As the school year is coming to an end, students are reflecting on this school year and looking forward to summer. Summer can be fun and carefree, yet students might also take that time to prepare for the incoming school year. From a new building to the common app process and new classes to prospective colleges, summer prep can look different for each grade level.
For rising sophomore Vicki Mensah-Brown, summer will be both a time to relax for her and a time to make sure she’s set to hit the ground running for the next school year.
“I’m re-taking classes in the summer because this year was rough so I wanna fix some grades. And I’m also gonna do an SAT prep class,” Mensah-Brown said.
SAT and ACT prep are common summer activities along with various efforts to make sure college applications can be as impressive as possible. These efforts range from trying to drum up straight As by retaking courses over the summer or trying to get a decent ACT or SAT score through summer prep classes. Students may find this time stressful, but it is necessary for their college preparation.
“I’m gonna be taking an ACT prep class over the summer [but] I don’t wanna do it. It’s gonna take up so much time,” sophomore Jamie McClintock said.
The common theme of strengthening college applications reaches its head just before senior year with rising seniors beginning to take a serious look at colleges and the notorious common app essay prompts, as well as supplemental essays.
“Hopefully I get the motivation to start my common app, and my essays. I think I’m also gonna go visit colleges in person to see where I find myself best,” junior Essil Ezzoug said.
As far as transitioning between grades, rising ninth graders arguably have the most change-filled shift out of the group. With moving to a new and bigger school, the adjustment can be nerve wracking for them. Valerie Charo is an eighth grader at North Bethesda Middle School who will be attending Walter Johnson in the fall.
“I am not excited for classes, I’m not even gonna lie … [and] the building is so big, like what if I get lost,” Charo said.
Even with a list of academic-related tasks to check off over the summer, students are determined to use summer as a way to get away from everything and give themselves a break.
“I’m still gonna have fun over the summer though, ‘cause I need a break from the school year,” Mensah-Brown said.
No matter what grade you’re in, moving on to the next one can be daunting. However, it’s a good idea to use summer break to try and get a head start on things so that you can save yourself some time and stress for the next school year and enjoy more.
