Rising seniors at RAHS who are college bound have a lot of work to do to bolster their resumes. As summer approaches students must consider job or internship opportunities, and chances to volunteer.
Juniors should begin touring colleges, looking into majors they’re interested in, and applying for scholarships. Students can find resources to get started from your counselors, teachers, and staff. Juniors should be going over these steps in the summer in order to be best prepared.
RAHS College Navigator, Nyesha Brown, shared exactly what colleges are expecting for upcoming seniors. She said, “Regarding volunteer hours, colleges are looking for consistency, and sometimes not just a total number of hours. For example, having a sport or club you started in freshman year and continued all the way through your senior year, looks really good.”
Brown added, “Some scholarships require a certain amount of volunteer hours. So really it all depends on what you’re looking for.”
Touring colleges is another important part of choosing where you’d like to go and where you best fit in.
RAHS senior, Leah Slettedahl, shared her experience. She stated, “In the end I needed a college that fit what I wanted. I toured colleges that were close to home, and compared private versus public schools.”
Slettedahl (12) concluded, “I’m going to South Dakota State University because I liked the mid-size campus and the country.”
RAHS PSEO (PostSecondary Education Opportunity) Counselor, Ger Vue, shared where students can get more information on summer volunteering opportunities. He said, “School counselors and teachers can help, and companies put opportunities on their website for volunteering or internships. The sooner you can give back to your community and find what you’re most interested in can help you figure out what brings you the most fulfillment.”
Additionally, Brown stated, “We post college readiness opportunities on Schoology, and sometimes it’s easier to find more volunteer opportunities within the school itself.”
Junior at RAHS, Olivia Hartman, shared what she had done so far to get ready for her upcoming senior year. Hartman stated, “I’ve looked at a bunch of colleges. The major I want is very specific, so I have to have a college that goes with my needs. I’ve begun writing my college essay but I haven’t finished it.”
Noting that Hartman has more work to do this summer. She said, “I’ve volunteered in the past but I plan to do more this summer. I want to volunteer with kids and hockey. But having a good teacher to guide you with volunteer opportunities is very helpful.”
Counselor Vue shared his advice for upcoming seniors. He said, “It’s best to get as much experience in, as soon as possible, it’s never too late to get started. We all have many different desires and passions and you have to try new things and figure out what path brings you the most joy.”
Adding on, Brown stated, “It’s important to really take time to explore your interests. You will find things you want to do and don’t want to do. But you should get out there, be involved, and do different sports and activities because it builds who you are.”
