25 Summer Activities That Look Good On College Applications

Colleges want to admit students who can successfully balance their academics with other responsibilities. That’s why summer work, volunteering, and other meaningful activities can make your college application stand out. These experiences show off your character, maturity, and ability to balance multiple responsibilities. But don’t just follow the crowd; push yourself in areas that genuinely interest you to stand out from your peers.

In this article, we’ll review 25 summer activities that will impress colleges, including summer jobs for high schoolers, summer internships for high schoolers, and student passion project examples.

Participating in summer programs or other activities during high school shows dedication, responsibility, and leadership—qualities colleges value. Whether you’re volunteering, working, or pursuing a passion project, these experiences demonstrate your ability to manage multiple priorities. More importantly, they give you a chance to explore your interests in a way that sets you apart from your peers.

You don’t need to score a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to stand out to admissions officers. Getting into prestigious and selective pre-college summer programs can go a long way, but there are a variety of summer activities that impress colleges.

What should high schoolers do over the summer? One of the best ways to use your summers in high school is to get a job. Many students find part-time jobs during the school year and go full-time during the summer. Summer jobs at local grocery stores, convenience shops, or camps are popular choices for high schoolers looking to gain valuable work experience.

Regarding college admission, summer jobs help demonstrate your work ethic, maturity, and dedication. You may even consider asking your boss for a college letter of recommendation. Overall, summer jobs for high school students look great on your resume and can help you gain further employment opportunities in the future. When applying for summer jobs, consider some of the best entry-level jobs with useful work experience.

While internships are typically for college students, high schoolers can secure them too. Start by reaching out to family or friends with connections in your field, or try emailing different companies, otherwise known as a cold email.

If you’re wondering, when should I start applying for summer internships?, you should start researching internships over winter break. If you need to submit a formal application, the application deadline will be listed. However, if you need to contact companies directly, you may want to begin reaching out in the spring. Internships provide valuable hands-on experience and show commitment to your future major, especially for selective programs like pre-med.

Like internships, pre-college programs are a great way to get hands-on experience and gain valuable skill sets, but only the most selective ones truly impress colleges. Pre-college programs that look good on college applications are often extremely selective. Fortunately, many prestigious programs are free or low-cost.

That said, it’s worth noting that many popular summer camps for high schoolers are expensive but not very selective, offering little prestige for college applications. If you’re applying to pre-college summer programs to boost your application, focus on prestigious ones. For more details, review our article on pre-college programs to find the best fit for your needs and goals.

A good way to stay productive over the summer is to learn a new skill. Perhaps you can teach yourself how to code, how to use Photoshop, how to play an instrument (or even how to build your own instrument), or how to keep bees. Regardless of what skill you decide to pursue, learning a new skill shows initiative, self-direction, and motivation. It may even expose you to new career options!

Earning a certification is a great way to bolster your high school resume and impress college admissions counselors. Some options include getting a certification in CPR, lifeguarding, wilderness first aid, scuba diving, yoga instruction, and graphic design. You could even become a Licensed Nursing Assistant. As you can see, the possibilities are endless!

Starting a fundraiser is a great way to work on your organizational and outreach skills. Not only are these great skills to have, but they also look great on your college applications and resume. Find a cause that’s important to you and brainstorm ways to raise money. This may include reaching out to local businesses, starting a raffle, and planning a fundraising event.

In addition to your overall GPA, course rigor is an important admissions factor. Taking a summer class at a local college can be a great way to show that you are capable of succeeding in a collegiate environment. Depending on the college you attend, you might even be able to transfer these credits. Overall, this can be a great way to impress colleges while potentially saving money and completing core requirements.

Internships can be a great way to spend your summer if you have a clearly defined interest. But what if you have several ideas? Job shadowing can be a great way to explore different careers in a short amount of time. Reach out to businesses and nonprofits to ask about job shadowing opportunities.

Reading is always a worthwhile way to spend your time. Challenge yourself by designing a reading list for the summer that is reflective of your interests. For example, if you’re interested in studying philosophy, challenge yourself to read one major work from ten notable philosophers. If you’re interested in pursuing gender studies, seek out work by Audre Lorde, Angela Davis, Judith Butler, Gloria Anzaldua, and others.

Designing a digital portfolio is a creative way to highlight your accomplishments and skills. Include examples of your best work—essays, coding projects, or volunteer initiatives—along with awards, certifications, and leadership roles. Use platforms like Wix or Google Sites to create a professional site.

A digital portfolio demonstrates creativity, initiative, and attention to detail, helping you stand out in college applications and interviews. It’s also a great resource you can use for internships or scholarships.

Visiting colleges is a great way to narrow down your college list and demonstrate an interest in a school. While you will not explicitly list this activity on your college application, it is a key step in the college application process. Overall, attending college campus tours will help you develop an understanding of the campus culture. This will be key in finding the right college for you. Additionally, these visits can be especially helpful for writing “why this college” essays.

If you’re aiming for art school, a standout portfolio is essential. Use your summer to dive into art projects that showcase your unique style and skill. Focus on drawing from observation to sharpen your technique or experiment with different mediums to expand your creative range. Challenge yourself with complex, polished pieces that reflect your dedication and artistic growth. A well-rounded, thoughtfully curated portfolio will help you stand out in competitive art school admissions.

Involvement in sports not only showcases your athletic ability but also highlights key qualities like discipline, teamwork, and leadership—all traits colleges value. If you participate in high school sports, take advantage of summer training sessions, even if they’re optional. Committing to extra practice shows dedication and can help you advance to Varsity, which strengthens your application. By pushing yourself to excel in your sport, you demonstrate perseverance and a drive to succeed—qualities that resonate with college admissions officers.

First off, what is a passion project for students? A passion project is a project that high school students design and complete outside of school that explores something they are passionate about. There are lots of passion project ideas for students!

Ideally, these projects should be fairly ambitious and require extensive self-reflection and planning. Passion projects are a great way to learn new skills, gain confidence, and explore your interests more fully. For a passion project ideas list and passion project examples, review our article, the ultimate guide to passion projects for high schoolers.

If you have a lot to say about your hobbies or interests, consider starting a blog or website. A website alone often isn’t enough to impress admissions officers. After all, anyone can create a website. The most important aspect of your website will be how much traction you are able to draw. You will want to keep track of numbers so you can showcase your ability to build and maintain an online platform.

Demonstrating hands-on skills by building something from scratch can set your college application apart. Whether it’s constructing a boat, crafting an instrument, or even designing a tiny house, creating something tangible showcases creativity, problem-solving, and perseverance. Choose a project that sparks your interest and dive into research, planning, and execution. Not only does this show initiative and passion, but it also provides a great talking point on your college application—highlighting your ability to turn ideas into reality.

No matter your passion—whether it’s writing, sports, music, acting, or another field—competitions offer a great way to showcase your talents. Competing pushes you to hone your skills and strive for excellence, while also demonstrating your dedication and ambition. Achievements in competitions, whether local or national, can significantly strengthen your college application, proving you’re willing to challenge yourself and excel in your chosen area. These accomplishments can help set you apart from other applicants.

Starting a business or nonprofit is one of the best ways to differentiate yourself from the competition in the college application process. It takes a lot of discipline and self-motivation. If you are able to successfully build a client base or raise money for a cause, admissions officers will be very impressed.

Right now, when you think of a business, you may think of something huge like Target or Apple. But you can start small. Consider babysitting on a regular basis, teaching music lessons, buying items wholesale and reselling them, vending at art markets, or cutting people’s lawns. Similarly, if you’re interested in starting a nonprofit, review our article on how to start a nonprofit in high school.

One of the best ways to display leadership and character is by showing that you care for your community. Volunteers take time out of their day to help those in need and expect nothing in return. What could be more selfless and kinder than that?

If there is a cause you care about, consider volunteering for local organizations promoting it such as food pantries, animal hospitals, nursing homes, animal shelters, etc. Typically, the organization’s website will tell you how to volunteer. If not, you can always email a volunteer coordinator directly. Of course, only do this if this is something you are truly passionate about and will stand for. Admissions officers will make assumptions about your passions — make sure they are making the right assumptions. For example, if you have never left the country and don’t really understand foreign politics, it wouldn’t make sense to volunteer at Amnesty International.

Public libraries, museums, and other local government-funded services may also be open to volunteering. These volunteering opportunities may be more in line with your academic interests, so they are a good way to demonstrate your passions to admissions officers.

Giving back to your community is a great way to spend your summer, and organizing a community project will help you strengthen your leadership and organizational skills. Depending on your interests, you might want to start a community garden, design a mural, organize an art market, or start a local farmers market. Again, the possibilities here are endless!

Publications are an excellent way to stand out on your college applications. If you are interested in creative writing, submit your poems and short stories to literary magazines. If you’re interested in politics or journalism, approach your local newspaper with an opinion piece. Depending on the newspaper, they may even be interested in publishing a student column.

Creative projects are a compelling way to impress colleges. Start a band and write music together. Find places to perform. Record your songs.

Participating in a play demonstrates commitment, creativity, and discipline. It also fosters community and places value on teamwork and leadership abilities. Theater is also an effective way to gain confidence and practice public speaking.

While it’s important to be productive during the summer, it’s equally important to have fun! Do your best to balance hanging out with friends and family with your other responsibilities. Summer is a great time to decompress and relax after a stressful school year. Take time to recuperate.