Summer Planning for High School Students: What Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors Need to do NOW

Planning your summer is one of the most underrated parts of college admissions strategy… and most high school students start far too late. In this episode, former Ivy League admissions director Thomas Caleel explains how freshmen, sophomores, and juniors can use summer programs, jobs, volunteering, and independent projects to build a meaningful and compelling narrative for selective colleges. You’ll learn what admissions officers actually value, which summer programs are worth your time, how to avoid expensive pre-college programs that don’t help, and why depth of engagement matters more than prestige. In this episode, Thomas breaks down: How to pick summer activities that support your long-term goals Which summer programs are truly selective (and which don’t matter) How to build a strong summer even if you can’t afford paid programs Why early planning gives students a major advantage What freshmen, sophomores, and juniors should prioritize right now Whether you're exploring interests, planning for competitive majors, or building a narrative for top colleges, this episode will help you choose a summer that stands out for the RIGHT reasons. 📌 Get free resources and planning tools: https://www.admittedly.co 📱 Follow us on Instagram & TikTok: @admittedlyco 🎧 Don’t forget to subscript for new episodes every week on college admissions, essays, strategy, and high school planning.