Adjustment is the keyword that will make a huge difference and play a big role in your life as you keep moving forward.
We all understand we are not living an ideal moment right now, however, unexpected events are part of our daily life. Often, we tend to plan ahead but many factors are unpredictable and out of our hands so what should we do?
The answer is simple: We can adjust! We can adjust our plans, take another path, and find other ways to achieve our final goal. I know many of you were planning to attend camps during the summer, maybe you were looking to boost your applications, get better at your sport, acquire more knowledge, or simply have some fun.
At this moment it is not possible to do things in the traditional way, so let’s take a look at some alternatives that can help you keep learning and even develop new skills:
1. Take a college course online: Many colleges such as Purdue, Brandeis, Georgetown, and even Harvard are changing their summer courses on-campus to the online version. Even though the experience of staying on campus has been postponed, you can still take the course online and maximize your learning process. Oh, and by the way, you get the credits!
2. Free Online Education: Since we are talking about online courses why not take advantage of free resources?
“Sites like edX and Coursera offer free college courses that are taped or streamed from universities. With tons of subjects from robotics to American poetry, you get to participate in real-time or watch past lectures from professors at places like Stanford and Harvard” - The Princeton Review.
Besides Coursera, edX there are other sites that provide free online courses:
Besides online learning, there are many other options to make the most of your summer, you just need to think outside of the box. Think about the things you like and what can you do in those fields, be pro-active, new ideas or projects you could help develop will come to your mind, and this can make a real difference in your future.
3. Apply for internships: as of right now, most internship programs are scheduled to proceed as planned. Some things may change due to our current situation, but you do not want to miss an opportunity because you didn’t try.
4. Community Services: find ways to contribute to your community and support them, be generous with your time and your talents, this will not only look great on your application, but it is also one of the most gratifying things you will ever get to do.
5. Get a Job! Yes, that’s right, have you ever thought about getting a job? You know, colleges are impressed when students have jobs, whether they are working for family income or just for fun. Your work history demonstrates your initiative and responsibility. Oh, and by the way, you get paid! Real money stuff, like Tuition!
6. Start your own business: you can be “your own boss” or better yet, become an entrepreneur, why not? Do you have a really cool idea? Maybe a problem you think you can fix? Maybe a service you can provide to your neighbors or relatives? Think about what you like, what you are good, and the resources you have available.
7. Prepare for the admission tests: For those who still have some time to prepare for the SAT/ACT, the College Board has been providing free content on their website such as, online live classes (click here to check), online SAT practice tests, etc. Kahn Academy has a tremendous test prep program and our partners at Winward Academy have one of the best score improvement rates, check them out, and start working hard on your SAT or ACT.
8. Meet with an Advisor: If you need to work on your college selection, college planning, and financial aid applications, reach out to us, we are more than happy to help, we can schedule a one-on-one consultation session to go over your athletic and academic profile, help you set your goals and college search criteria and come up with a full plan for the summer!
Reach out to USP at contact@universitysports.com or visit our website universitysports.com
All these things could definitely boost your college application and put you one step ahead of the competition to be accepted in your dream school!
References & Resources
Liebowitz, Cheree. “Coronavirus Causes Students to Consider ‘Plan B’ for the Summer.
14 Summer Activities to Boost Your College Application.” The Princeton Review,
www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/summer-activities-for-college-applications