Hi there, my name is Celia Chapman, and I’m a rising junior at the University of Vermont. I’ve worked for my mom, Christine, since I was a freshman in high school and have helped students navigate their college applications after going through the process myself.
Along the way, I’ve learned as much from working alongside her as I did from my own experience applying. I’ve also spent the past few years as a counselor at our annual Vermont retreat programs, where I’ve seen firsthand how much of a difference it makes to get ahead of things over the summer before senior year.
The most important thing for rising seniors to understand this summer is that the college application process has already begun. What you do between June and August will shape your fall and senior year experience. This isn’t meant to stress you out, but prevent you from feeling rushed and overwhelmed when the school year actually starts.
In my own college application process, I had my personal statement and most of my supplemental essays complete by the time senior year started, but I still ended up revising my final list and drafts after school started.
Through reflection and writing, this process can teach you a lot about yourself, and thoughtful summer planning can be the difference between feeling panicked vs. going through the process intentionally and authentically.
Here’s what that summer should look like:
1. Finalize Your College List
By the end of summer, your list should be close to final, even if you’re still refining it. Aim for a genuine balance of reach, match/target, and likely schools.
Remember that a balanced list isn’t just about admissions odds, but financial fit, academic fit, and personal fit. I would definitely recommend building a simple spreadsheet to track application deadlines, EA, ED, RD, and REA options, testing policies, essay requirements, scholarship deadlines, and honors program deadlines.
2. Begin Your Personal Statement
The Common App personal statement is a window into who you are, what you value, how you think, what experiences have shaped you, and what you’ll bring to a campus community.
At Chapman Education, we advise students to begin by choosing a prompt (or a few) that piques their interest. Set a timer for 30 minutes and do a “brain dump.” Don’t overthink or try to fully flesh out all of your ideas, just put any of your initial thoughts on paper or in a google doc and brainstorm multiple topics.
From there, begin to draft a few ideas and get feedback from someone who knows you and your voice. Having a polished personal statement by August will free up your fall so that you can focus on getting your supplementals ready to submit
3. Confirm Your Recommendation Letters
Ideally, you asked teachers for recommendations before the end of junior year. Even if you have already asked, follow up to confirm who is writing for you. Teachers can write stronger letters when they have more to work with. A thoughtful note or conversation can make a big difference in the your recommendation. We also recommend that students send a résumé to their recommenders with more context about their intended major or goals.
I sent my recommenders a resume, but I also wrote personal letters to each of them outlining what I took away from their class, what I learned, where I struggled, and how I grew as a student.
4. Understand Your Testing Strategy
Testing isn’t one-size-fits-all anymore. Many of colleges are test-optional, but that doesn’t mean that scores don’t matter.
Review your current SAT/ACT scores, research each college’s specific testing policy, and research the average scores of students who are admitted. From there, decide whether your scores will strengthen your application. Also, make sure to register early if you decide to retake the SAT or ACT in August or fall.
5. Talk Honestly About Affording College
This is the conversation many families put off, but it’s important to make sure you are on the same page— the earlier you have this conversation, the better.
Talk through budget expectations, in-state vs. out-of-state options, financial aid realities, merit scholarship possibilities, and student loans. Many scholarship deadlines land earlier than students expect. If you are applying to many scholarships, start a spreadsheet now to track merit opportunities and what each one requires.
6. Prepare for Supplemental Essays
Most colleges ask for essays beyond the personal statement— things like: Why this college, why this major, community or identity prompts, and academic interest questions.
Look up last year’s prompts and start outlining ideas now. The more school-specific groundwork you lay this summer, the lighter your fall writing load will feel.
7. Continue Meaningful Summer Activities
Admissions officers do notice what you did the summer before senior year, so keep doing activities you genuinely enjoy and dive deeper into your interests rather than trying to add more things to your resume.
Finally:
Remember that colleges aren’t looking for a “perfect student,” but working to build a community. They are considering what students will contribute, how they will engage on campus, and what perspective they bring that others don’t.
It is important that your application tells a consistent story about your interests, how you spend your time, and how you’ve grown. The more thoughtful and honest you are in the process, the more authentically you will come across to admissions officers.
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