1. Apply for scholarships
Many scholarships require writing an essay. It’s a pain in the butt, but it’s got to be done. During free time on the weekends, use this time to apply for scholarships! An essay each weekend over the course of a year can potentially equal thousands of dollars for college! So register for www.Scholarships.com right now and get started!
2. Do community service
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When in doubt, go plant a tree. That is what I tell all high school students who have absolutely nothing planned for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Instead of sitting on your butt in front of the TV all day again, spend a few hours volunteering at a local soup kitchen, nursing home, pet adoption clinic, or planting a tree. You can never have enough community service hours and logging hours during the weekend shows colleges you like to stay active and productive. Call up your church or temple, school, or library for more information on organizations looking for casual volunteers.
3. Research colleges
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Take 5 minutes and sit down and ask yourself “what am I looking for in a college?” Come up with a list of required criteria and then, while you’re sitting in front of the TV catching up on old episodes of The Office, whip out your laptop or smart phone and begin researching colleges that might meet those categories! Visit the websites of colleges in which you’re interested and read, read, read! Slowly you’ll start to draft a college list and during your senior year, when you sit down with your guidance counselor, you can work on narrowing that list down to the lucky few to which you’ll apply.
4. Go on college visits
When school starts back up again, it’s going to be very hard to schedule college visits around your busy school schedule and parents’ work schedule. While it’s the weekend and usually everyone has more free time, plan a road trip to visit some colleges! Go to a university’s website and sign up for a tour. There are also several cheap bus companies (Bolt Bus, Mega Bus, Greyhound) that offer affordable tickets to places nationwide. Before visiting a college, come up with a list of questions you’d like to ask your tour guide. If a school is too far or expensive for you to visit, take a virtual tour online on websites like www.CampusTours.com.
5. Think about your college essay
Your college essay is the one part of the college application that can truly set you apart from other applicants who may have better grades or higher SAT/ACT scores than you. Through your essay you can show a unique side of your personality that just might connect with the admissions officer reading your application and get you admitted! During your weekends, you don’t necessarily have to begin writing your college essay but at least start thinking about what you may want to write. Go to www.CommonApp.org, take a look at the college essay questions, and start to brainstorm! Think of important moments in your life that have shaped who your are, people who have impacted your life, and accomplishments that are unique and make you proud. Keep a list for when senior year rolls around and you really start to write your essay.
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Natasha Scott is the author of The College Admissions Bible. Visit www.CollegeAdmissionsBible.com for more information. To contact Natasha for a speaking engagement or other opportunities, email her at info@collegeadmissionsbible.com or call 973-951-4613.
