What do colleges want to see teens accomplish in the summer?

As we speak throughout the year with college admissions officers, we hear most often that an experience that challenges a teen personally, getting them out of their comfort zone, is important. Some of the greatest challenges students face when they enter college are group living, problem resolution and time management. Anything a teen can do to experience these life skills firsthand during their high school summers, the easier transition they are likely to have to college life.

The specific experience should be organic, yet expose them to something deeper they are passionate about. A new exploration is fine; as summer is a time for self-discovery. Just think through the experience ahead so that the student can see how this might impact their college profile and application; and even better, give them further insight about college.