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Are you a high school student or the parent of one and are wondering how high school students should spend their summers? Summer is a great time to relax and recharge, but it’s also an excellent chance for students to get work experience, do an activity they enjoy, and boost their chances of getting into a top college.

Read on for everything you need to know about summer activities for high school students and how to choose the best option.

Community service is one of the most popular extracurricular activities for high school students to do in their free time.

There are hundreds of ways that high school students can get involved in their communities. There is really something out there for everyone, no matter what your personal interests are!

Admissions officers also love to see community service on college applications. Having community service experience means you're passionate about making a difference in the world and are ready to take action and be involved.

But how many community service hours for college do you actually need in order to make sure your contribution is “good enough” for admissions officers? Is there a certain number of hours that you need for different schools?

Read on to find out!

Hoping to be your class president? Winning the position takes a lot of work, but you can absolutely make it happen. Why should you trust me? I was my Junior Class President and Student Government President my senior year, so I know what it takes to get there. In this article, I've outlined every step you need to take to become class president: starting with just getting on student council freshman year, all the way through running in a big election as a senior. 

Extracurricular activities are an important part of your college application. The things that you choose to do outside of the classroom help college admission officers understand your personality in a way that your grades and test scores can’t show.

With so many activities to choose from, how do you know which ones are going to make the biggest impact on your application? Do colleges prefer students with traditional activities like sports and student council, or are you better off if you have something unconventional on your activity list?

If you're unsure about how to strategize a list of activities that will make an impact on your application, read on to see the three best extracurricular activities that will really get you noticed.

Extracurricular activities are one of the most important parts of your college application. After your test scores and grades, they are the best way for a college to get to know more about you and to understand what kind of student you might be on campus.

But what if you have no extracurricular activities? Is all hope lost?

Read on to find out why things might not be as bad as they seem and what you can do to make up for not having extracurriculars.

Having a job used to be a rite of passage for high school students. They'd put in some hours during the school year and over the summer and often be able to pay for most of their college expenses with the money they earned. However, as today's current high schoolers are facing piles of homework, pressure to excel on sports teams and clubs, and tuition costs that no entry-level job could ever cover, many people are rethinking the concept of high schoolers working.

Are there still benefits to having a job in high school? Yes. There are many reasons for a high school student today to have a job, and those benefits extend far beyond just a paycheck.

Having a job in high school can not only be a great experience in and of itself, it can also set you up to get even better jobs in college and beyond. In this article, I use my experience of working as a teenager to go over the key benefits of having a high school job. I also end by giving tips on the best jobs for high school students.

Not excited about the idea of starting another year of school in the fall? What if you could instead take a break from school and spend a year backpacking around Europe, volunteering for a cause you care about, or getting paid to work on a cruise ship? With a gap year all those things possible!

Have you heard of gap years but aren't sure what they are? Do you know other people taking gap years but aren't sure if they're a good idea for you? What are the benefits of taking a gap year anyway? In this guide, I use my own gap year experience to explain the major benefits of gap year programs and why they're such a great choice for many students. I end with some tips to ensure you get the most out of your own gap year.

If you're contemplating your summer plans, you may want to consider pre-college summer programs. These programs offer high school students the opportunity to live and learn on a college campus.

In this article, I'll explain the different types of programs and let you know the benefits and drawbacks of attending them. Furthermore, I'll let you know if doing one of these programs can help you get into college.

Interested in volunteering? Volunteering is a great extracurricular activity that looks good on college applications. Volunteering shows colleges that you dedicated your time and effort to helping others!

Not sure what volunteer opportunities are available to you? There are a lot to choose from! In this article, I’ll tell you what volunteering entails, list the types of volunteer opportunities for teens, and give a brief description of each. 

Extracurriculars are a significant part of your college application, and just participating in an extracurricular is not enough. Colleges don’t want participants. Colleges want leaders. If you want to stand out, it’s not sufficient to be the president of a club. Colleges want leaders who take initiative and get their goals accomplished.

How can you become a successful leader in your extracurricular? What are good leadership activities for high schoolers? In this article, I’ll guide you through the whole process of becoming a successful leader: from deciding where to focus your efforts to implementing your plan to describing your achievements on a college application.

Are you an athlete? Thinking seriously about playing a sport in college? Or just love playing for fun? Consider attending a college-based summer sports camp! Get more playing time in and meet like-minded athletes with a passion for your sport. In this article, I’ll explain what college-based sports camps are, discuss the costs, give you some examples, and help you decide if you’d like to attend.

Are you interested in joining your school’s Science Olympiad team or are already a member and want to learn how to become a better competitor? This is the guide for you!

I was on Science Olympiad for six years in middle school and high school. Four of those years my team went to Nationals, and I eventually became team captain and placed first in the nation in one of my events, so I know all the ins and outs of this competition. I’ll go over everything you need to know about what Science Olympiad is, what team members do, how competitions work, and how you can be a standout competitor.

Interested in science? Science fair is a great way to pursue your interest in science. It can help you figure out if you’re interested in a career in research. It’s also a good activity for your college application, especially if you win awards. I should know! I placed 3rd in my state science fair and won an award from NASA #sciencenerd #brushingdirtoffmyshoulders.

What exactly is science fair? How do you compete and win? In this guide, I’ll explain exactly what you need to do to develop winning high school science fair projects and why you should consider participating in this challenging but fun extracurricular.

Love animals? Thinking about a career as a veterinarian? Or maybe you're just hoping to play with animals? Volunteering at an animal shelter can be a great experience.

How can you become an animal shelter volunteer? What will you do as a volunteer? Are there alternative experiences? This guide will answer all those questions and more, so read on!

Interested in playing a high school sport? You should be! High school sports are a great way to make friends, get involved in your school, and stay active. What sports are offered? I’ll give you the full list of high school sports available in the US, and I’ll explain why you should join a team and how to figure out which sport is right for you.