How to Best Optimize Winter Break to Boost Your College Admissions Odds
With winter break fast approaching, many students are looking forward to time off and relaxation. However, experts say, winter break can also be an ideal time to boost college applications.
Christopher Rim, CEO of Command Education and contributor at Forbes, recently offered tips for how students can make significant progress in building their college admissions profiles over the winter break holiday.
REFLECT AND SET GOALS
Winter break can be an ideal time to reflect on your academic and extracurricular achievements and identify your strengths and weaknesses to set realistic goals for the remaining school year.
“Whether it’s improving their GPA, pursuing leadership roles, or diversifying their extracurricular involvement, setting clear objectives will guide how they spend their winter break and their spring semester,” Rim says.
STANDARDIZED TEST PREP
The holidays can also provide ample time to put together a strategic test prep plan for the SAT or ACT.
“Increased free time and lack of schoolwork can afford students the time to take a diagnostic test to gauge what they need to improve,” Rim says. “Sitting for a diagnostic test is time-consuming, but it is the best way to track one’s progress, assess areas for improvement, and build confidence in the testing format.”
And, when it comes to prepping for the SAT and ACT, time is always the greatest differentiator.
“The easiest way, although it might not be the favorite for students, is to do a lot of prep,” Jolyn Brand, founder of Brand College Consulting, says. “The more prep they have, the less surprised they’ll be and the less nervous they’ll feel about what to expect.”
RESEARCH COLLEGES AND PLAN SCHOOL VISITS
Most college tours take place during the spring. Thus, winter break can be a good opportunity to start planning for your college tours and narrowing down your list of schools.
“Students can use the downtime to research potential colleges and universities, considering factors such as academic programs, campus culture, and location,” Rim says. “If students are unsure of whether they want to visit a certain college on their list, they can use the break to attend a virtual visit or online Q&A to critically evaluate whether they want to see a campus in person.”
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