What Colleges Actually Want to See You Do This Summer

MaryMichael Neushul • June 8, 2026

What Students in Newport Beach Can Do THIS Summer to Impress Colleges


Summer feels long until it isn't. By the time application season arrives, students who used their summers well have something important that students who didn't are scrambling to find: a story worth telling.


Here's the thing colleges are actually looking for. Not a perfect resume. Not a list of impressive-sounding activities. They want to see initiative, genuine interest, and evidence that you did something meaningful with your time. The good news is that meaningful looks a lot of different ways.

Here are three categories of summer activities worth considering, all of them relevant, all of them accessible to students right here in Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, and the surrounding communities.


Academic and Skill Building

Taking a class over the summer is one of the most straightforward ways to show intellectual curiosity and get ahead at the same time.

Community colleges like Irvine Valley College, Coastline Community College, and Golden West College offer summer courses that are affordable, UC-transferable, and open to high school students. A class in psychology, philosophy, or a subject related to your intended major signals genuine interest beyond what your high school requires and gives you something compelling to talk about in your application.


Online options work just as well. If you want to explore a subject your school does not offer or get ahead in an area of interest, platforms like UC Scout and APEX Online make this easier than ever. Psychology and philosophy in particular are subjects that translate beautifully into personal statement topics. They tend to spark the kind of self-reflection that makes for a genuinely compelling essay. UC Scout and APEX Online also offer Spanish and math courses, making them a great option for students who want to strengthen a language or fill a gap in their math sequence before the school year begins.


If you are planning to learn or strengthen a foreign language, summer is the perfect time to make real progress without the pressure of a full course load.


Entrepreneurial and Work Experience

Colleges love students who create something. And you do not need a tech startup or a nonprofit to impress an admissions reader. Some of the most compelling activity descriptions I have seen came from students who identified a need in their neighborhood and did something about it.

Consider starting a small service business this summer. Car detailing, dog washing, pressure washing driveways and fences, or even running a summer camp for neighborhood kids are all legitimate entrepreneurial ventures that require real skills: marketing, customer service, scheduling, and managing money.


If you go this route, document everything. Track your hours, your earnings, and what you learned. And market yourself. A simple Instagram account or a post on Nextdoor can turn a side project into something that actually generates business and makes for a genuinely impressive activity entry.

A traditional job works too. Retail, food service, lifeguarding, or working at a local business teaches responsibility and time management in ways that look great on an application and build real skills.


Community Service

Volunteering matters most when it is consistent and meaningful. A single afternoon at a food bank is kind, but it does not move the needle on an application. What colleges want to see is sustained commitment to something beyond yourself.


There are wonderful organizations right in our community worth considering. Priceless Pets in Costa Mesa is always looking for volunteers to help with animal care, adoption events, and kenneling. Someone Cares Soup Kitchen in Costa Mesa serves thousands of meals and relies on volunteers throughout the week. The Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach offers hands-on conservation work and environmental education programs that are a natural fit for students interested in science, sustainability, or the outdoors.



If you are already volunteering somewhere, summer is the time to deepen that commitment. Take on more hours, ask about a leadership role, or start a small initiative within the organization.


A Final Thought

The students who stand out in the application process are not the ones who did the most things. They are the ones who can tell a genuine story about how they spent their time. Ideally that story includes academics, real world experience, and service to others. A summer that hits all three gives you material for your activities section, your essays, and your interviews, and more importantly, it gives you experiences that actually matter.

If you have questions about how your summer plans fit into your overall application strategy, I would love to help. Reach out at newschoolcollegecounseling.com or find me on Instagram at @newschoolcollegecounseling.

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By MaryMichael Neushul • July 7, 2026
Your Summer Checklist Before Senior Year Begins Summer feels like a break, and it should be. But if you're heading into senior year this fall, there are a few things worth tackling before mid-August. Getting these done now means less stress once school starts and applications are due. Here's what to focus on. 1. Open Your Common App Account The Common App is already open for rising seniors, and the profile page is the easiest part to knock out early. It's mostly basic information: your contact details, family information, education history, and testing. Getting this done now clears the way for the harder parts later. 2. Build Your Resume, Then Use It to Complete the Activities Section Before you touch the Activities section of the Common App, sit down and build a full resume. List every activity, job, leadership role, and commitment from the last four years, along with your actual time investment and what you accomplished. Once that's on paper, translating it into the Common App's activities format is much easier, and you're less likely to leave something out or undersell what you did. 3. Brainstorm for Your Personal Statement and Start a draft Your grades and test scores already tell admissions officers a lot about you. Your personal statement is your chance to share what those numbers can't. Spend some time this summer thinking about what you want an admissions officer to know about you that isn't anywhere else in your application. I recommend having a final draft completed before you head back to school. Supplemental essays for most colleges come out August 1, and you'll want that time to focus on them instead of still wrestling with your personal statement. 4. Open a STARS Account and Enter Your Grades STARS (Self-Reported Transcript and Academic System) is required by a number of schools, including Clemson, NYU, and the University of Tennessee, and it's due when your application is due. It's an easy step to forget, and every year students miss it simply because they didn't know it existed. Open your account now and start entering your grades so this isn't a last-minute scramble in the fall. 5. Complete Your Counselor Packet or Brag Sheet Your counselor packet, sometimes called a brag sheet, gives your counselor what they need to write your letter of recommendation. Getting this done over the summer means it's ready to go the moment you're back at school, instead of competing with the first weeks of senior year for your attention.  None of these tasks take a huge amount of time on their own, but knocking them out now means you'll walk into senior year ahead instead of behind. Future you will be grateful.

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Unlocking your potential: College options for B students

By mneushul • February 17, 2026
With so many discussions about how competitive it is to get into college, many students wonder if their grades are good enough to even attend a four-year school. The question is a valid one, especially for students who have consistently received B grades or even a C during their academic careers. Well, the answer is there are plenty of universities that want you on their campus. In this blog, we’ll discuss the role of B grades in the college acceptance process to help you understand what it takes to get into college. Firstly, it’s important to note that achieving B grades is not necessarily a bad thing. A B grade is considered an above-average mark and shows that you have a good understanding of the subject matter. In fact, many colleges look beyond just the grades and consider other factors such as extracurricular activities, community service, educational background, and other achievements. These factors play a crucial role in determining your admission to college, and B grades may not be as big a factor as you might think. Each college has its own admission criteria, which may include different requirements for GPA, SAT/ACT scores, essays, and letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation from teachers who know you may support your application by showing what a hard worker you are and how you might contribute in class. Likewise, a strong ACT or SAT shows your academic potential. I recommend all of my students, take either test during their junior year. College essays are also a chance to give more information about who you are beyond your grades. Furthermore, it’s vital to remember that your B grades do not define your academic potential or your future success. Many successful people never achieved straight A’s in high school, and their hard work, perseverance, and dedication have helped them reach their goals. It’s essential to focus on your strengths, interests, and passion for your chosen program and strive to showcase your potential in every aspect of the application process. Colleges will look at your activities in addition to your grades and look favorably at a part-time job, sports involvement, or volunteer opportunities you took advantage of. It is never too late to improve your grades. Demonstrating an upward trend in your grades, especially as your classes get more challenging, shows your potential for success. This pattern of improvement shows your ability to adapt, learn, and overcome academic challenges over time, traits that admissions committees value highly. Excelling in your senior year is particularly crucial as it's your most recent academic performance before applying to colleges. If you can show that you've increased your GPA, taken more challenging courses, or made significant strides in areas where you previously struggled, you'll not only prove that you are academically prepared for college, but also that you possess the determination and resilience necessary to succeed in a university setting. In conclusion, although the most selective schools may not be a realistic option, there are plenty of small, mid-size, and large schools that will be perfect for you. The admission criteria for each college vary, and many factors play into the process, including academic achievement, extracurricular activities, community service, essays, and letters of recommendation. B grades are a reflection of your academic performance, but they do not define your potential as a student. So, if you’re a B student, don’t be discouraged. Focus on your strengths, work hard to showcase your potential, and use your application to highlight those strengths. Rest assured that you will find the right school to attend.

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By mneushul • February 11, 2026
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