This week

Summer Jobs and Activities

• Feature — A cure for the summertime blues
• It's a fact — Job search resources
• Stay on track — A checklist of "to-dos"
• Take notice — Important dates
• All about AIEmail — Subscribe, suggest, review

Feature

A cure for the summertime blues

Summer has arrived, and while many of you might be dreaming of a long, leisurely vacation, boredom can quickly set in for some students. At that point, many students start to wish they had some interesting things to do. Before things slow down too much, consider taking on at least one or two of the projects listed below. They are all meant to be useful learning experiences, but they can also be fun.

• Participate in college preview programs
  Many colleges and universities hold programs for high school students that last from a weekend to a couple of weeks. Preview programs give you an opportunity to "live" the college life, attend classes, and get an idea of what it is like to attend school. Contact the admissions offices of colleges you are interested in for more details.
• Plan weekend visits with relatives — keeping the future in mind
  If you're like most students, you may have relatives who live in other communities across the county, across the state, or across the country. Find out if it is possible to visit some of them over weekends to catch up with family. While you're there, plan on visiting technical schools or colleges you might be interested in. Visit with an admissions representative and ask for a campus tour. If you find you have an interest, pick up newspapers, apartment guides, and other information from grocery stores or gas stations that may give you better insight into the costs of living in that community.
• Volunteer for summer improvement projects at your church or nonprofit organization
  Summer is a good time for getting more involved with activities to improve your church, homeless shelter, women's shelter, or other organization. Cleaning yards, organizing resource rooms, raising money through fundraising events, and supporting youth groups are all good activities. If you're interested in certain careers, find tasks that relate. For example, if you'd like to be a teacher, volunteer to help with daytime religious school activities or organize field trips.
• Read as much as possible
  The morning newspaper, news and science magazines, fiction and nonfiction books — take on as much reading as possible. Some of your reading can be fun, but remember to tackle some serious books along the way. Stop by your school office to pick up summer reading guides offered by your English teacher, or visit Web sites that offer recommended reading lists. Bookstores often host youth reading groups, and libraries also frequently hold similar events.
• Build a summer career case project
  Summer offers a lot of time to do research, so you can get ahead on your future career. Pick a profession, and use the summer to learn as much as possible. Collect research on the Web. Read books on the subject. Find someone in your community who has a career in which you are interested, and ask to spend a day with them, or volunteer to work part time for them. Use the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/oco/print/home.htm) to find out what type of education is required to get a job in that field. Make a list of colleges or universities in your area and beyond that offer the type of education that interests you.

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It's a Fact

Job search resources

Want a good resource for your job search? Check out the Get A Job page on AIE. (www.AIE.org/Links/links_job.cfm). This Web provides links to valuable information you can use to find that perfect job.

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Stay on track

Checklist for this week

For freshmen

• Start your summer reading program this week. Visit your public library or local bookstore.
• It is never too early to start searching for colleges. Surf the Web for college information.

For sophomores

• If you get a summer job, it will be the first work experience that you will record on your resume. Make a note of the date that you start work and the full name of your supervisor.
• Adhere to all company rules and regulations. Arrive on time and fulfill all responsibilities for which you were hired.
• Review the paperwork that you receive from your supervisor with your parents. Complete federal tax forms.
• When you receive your first paycheck, review the various amounts withheld from your check. Discuss these with your parents and find out where all your money goes. Commit to depositing at least some money each month into a savings account.

For juniors

One of your first tasks this summer might be taking the SAT or SAT Subject tests. Here are a few hints to help you prepare:

• Get a good night's rest before the test.
• Allow adequate time to travel to the test center.
• Wear a watch so that you can monitor time.
• Take your admission ticket, proof of identification, and plenty of No. 2 pencils to the test.
• You may also wish to take a calculator.
• Do not rush through the first questions. You want to answer the easy questions carefully, to make sure that you get those correct.
• If you can eliminate one or two answers, you may want to guess on a response. If you have no idea what the correct answer to a question may be, it is better to skip that question.

For seniors

This summer you will want to accomplish several tasks:

• Your chosen college will require that certain health forms be completed. You may need to set up appointments with your family doctor, dentist, optometrist, and other professionals.
• Attend the college orientation program that your college provides.
• Work as many hours as possible and save as much of your summer earnings as possible to help you with first-year expenses.
• Continue contributing to your community with your volunteer services.

For parents

• Be sure that the family calendar contains important events, dates, and times. Family vacations, camp weeks, college orientations, and other events should be recorded early in the summer.
• Schedule doctor appointments early. Remember that colleges will require health forms.
• If your teenager is working, post the work schedule on the family bulletin board or refrigerator.
• Discuss summer chores, curfews, and other critical family issues with your teenager this week.
• Encourage your child to read.
• Consider scheduling a visit to a college over the summer.

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Take notice

Important dates

Mark down these dates.

To get more information on the SAT or SAT Subject Tests, access useful tools, or register, visit the College Board's Web Site(www.collegeboard.com) or call (609) 771-7600.

To get more information on the ACT, access useful tools, or register, visit the ACT Web Site (www.act.org) or call (319) 337-1270.

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