Summer 2025 Client Newsletter

You are early, and that is a real gift. This summer is less about tasks and more about exploration. The students who arrive at senior year with the clearest sense of direction are usually the ones who spent 10th grade paying attention to what genuinely interests them.

• Take a strengths or interest inventory (see resources below). Notice which subjects or activities genuinely hold your attention and light you up.
• Read broadly. Nonfiction, journalism, or one book in a field you have never explored. This quietly builds your intellectual voice for essays later.
• Look into summer programs, community involvement, or a job or internship in an area of genuine curiosity, not resume-building for its own sake.
• Start a simple running doc: activities you are involved in, hours per week, and any awards or leadership. Keeping this current now saves a lot of scrambling later.
• If you find yourself near a campus of interest this summer, stop in for a tour. You do not need a formal plan yet. Just walk around, take notes on what you like and dislike, and let those impressions inform your college exploration down the road.

No college list yet. No test prep required yet. Just intention and curiosity.

Junior year is the most important academic year in your application. The work you do this summer sets the tone for it. The good news: a little preparation now creates a lot of breathing room when the school year picks up.

• Test planning: Begin test prep for the PSAT in October. If you are aiming to become a competitor for the National Merit Scholars program with the CollegeBoard, intensive prep is recommended. For all others, light prep can still be beneficial over the summer if you anticipate taking the SAT or ACT beginning in Spring of 11th grade. Of course, book a session with Rya for personalized prep and test planning, if you have not already had this conversation with her.
• Draft your activities list. Pull together everything you have been involved in since 9th grade, with approximate hours and any leadership or recognition. We will refine it together, but having a first draft matters.
• Do some early college exploration. Look up a few schools you are curious about, not to form a list, but to start noticing what draws your attention. If you want to start diving deeper into colleges on your own this summer, reach out to Rya to discuss.
• Stay committed to your current activities and pursue new ones with intention. Longevity, responsibility, and depth of involvement matter. Admissions readers consistently value meaningful impact over a long list of short-term involvements.

The Common App is already live and available to dig into now. Most of you are already well on your way: balanced college lists taking shape, a start to the UC Personal Insight Questions, letters of rec requests and brag sheets dialed, essay brainstorming underway, testing mapped out, and Common App login created. The bullets below are general checkpoints, but most importantly, take advantage of these summer months to make a major dent in your applications. I recommend weekly meetings with me where possible.

• Finalize your college list. A balanced list typically includes 10 to 14 schools across reach, target, and likely tiers. If we have not worked through this together yet, let's book time now.
• Write your Common App personal statement. Aim for a complete draft by August 1.
• Beginning August 2nd, map your supplemental essays. Look at the prompts for each school on your list and note word counts. Some schools have heavy supplement loads; knowing this now prevents September panic.
• Finalize any remaining testing. If you still want to improve your scores, this is likely your last realistic window before fall deadlines.
• Ask two teachers for recommendations before or right at the start of school. Your school counselor recommendation can be requested in early fall. Do not wait on the teacher asks.
• Organize your application tracker. Know your deadlines: Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision dates vary widely.

You have done the work. This summer is about channeling it into your applications with clarity and confidence. I am here for every step of it.