Your Summer College To-Do List — Research, Visit, Narrow
Summer gets away from you faster than you think.
I know that sounds like something a parent says. But I have watched enough students arrive at September with a vague list and a lot of anxiety to know that a little intentional work over the summer makes senior year feel genuinely different. Not easier, exactly — but more in control.
If you are a rising junior or senior, here is what I want you to do with some of that summer time. Not all of it. Not every waking hour. But some of it, on purpose.
Step One: Research
This is the unglamorous part. But it is where good decisions get made.
Start by getting honest about what you actually know about the schools on your list — or the schools you are vaguely considering. Most students know a few things: the name, maybe the location, maybe one fact they heard somewhere. That is not enough to apply to a school, let alone spend four years there.
Here is what real research looks like:
Go to the school's website and look at the actual academic programs — not the homepage, not the rankings page. The department pages. The course catalogs. Ask yourself whether the classes being offered are ones you would actually want to take.
Look at outcomes. What do graduates do? Where do they go? Does the school have strong connections to industries or graduate programs that interest you?
Look beyond the brochure. Read student newspapers. Look at social media accounts run by actual students, not the admissions office. Read reviews on Niche or Unigo with some skepticism but also some openness.
Pay attention to financial fit. Use the net price calculator on each school's website before you fall in love with a place. This is not unromantic — it is responsible.
Step Two: Visit
I cannot overstate how much a campus visit can tell you that a website cannot.
If you can visit in person, do it while classes are in session — not during a choreographed admitted students weekend, but on a regular Tuesday when real students are going about their real lives. Walk around without a tour guide for a little while. Sit in a common area. Eat in the dining hall. Notice how people treat each other.
If an in-person visit is not possible right now — financially, logistically, whatever the reason — virtual options have gotten genuinely good. Most schools offer virtual tours and online information sessions. Some departments will connect you with current students for informal conversations if you ask. Ask.
A few things to pay attention to on any visit, virtual or in person:
Does this place feel like somewhere you could do hard things? College is not just fun — it is work, and sometimes it is struggle. Does this campus feel like one where you would have support when that happens?
Can you picture yourself here on a random Wednesday in February — not during orientation, not during graduation, but in the middle of an ordinary semester?
What do students say when you ask them what they wish they had known before enrolling?
That last question is one of my favorites. Write down what they say.
Step Three: Narrow
By the end of summer, I want you to have a shorter list than the one you started with.
This is the part students resist. It feels like closing doors. But a list of twenty schools is not a plan — it is a way of avoiding decisions. The goal is a balanced list of somewhere between eight and twelve schools, spread thoughtfully across reach, target, and likely categories, where every school on the list is one you would genuinely be happy to attend.
Here is how to start narrowing:
Go back through your research and your visit notes. Which schools lit something up in you? Which ones felt flat when you actually looked closely? Which ones did you add because someone else mentioned them and you never really investigated?
Cut the ones you cannot genuinely articulate why they are on the list. If you cannot explain what draws you to a school beyond its ranking or its name recognition, that is a sign.
Look at your list as a whole. Is it balanced? Are there schools where you are a competitive applicant, schools where you are a strong applicant, and schools where admission is very likely? If everything on your list is a reach, that is a problem we need to fix before application season starts.
What To Do If You Feel Stuck
Sometimes the research raises more questions than it answers. Sometimes a visit makes you realize you do not actually know what you are looking for. That is okay — it is actually useful information.
If you are feeling stuck on the list or unsure how to evaluate what you are finding, that is exactly what I am here for. A single session can do a lot to help you sort through what you have and figure out next steps.
Summers feel long until they do not. Start now.
Need help? That's one of my favorite parts of this work. Reach out at nohea@kismetcollegeconsulting.com.