[Fredslist] New College Survey

[Jill Tipograph/Everything Summer]

Contact:  	Hilary Munson
		917-523-2267		hilary.munson at gmail.com


NEW SURVEY REVEALS SUMMER EXPERIENCES ADD VALUE TO COLLEGE APPLICANTS

Results guide high school students toward meaningful summer options


March 9, 2007.  New York, NY- A recent survey of admissions counselors at 35
of the country's most prestigious universities offers high school students
tips on how to plan a productive summer experience that will help prepare
them for college.  Jill Tipograph, founder and director of the only
independent summer consultancy Everything Summer(r), spoke with admissions
teams from top-tier universities such as Colby College, Johns Hopkins
University, University of Miami, University of Michigan, Rice University and
Vassar College to get insider information on which summer activities offer
students the greatest value, and what to avoid when choosing a program. 

Tipograph, a mother of two children, has researched more than 2,000 summer
programs in her 11 years as a planner and consultant.  By assessing a teen's
goals, personality, passions and background, Tipograph strategically
identifies worthwhile summer experiences for students.  "The summer has
always been a great opportunity for high school students to gain more
self-direction and challenge themselves," Tipograph explains.  "Today,
students' summers are an integral part of the college admissions process,
since they are viewed as a reflection of their interests, aptitudes and
abilities."

Based on feedback received from admissions counselors, here are several
rules to remember when designing a teen's summer program: 
*	Push Yourself: Summer is the right time for many students to test
themselves in areas of creativity, volunteerism, academics and potential
majors or careers.  Most admissions officers feel students need to 'go
outside their comfort zone.' Use the summer to experiment, see what you are
capable of, and what you can accomplish, especially at the leadership level.
According to Feodies Shipp III, Assistant Director of Undergraduate
Admissions, University of Michigan, "Students that take part in few
activities but at a leadership level tend to get more consideration than
students that have a plethora of activities with no leadership."
	
*	Pursue Genuine Interests:  Admissions counselors stress the
importance of using summertime wisely and productively, but also emphasize
pursuing programs in which a student is truly interested.  They seek depth,
not 'packaged students.' Laura Villafranca, Assistant Director of
Admissions, Rice University, counsels, "Follow your interests.  Don't
participate in a summer activity or program to try to impress an admissions
committee."

*	Wisely Communicate Your Summer Experience: Nearly all of the
counselors surveyed agree on one thing: most high school students
underestimate how important it is to let the admissions teams know why they
chose a summer program-and what they gained from it.  John W. Birney Jr.,
Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Johns Hopkins University,
advises, "Students need to learn to articulate the impact of the experience;
if writing this is difficult, pick up the phone or tell us in person."

For more information on the survey, or to schedule an interview with Jill
Tipograph, please call 917-523-2267 or email hilary.munson at gmail.com.
About Everything Summer (r)
Everything Summer, the only independent resource dedicated to summer
planning, helps families find appropriate summer programs for children ages
5-18 via one-on-one counseling.  The organization offers additional
services, including: leading interactive school and corporate group
workshops on summer planning for kids and teens; providing clients a vast
network of resources to meet extra family needs, such as educational, travel
and organizational planning; and year-round guidance information via
newsletters.  Its director, Jill Tipograph, authored the book, Your
Everything Summer Guide & Planner, full of tips, checklists, questions and
assessment tools for camp and high school summer program evaluation. For
more information, please visit www.everythingsummer.com.  


Jill Tipograph
Founder/Director
Everything Summer, LLC
201-391-8800
212-582-5300
914-472-8600
866-995-1122
jill at everythingsummer.com
www.everythingsummer.com
 
Author of Your Everything Summer Guide & Planner
<http://www.everythingsummer.com/guide.asp> 
 
 
 

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