5 Smart Ways Students Can Make the Most of Summer Break

Lisa Hillhouse, IEC, Founder, Hillhouse College and Career Advising, LLC

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Summer break is more than just time off, it's an opportunity. What I've found over the years is that how a student uses these months doesn't need to be complicated to be impactful. But it does need to be intentional.
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Whether your child is just starting high school or heading into senior year, summer can play a meaningful role in building confidence, exploring interests, and easing the pressure before the school year ramps up again. The good news? There's room to do all of that and still rest. Here are five ways I guide students to make the most of their summer:

1. Start With What Genuinely Interests Them
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The best place to begin is wherever your student's curiosity already lives: a subject they enjoy, a field they've wondered about, or a skill they've wanted to try. That might look like earning an online certificate in AI or coding, job shadowing in finance or healthcare, working as a counselor-in-training at a camp, or attending an immersive program in cancer research, engineering, or aviation. The options are wide, and cost doesn't have to be a barrier, as many meaningful experiences are free or low-cost.
The key is that summer should feel different from the school year. This isn't about grades or checking boxes. It's about learning what they love and, equally valuable, learning what they don't. That kind of self-knowledge goes a long way as they choose majors and research college choices.

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2. Prioritize Depth Over a Packed Schedule
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Students don't need to fill every week with activities. In fact, I'd encourage you to resist that impulse. What matters far more than volume is purpose. A part-time job, consistent volunteer work for a cause they care about (food insecurity, veterans' services, environmental advocacy), or even a self-directed project can be just as formative as a formal program. I've seen students grow tremendously from a summer job, learning to show up on time, navigate different personalities, and take responsibility. Those are life skills that matter. One experience that your student genuinely commits to and learns from will always carry more weight, for them and for college applications, than a long list of disconnected activities that they dabbled in.

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3. Use Summer to Take a Little Pressure Off the School Year
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Summer can be a great time to get ahead in small, manageable ways, and parents can help by framing this as relief, not more work. Some students benefit from knocking out a graduation requirement (Communications, Government, PE) or exploring a new subject (Psychology, Nutrition) to open up room in their school year schedule. Others may want to retake a course where they earned a C or below, begin standardized test prep, or preview material for an upcoming AP class. For some students, simply reading for enjoyment is exactly the right goal. Even a little preparation now can make September feel significantly more manageable.

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4. For Juniors and Seniors: Don't Wait on the College Process
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Summer is genuinely one of the best times for rising juniors and seniors to make progress on college planning, because for once, there's actually time to pause and reflect. This is when students can research schools thoughtfully, explore potential majors, visit campuses, and begin understanding financial aid and scholarships. Yes, it's not too early to start applying for scholarships, as many have fall deadlines. Rising seniors who use summer to draft their Common Application essay, fill out the Common App main section, and build their résumé will thank themselves in September and October, when school, activities, and deadlines all hit at once.

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5. Protect Their Rest — It's Not Optional
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This is the piece that most often gets cut, and it's often the most important. Students genuinely need time away from structure and pressure. That means sleep, unscheduled days, time with friends and family, and space to just be. Encouraging a break from social media during part of the summer can make a real difference, too. Burnout is real, and I see the effects every fall. Students who return rested and recharged are simply better positioned to do well, academically, socially, and emotionally.

A successful summer isn't about doing everything. It's about being thoughtful in what your student chooses to pursue and equally thoughtful about what they skip. The right mix looks different for every student, but in general, exploring new areas and learning new skills,  whether at a job, volunteering, program or at home, is incredibly valuable. Getting a clearer sense of self? Priceless. Enjoy your summer break.