Summer Activities

Planning

Plan early for summer employment or other activities to explore interests, pursue challenges, and find ways to grow and achieve success.  Travel, study, and jobs or volunteering help you learn more about yourself and the kinds of college communities and programs of study that might suit you.

Expand your horizons and gain experience.  Admission committees in highly selective institutions increasingly believe that how you use vacations reveals your priorities and resourcefulness; what you do shows people what you value.

Here are some ideas:

Volunteer

You can search Chattanooga area volunteer opportunities through the United Way and VolunteerMatch.

Hit the Books

If you're not involved with a summer program, check into taking a college class at UTC or Chattanooga State.

College Visits

If possible, visit colleges, taking campus tours and attending information sessions wherever you can.

Get a Jump on Applications

  • Gather catalogs and application materials, keeping track of what materials you have or need.
  • Gather ideas for college-application essays by keeping a journal about significant books, issues, experiences, and thoughts.
  • Go online to college websites to get an idea of what their applications require and what, if any, essay questions might be asked.
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ACT/SAT
  • Outside of Class
  • Gap Year

    • PEF is a local non-profit dedicated to improving student achievement in Hamilton County Schools Get Involved

    “Due to the funds that were provided… …for us by the Benwood Initiative, we’ve been able to provide some of the best research-based workshops for our teachers to implement reading strategies in the classroom, and we’ve established a literacy block which is two hours per day, every day, for all of our students.”
    Marthel Young
    Principal,
    Orchard Knob Elementary