to manage enrollment uncertainties.”

This means you might not get a final answer until much later than you expect. Don’t panic—just be ready to pivot if needed. Stay in touch with schools, check your email often, and have a backup plan.

Now, let’s talk about summer. There’s this myth that you need to spend every waking hour in a lab, coding bootcamp, or some fancy internship to impress admissions officers. But the truth is, not everyone has that option. Maybe you’re working a part-time job, taking care of siblings, or helping out at home. Guess what? That’s not a disadvantage. In fact, with the way college admissions data is trending, these non-traditional summer experiences are starting to stand out. They show grit, maturity, and real-life responsibility—qualities colleges love but don’t always see in a stack of applications.

So if your summer looks more like babysitting or bagging groceries than building an AI app, own it. Admissions isn’t fair or linear. Sometimes the “right” summer move is just doing what your family needs or earning a paycheck. Use your application to tell that story. Explain what you learned, how you grew, and why it matters. Those curveballs can become your strongest assets.

In the end, surviving (and winning) the summer before college apps is about more than ticking boxes. It’s about being honest, adaptable, and willing to put in the work—no matter what your circumstances look like. Success isn’t about privilege or luck; it’s about showing up, doing your best, and not giving up when things get tough. The admissions process is unpredictable, but your story is uniquely yours. Trust it, and keep moving forward. I’m rooting for you—see you at the top.

TL;DR: Don’t let your summer disappear in a haze of TikTok and half-finished projects: with the right mindset and plan, you can turn a few months into a legit admissions advantage—whether you’re just starting out or prepping for your final essay marathon.