by Dr. Trama - Monday, June 18th, 2012 College Preparation & Planning

You’ll know what to do with your summer if you take a moment to consider what motivations all admissions officers hope to discover within their future students.  First, remember that colleges see their mission as developing minds, and stimulating intellectually-grounded lifelong relationships.  (Making students workforce-ready is a secondary goal.)  So, they most desire students who pursue knowledge, at least in part, for intrinsic reasons.  Students who are intellectually active during the summer, in some institutional capacity, demonstrate the sort of intrinsic motivation that colleges desire. College applicants stand a better chance if they have demonstrable, self-selected, intellectual interests on their resume. Choosing to engage in summer learning opportunities best demonstrates your commitment to your interests.  If you’re history-buff, volunteer at […]