I recently saw a post in one of my Facebook College Consultant chat boards talking about a Seattle high school student who built a website that monitors and updates Coronavirus cases.
Remarked one consultant, “that’s a kid who’s getting into Harvard”.
The interesting part is that this student didn’t create the website to “look good” on his college applications or get into an elite college. He is absolutely passionate about coding (and ski racing) and he just wanted to do it because he is always looking for challenging projects that help him hone his coding skills and contribute to finding solutions and the Coronavirus provided a perfect opportunity. He even refused to put ads on his site, something that could have provided millions of dollars for him.
Whether it’s creating a website with over 3 million unique visitors or developing a business that delivers groceries to seniors, the common denominator in both is that there is no “should” or “have to” connected to these actions. They were done out of sheer interest, joy and desire. And THAT is what college admissions reps are looking for.
And that goes for how you want to spend your summer and choosing what you want to do.
Think about things that you already enjoy and want to learn more about, the things you’re good at that you want to do more of, the things you’re curious about and want to explore. There’s a ton of online ways to do them!
Here are a few areas of interest and ways to get started:
Study abroad: Want to enhance your high school Spanish or learn a new language? Visit online learning platforms like Babbel, Rosetta Stone or Duolingo. Already fluent? Want to go global? Check out Translators Without Borders, andcombine language skills with humanitarian aid. Are you good at research, writing, art or design and were involved in Model UN or passionate about peace and development, then check out United Nations Volunteers.
Conduct research: Check out Pioneer Academics or Zooniverse, two sites which offer tons of opportunities to get involved with research on a virtual level.
Do unto others: There are so many ways to help others. BookShare and Be My Eyes are two of the many organizations that provide ways to help people with disabilities. Operation Gratitude is the largest nonprofit in the country for hands-on volunteerism in support of Military, Veterans, and First Responders. Amnesty Decoders is an innovative way for volunteers worldwide to use their computers or smartphones to help researchers sift through critical information. DoSomething.org. empowers young people to enact social change both online or off.
Get creative: Take a writing class through The Writer's Studio in NY Online Courses. Learn acting, directing, screenwriting or cooking by taking a Masterclass from people like Judd Apatow, Martin Scorsese or Gordon Ramsay. Who knows, you may discover a new talent or skill you didn’t even know you had!
Rock The Vote LITERALLY: For 30 years, this organization has combined pop culture, music and art to engage young people in politics. Want to get involved for a specific issue you’re passionate about instead? Startguide.org has a list of organizations to choose from.
Learn something new: Want to attend Yale and take one of their most popular classes for free? You can do that plus explore TONS of other options through Coursera or EdX. It’s also a great way to explore ideas for majors and career areas of interest.
Not sure where to start: Begin with a volunteer search tool like Catchafire, which is exclusively for online volunteer projects. Each one has a timeline that can range anywhere from an hour to a few weeks. Or visit sites like TeenLife for a variety of programs and ideas.
You don’t have to find THE thing that changes the world, it’s about finding new and exciting things that change YOUR world. It’s about challenging yourself and engaging in activities that help you learn more about what you want to do and how you want to contribute, which also helps you find the college that will be the best partner to support you to continue that journey!