“We are sorry to inform you” is a common email greeting that fills students’ inboxes in the spring. At Lynbrook, summer is often glorified as a period that should be filled with extracurriculars to strengthen a resume. Unfortunately, this has led to a hyperfocus on summer programs, earning them a false reputation as a one-way ticket to a prestigious college. Students should know that rejection from summer programs isn’t a direct indicator of success, as there are alternative avenues to a fruitful summer.
“I wish students would look inside themselves a bit more,” school counselor Shana Howden said. “I want them to ask, ‘What would make me feel accomplished? What would stretch me, interest me?’ It would be nice to see students spending more time thinking about what would help them grow, rather than what they think will speak for them on an application. Nothing speaks for you. You have to speak for yourself.”
Low acceptance rates and high costs mean summer programs are not accessible to all. The Iowa Young Writers Studio and Summer Science Program have acceptance rates lower than 10%. Additionally, programs that are just three weeks long can cost up to $10,000.
“Students should be open to all types of opportunities,” science teacher Jessica Lu said. “They shouldn’t get tunnel vision to any specific thing. If you do a summer program, you’re going to learn a lot. If you volunteer at a hospital or get a job and interact with the public, you’re going to learn a lot.”
In recent years, the number of Lynbrook students applying to summer programs has dramatically increased, evidenced by the skyrocketing requests for teacher letters of recommendations. Teachers have gone from having only a few student requests each year to managing long lists or designated Schoology classrooms to track requests. This takes valuable time away from grading and lesson planning.
“For me, letter requests especially increased this year,” math teacher Sarah Kraemer said. “Some programs take longer than others to write a letter for because they have specific questions to answer.”
One reason for these added stressors is the fact that prestigious summer titles are treasured by students building resumes. The idea that summer programs are mandatory is toxic but familiar, causing students to apply to programs they are not interested in. Although this mentality is often difficult to fight, students must keep in mind that there are many summer activity options, all of which strengthens a resume.
“Most peers I talk about summer plans to don’t say, ‘What are you going to do over summer?’” junior Erin Chen said. “They don’t ask, ‘Do you want to do your own project?’ or ‘What are you going to do for fun?’ Instead, they ask what programs you’re applying to, which places a lot of unnecessary stress.”
The real point of summer — three months of pursuing what is intentional to oneself — should not be tainted by comparison nor anxiety. Most crucial is pursuing genuine interests which come in different experiences for each person.
“I had a student who didn’t get into any programs, and we talked about job shadowing,” Howden said. “It wasn’t a structured, fancy thing: they lined up 10 or 12 people in their family network to follow around for two days at a time. Then, they wrote a really interesting essay about what they had learned about the world of work.”
Students can take advantage of a myriad of opportunities that offer experiences not all programs can. Not only can students explore diverse interests in a practical setting, but they can also build more connections. Jobs and internships provide a direct look into a professional pathway.
“Something that I learned from my job was that I wasn’t very good at being able to do things from different angles,” sophomore Isaac Gutmann said. “I have to ask, ‘how do I do this in a different way?’ My job is something that I enjoy doing and want to keep doing.”
Volunteering strengthens skills to improve society. Spending time on a personal hobby fosters joy and lights new passions. Going on a vacation extends one’s worldview. More cost-effective academic approaches to summer can include taking community college classes.
“I decided to take initiative by starting my own nonprofit, Petals4People, over the summer instead of joining a program,” sophomore Eva Sharma said. “I combined my passion for gardening and my interest in business, and I’m glad I learned independence and the realities of business.”
Summertime is weighed down so heavily by pressure that its core meaning begins to blur: two months provide a great chance to explore one’s personal passions.
“A productive summer depends on what a student is interested in,” college and career adviser Kathy Tang said. “We suggest that students explore one or two different activities over the summer with at least one being something new or out of their comfort zone.”
The best route isn’t made from money spent or toxic competition. It is only when students go on their own unique journeys that summer is truly fulfilled.
“I know it’s discouraging when you get rejected because you can feel inferior to your classmates, but I believe that everything happens for a reason,” junior Shahana Mohamed said. “Over summer, I would suggest finding something you love doing and that you’re passionate about, because your happiness is the most important.”
