Seth Clarin

As junior year comes to an end, the questions that juniors have been bombarded with all year — “Have you started college essays?”, “What colleges are you applying to?”, etc. — are finally becoming a reality. These ideas transition from mere thoughts in one’s head to something students must heavily look into. While this is a very exciting process, and for most juniors, something one might have been thinking about since elementary school, it can also be overwhelming and stressful. Writing essays, taking standardized tests and everything else regarding the college application process can be an overload in combination with a student’s typical responsibilities during the school year. For that reason, it is beneficial to take full advantage of the time given to the juniors over the summer, to reduce some of the stresses the school year might bring.  The college application process starts now. To help educate overwhelmed and confused students on what should be done over the summer before senior year, The Panther had the opportunity to speak with Miami Palmetto Senior High’s College Application Process Advisor, Linda Dwyer. 

The Panther: “What are the keys to senior success that a junior can start building over the summer?” 

Dwyer: “Juniors need to stay busy, whether it’s an internship, a job, volunteering or just reading [about colleges and the overall process]. Real-life experience looks really good for an application; any real-life experience shows the college different aspects of the child. Juniors should get a plan and start to think about where they’re going to apply and then start working on their application. Most schools accept applications through the Common App, so juniors should create their account and start working on the portion called the ‘Profile’: their name, address, all background information and activities. Then they can start working on the Common App essay.” 

The Panther: “What are the benefits of taking digital classes over the summer?”

Dwyer: “Students can take FLVS courses over the summer, which are high school credit classes that can work to increase your GPA. Another option is college credit classes, like those you can take at the University of Miami — but those are very expensive … Those count towards college credit, but it does not increase their high school GPA. This is a wonderful thing to do, but working at McDonald’s [,for example,] is equally as wonderful: it tells the college that you’re responsible and have a real job. But, if you are not interested in the class and you don’t care for the GPA bump, then this is not what I would recommend you spend your summer doing. I was just at Northeastern and they were telling me that they love when students watch TED Talks and read articles and volunteer their time versus just taking another class. Think out of the box.”

The Panther: “What is the first step for students who do not know where to start when it comes to college essays?”

Dwyer: “They can contact me over the summer by messaging me on Scoir. There are also a million things online: I love the ‘College Essay Guy.’ He is free and he is phenomenal.” 

The Panther: “What are some specific things that a student should have done by the time the school year starts?”

Dwyer: “In a perfect world, I would want students to have completed their main college essay. There are supplemental essays that you will learn about August 1, when the Common App rolls over. I would love for them to have their resume done and their senior profile, as well as the main part of the Common App. When you come back in August, I would love each senior to have a college list [of which schools they want to apply to]; it does not have to be immovable — you will add colleges to your list and you will drop colleges — but you want a solid college [list] and you want to know the deadlines to apply to these schools. Over the summer, you want to research your ‘WHY’: why you want to apply to these colleges. Many schools have supplemental essays that ask why you are applying there … this will help you answer that.” 

The Panther: “Are there any important dates or deadlines that may come up over the summer or as school starts that students should be aware of?”

Dwyer: “The main date is August 1: the Common App will roll over and show you the updated college specific guidelines. And then, for us as Panthers, I want everyone to apply to FIU and UCF by Labor Day [Sep 2], but last year the first hard set deadline was Oct 15, so we will see how it is for this year.”

The Panther: “Is there anything that juniors should have done before the school year ends that will help them next year?”

Dwyer: “It would be great if juniors could touch base with their junior year teachers and figure out who will be writing them a letter of recommendation before they leave for summer break.”

The Panther: “There are some students who don’t have time over the summer to build experience that colleges will look for, such as getting a job, because they are doing leisurely things, such as traveling. Are these students at a disadvantage?” Dwyer: “There are students who have the privilege to travel all summer or go to camp. That’s amazing! Students should be having fun. That’s a college prep activity: they’re learning to work with other people and have fun and be creative. For a student who’s traveling, they’re seeing the world. Travel is an education in itself.”