In the landscape of college admissions, summer has evolved. It is no longer just a break from the academic grind; it is a critical "third semester" for personal growth, skill-building, and demonstrating character. However, this doesn't mean you need to book every minute of your student’s break with expensive camps. In fact, some of the most impactful experiences happen close to home.

Whether your child is a rising sophomore or preparing for their senior year, a little strategic planning now can turn a stressful scramble into a summer of meaningful growth. Based on our 2026 Summer Planning Guide, here is a comprehensive look at what you should focus on right now to make Summer 2026 count.

Shift Your Mindset: The i4 Framework

Before you book a single camp or apply for an internship, we encourage you to pause and look at the bigger picture. It is tempting to fill the summer with random activities that you think might "look good" on a resume. But admissions officers are experts at spotting inauthentic "resume padding". They are looking for authenticity, depth, and genuine enthusiasm.

To help families navigate this, we use the i4 Framework. This model helps students move from passive participation to active leadership, creating a narrative that makes sense for college applications.

• Interest: Everything starts here. What genuinely sparks your student's curiosity?. If they love video games, don't force them into a biology camp. instead, look at coding or game design.
• Involvement: Once an interest is identified, how can they engage with it?. This might mean joining a club, taking a specialized course, or volunteering with a relevant organization.
• Initiative: This is the differentiator. How can the student take ownership?. Can they start a project, found a club, or solve a community problem? This shifts the student from a participant to a leader.
• Impact: Finally, what is the result? Colleges value depth over breadth. They want to see how a student’s involvement made a measurable difference in their community or for themselves.

Tailor Plans to Your Student's Grade Level

One size does not fit all. Your strategy should depend heavily on where your student is in their high school journey.

For Rising Sophomores: The Exploration Phase If you have a current 9th grader, this is the time for discovery. Students should feel free to sample different activities without the pressure of "picking a major" just yet.

• The Strategy: Focus on trying new things to see what sticks. This is the time for broad exploration—perhaps a one-week coding camp, a local volunteer shift, or an introductory online course.
• The Goal: To identify interests that can be deepened in later years and to build confidence in new environments.

For Rising Juniors: The Deepening Phase For current 10th graders, the focus shifts to depth and alignment. We want to see them commit to activities that resonate with them and align with potential college majors.

• The Strategy: Move from participation to leadership. If they enjoyed volunteering at the food bank last year, can they organize a food drive this year?. If they liked a science class, can they find a research program?
• The Goal: To engage in "sustained involvement" and begin demonstrating fit for a specific area of study.

For Rising Seniors: The Consolidation Phase Current 11th graders are entering their "capstone" summer. This is the time to finalize their narrative and demonstrate readiness for college.

• The Strategy: Focus on impact and evidence. This might involve a significant research project, a rigorous internship, or a leadership role in a service organization. It is also the critical time for test prep and beginning to draft college essays.
• The Goal: To create a summer story that provides concrete evidence of their readiness for their chosen major.

Demonstrate "Fit to Major"

Highly selective colleges increasingly evaluate students based on their "fit" for a specific area of study. Summer is the safest, lowest-stakes laboratory to test these waters. By January, you should be identifying programs or projects that provide this specific exposure.

• Business: You do not need a Wall Street internship to impress colleges. Students can start a small business (like lawn care or a resale shop on Depop or Etsy), participate in DECA, or intern with a local small business owner to learn the ropes of bookkeeping and marketing.
• Engineering: Admissions officers love to see "maker" portfolios. Consider hands-on options like robotics competitions, building a DIY solar charger at home, or attending a program like Rose-Hulman’s Operation Catapult.
• Pre-Med & Nursing: Empathy and exposure are key. Shadowing healthcare professionals, volunteering at a hospital, or taking an online anatomy course are excellent ways to show dedication. Journaling about these clinical experiences is vital for future essays.
• Computer Science: Beyond just playing games, students should build them. Look for coding bootcamps, contribute to open-source projects on GitHub, or design an app that solves a specific community problem.
• Arts & Communications: Focus on tangible output. Whether it’s attending a writing workshop, launching a podcast, or designing a website for a nonprofit, the goal is to produce a portfolio of work.

Don't Overlook "Informal" Leadership

We often hear parents worry if their student doesn't land a prestigious, named internship or get into a competitive summer program. Please let us reassure you: informal leadership counts just as much.

Admissions officers value character, resilience, and responsibility.

• Family Responsibilities: Caring for younger siblings, managing household duties, or helping with a family business demonstrates immense maturity and grit.
• Community Help: Tutoring a neighbor, maintaining a community garden, or organizing a block cleanup demonstrates initiative just as well as a formal title.

If your student takes on these roles, encourage them to document what they do, the hours they spend, and the skills they learn. This "unpaid" work is often the subject of the most compelling college essays.

Planning for Neurodiverse Students

For families of neurodiverse students, summer planning requires a slightly different approach, focusing on environments where the student can thrive, not just survive.

• Environment Matters: Does your student need structure and routine, or do they thrive in dynamic, free-form settings?.
• Support Systems: Look for programs that offer peer mentorship or smaller group sizes to facilitate social connections without overwhelming the student.
• Strengths-Based Focus: Lean into their specific interests. Deep diving into a passion project can build immense confidence and show colleges their unique intellectual vitality.

The Role of Rest and Mental Health

This might sound counterintuitive in a planning guide, but it is essential: schedule downtime. Students face immense pressure during the school year. Summer must include downtime for mental and physical recovery. Burnout is real, and an exhausted student cannot write a vibrant college essay in the fall.

Productivity and relaxation are not mutually exclusive; they balance each other. A rested student is a more engaged student. Ensure your summer plan includes unstructured time for hobbies, reading, or just hanging out with friends. This balance helps build resilience, a trait colleges value highly.

Take the Next Step

Planning for summer doesn't have to be a source of stress. By focusing on your student's genuine interests (Interest), helping them find the right activities (Involvement), encouraging them to take charge (Initiative), and helping them see the results of their work (Impact), you can create a summer that is both impressive and personally rewarding.

Use this month to brainstorm. Sit down with your student and ask, "What are you curious about?" Start there. The rest will follow.