CLASS OF '27

Class of '27. Everything YOU SHOULD be doing as a rising senior. This is everything YOU SHOULD be doing as a rising senior. #1 Deepen your extracurriculars. But it's honestly a little bit too late to completely start something new. Instead think about how you could take your current extracurriculars and taking it to a next level. For example if you founded a club in your school, you can launch that into an organization. Another example is that I'm already running a non-profit, but what I'm going to do is instead of just doing digital advocacy is that I'm gonna focus on policy work. The goal is to show progress and to show your intellectual curiosity. And quite frankly it's more about what you do in your extracurricular than what your title is. #2 Find a productive summer activity. I know that not everyone can land a super prestigious internship and that's okay. Cause there are so many other ways that you can spend your summer still being productive. I would say the easiest and best example of this would be working a part-time job. The best alternatives would be community service, taking a college course or conducting independent research. What's most important is how you use your time. Admissions officers know that everyone has access to different opportunities, so making the most of what's available to you is very important. #3 Standardize Testing. Third, standardize testing. The summer is literally the best time to study because you do not have school anymore. Many students underestimate how long it takes to do college applications. So trying to get it out of your way should be one of your top priorities. #4 Start Your College Apps as soon as possible. By the end of June you should have a solid college list and a list of your current extracurriculars when creating a college list. I would think about the academic programs, the campus culture, location, financial needs, selectivity and the opportunities that it gives you. By the end of summer, I would highly recommend finishing a draft of your Common App essay. And if you're from California, probably have a draft of all your UC PIQs too. So throughout summer, I would say start reflecting on your high school experiences, challenges, values and moments that have shaped you today. The earlier you start, the more time you'll have to revise, improve your essays and focus on grades in the fall. #5 Start Planning Senior Year. Fifth, start planning senior year. If you haven't already, you should probably contact teachers that you are going to ask to write a recommendation letter for you. Other than LORs, I would suggest planning your academic goals. Make sure your class schedule is appropriate and challenging while doing college apps. Semester 1 grades are still super important, so do not neglect that. And plus many schools request a midyear report, college admissions focus on both the past and also your current stance of where you are compared to your peers. I also just want to say you don't have to have everything figured out right now, but it is smart to probably start planning and thinking about the path you are choosing for the next four years of your lives. Summer should be used to strengthen your application and reduce stress in the fall. And really it is just making sure you're presenting your best self during the college app season. Good luck to my fellow class of 2027. We got this.