DBHS Junior Bulletin
May 2018
Summer Activities!
Several of you have found some great summer opportunities, but for those of you who haven’t, there are still a myriad of wonderful activities you could join. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking of thinking that only certain activities hold value in the eyes of universities. More importantly, don’t lose sight of the fact that the most important activities are those that you find valuable. Take a look at the list below:
Get a job! Nothing teaches the value of a dollar like having to earn your own dollars, and as many of you know, a job also teaches you important life skills like responsibility, persistence, punctuality, honesty, and professionalism. Universities recognize that students who work have learned these and many other lessons, your parents will respect that you’re trying to help out, and you’ll enjoy being able to order two scoops of ice cream instead of one with your extra fat wallet!
Go to camp! If you can still sign on to volunteer at a day camp or a sleep over camp, being a camp counselor is a wonderful experience. Similar to a job, you learn so much about responsibility, watching out for others, being empathetic, helping out where needed, and you get to do it all under the stars with the smell of pine trees in the air!
Take care of your family! Some of your families need you to watch a little sister or a cousin during much of the summer, but don’t moan about it. Do the right thing and embrace the chance to help out, knowing that universities will also recognize this as a worthwhile activity.
Go on vacation! Travel is a wonderful experience, and if you have the chance to get out there somewhere, take the opportunity and don’t spend too much time worrying about what someone has told you might look better on a college application. We only get one time through this life.
SAT/ACT
SAT is coming! You can take the SAT in August (8/25/18). Isn’t that great? If you’re so inclined, register at www.collegeboard.org by 7/27/18.
The SAT will also be given on October 6th and November 3rd. There’s also a December 1st date that some schools will accept, but we’d encourage you to finish testing by November.
To register for the ACT, go to www.act.org. The ACT will be given on September 8th, October 27th, and December 8th, but again, finish before December if you can.
Don’t forget there is free online tutoring via the Khan Academy at https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/practice/khan-academy.
College Essays
Here’s another good task if you have spare time in the summer – start working on your essays. This is your opportunity to show universities the real person behind the GPA, test scores, and activities. You don’t want to spit it out the day before it’s due when you could spend some real time thinking about what you have to say for yourself.
The UC now has 8 “personal insight” questions, and you must respond to any four of them with a maximum of 350 words per question. The UC website already has these questions waiting for you, along with guidance for each question, so take a look at http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/personal-questions/freshman/.
Many private schools have their own essay prompts, and if there’s a school you love and plan on applying to, you should see if they have them already. Some are very unique and say a lot about the school – for example, take a look at the extended essay prompts for U Chicago - https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/essay-questions.
Congratulations Sydney Ferris & Sean Martin - Students of the Month!
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!
Class of 2019 GLCs
Academics, Athletics, Activities, Arts
Contact Mr. Gonzales or Mrs. Burns for questions!
Website: www.dbhs.org
Location: 21400 Pathfinder Road, Diamond Bar, CA, USA
Phone: 909.594.1405
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