College Prep Season: What High Schoolers Should Be Doing This Summer

For rising juniors and seniors, summer can feel like a well-earned break from the academic grind — and it should be, at least in part. But summer is also one of the most valuable windows in the entire college preparation timeline, simply because it's the only stretch of the year without homework, classes, or extracurricular commitments competing for attention. Used intentionally, even a few hours a week can make a meaningful difference come fall.

For Rising Juniors: Build the Foundation

Junior year is generally considered the most academically significant year of high school for college admissions, which makes the summer before it an ideal time to prepare. If your child hasn't yet taken a practice SAT or ACT, summer is the time to do it. A baseline score helps identify which areas need the most attention, so your rising junior can get all the practice they need — including tutoring sessions — well before it's time to submit scores to colleges.

This is also a good time to address any lingering academic gaps from the past year or earlier grades. Skills in math and writing in particular tend to compound — a shaky foundation in algebra or essay structure becomes a much bigger obstacle in junior-year coursework than it was in ninth or tenth grade. Closing those gaps now, while the stakes are lower, pays off significantly later.

For Rising Seniors: Get Ahead on Essays and Applications

For rising seniors, summer is the single best time to make progress on college essays. Once the school year starts, schedules fill quickly with coursework, activities, and college visits, leaving little quiet time for the reflective writing required in strong application essays.

Encourage your child to start brainstorming essay topics now, even loosely. The best personal essays usually come from genuine reflection rather than a rushed final draft, and that reflection takes time. Summer is also a good window to begin organizing the practical side of applications — building a list of schools, noting application requirements and deadlines, and requesting any materials that take time to gather, such as transcripts or letters of recommendation.

For Both: Don't Neglect Academic Skill-Building

Whether your child is prepping for standardized tests, writing their essays, or simply trying to stay sharp, this is also an excellent time to reinforce core academic skills, particularly in subjects that they have historically found challenging. A few focused tutoring sessions over the summer can solidify skills before the academic pressure of junior or senior year begins in earnest.

At ILMS, we work with high schoolers on test preparation, academic skill-building, and writing support — including essay brainstorming and planning — all tailored to each student's specific needs and goals. Whether your child needs to shore up a weak subject or wants a head start on the year ahead, summer is the time to begin! Contact us at ilms_office@ilmstutor.com or (708) 581-8617, or book your free initial consultation to get started today.