<p>I just finished my sophomore year two weeks ago and I was wondering if there are any specific things I should be doing this summer to prepare for college. I have a job, and play both summer basketball and softball. Any advice would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Read good books, poetry, newspapers; find someone to help; start searching college websites and chat rooms to see what is out there; and enjoy yourself.</p>
<p>Reading!!! If you read some of the threads like Xiggi’s test prep, you will see that the critical reading and vocab are the parts of the SAT that can’t be truly “prepped for”, it takes reading, and reading over time. Read the newspaper and some non-fiction books, some classic books - you want to stretch yourself, unconsciously improve your vocab and your understanding of more difficult reading. If you and your 'rents are going on a trip this summer, stop by a college, doesn’t matter so much which one; by making a visit you can begin to get a feel for large vs small, urban or rural. Univ of MO, Wash U, Centre College if you are headed to KY, Truman State, Univ of Arkansas. Memphis might be a fun long weekend - see Rhodes - the emphasis is on low key, low pressure. If you are the oldest in your family, the info session may key your parents in to how expensive and competitive college admissions can be these days.
Most important - HAVE FUN - you are keeping busy, you don’t need to do anything else.</p>
<p>Katie - Check out the Parents Forum thread “If you knew then what you know now …” There are several suggestions for the summer before Junior year. Good advice IMHO.</p>
<p>Studying for the SAT has NOTHING to do with preparing for college. The SAT is a game to beat, not a real intellectual challenge. It’s about brownie points, not real learning.</p>
<p>For learning vocabulary, I suggest studying the Princeton Review’s Hit Parade list and the vocabulary list in the book <em>Up Your Score</em>. It’s FAR more efficient than reading every issue of the New York Times cover-to-cover for a year.</p>