After years of hard work, countless deadlines, and an emotional admissions season, you’ve committed to your college of choice. First: celebrate! This is a major milestone.
Then, once the confetti settles, know that your transition to college has already begun.
Too often, students treat the months between May and August as a victory lap or a chance to mentally check out. While resting and recharging absolutely matter (you’ve earned it), this window is also a powerful opportunity to set yourself up academically, socially, and personally for a strong collegiate start.
Having worked in admissions at one of the most selective universities in the country, I can tell you that the students who have the smoothest transition to college are the ones who use the summer intentionally.
Career Planning and Academic Advising
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Committed. Now What?
Here are ten smart ways to make the most of the months after committing.
- Finish Senior Year Strong
Resist the temptation of senior slump. Colleges expect you to maintain the academic standards that earned you a spot in the incoming class. More importantly, finishing well builds momentum heading into your freshman year.
Stay engaged in your coursework, honor your commitments, and enjoy meaningful closure with your high school community.
- Take Care of Logistics Early
While this is the less glamorous part of committing, it’s essential. Colleges will vary on their deadlines, so make sure you consistently check all institutional communications and portals.
Housing applications are often due within a few weeks of the May 1 deadline, and orientation spots can fill up. You’ll also want to stay on top of:
- Roommate questionnaires
- Placement exams
- Course registration
- Financial aid and billing deadlines
- Health forms and immunization records
- Be Intentional About Course Exploration
Even if you are confident in your future major(s) and minor(s), stay curious and open to future opportunities. Up to 60% of undergraduates change their major at least once, so the summer is a great time to start researching. Use this time to explore departments and the course catalogs, read faculty bios, identify seminars that interest you, learn how general education requirements work, and consider possible interdisciplinary pathways.
Many students arrive with one intended major and discover something entirely unexpected. That openness is a strength!
- Think Beyond the Major
Don’t just ask, “What will I study?”
Ask:
- What problems do I want to solve?
- What skills do I want to develop?
- What communities do I want to be a part of and impact?
- What kind of person do I hope to become in college?
It can be tempting for students to map out their academic path, down to the major/ minor combination and future career trajectory. Take some time to really consider the experience you want over the next few years.
- Get to Know Your Campus Resources
It’s a missed opportunity to underutilize the resources available. You were likely drawn to your college for everything it has to offer, so continue exploring:
- Undergraduate internship and research opportunities
- Career services
- Study abroad programs
- Academic advising structures
- Wellness and mental health resources
The students most likely to thrive are those who engage these opportunities early and often.
- Start Building Relationships Before You Arrive
College isn’t just an academic transition but an opportunity to join a larger community. Begin connecting thoughtfully by attending virtual and in-person admitted student events, reaching out to future classmates, and exploring student organizations you may want to join.
Again, staying open minded to new possibilities and experiences will serve you well.
- Develop Real-World Life Skills
This may be the most underrated pre-college preparation, and one very few students tackle before stepping foot on campus.
Can you:
- Do your own laundry?
- Manage a budget?
- Schedule and stay on top of appointments?
- Handle basic cooking?
- Navigate conflict with a roommate?
- Advocate for yourself with professors or administrators?
Independence can be a shock, so start your preparation now.
- Use Summer for Intellectual Exploration
This is likely the first summer in years without needing to optimize every activity for admissions, and you should use it well! Read broadly, follow your curiosity, take a class just for fun, and explore topics related (or completely unrelated) to your future major.
Interested in economics? Read a popular economics book or listen to a podcast before diving into theory.
Hoping to pursue engineering? Tinker with a project that’s been in the back of your mind.
Heading toward humanities? Conquer your elevated reading list.
College rewards students who arrive intellectually stimulated and ready to tackle what comes next.
- Rest (Seriously)
We mean it. Sleep, spend time with family, hang out with your friends.
Be bored!
Burnout is not a badge of honor, and entering college depleted helps no one.
- Arrive With Curiosity
You do not need to have college completely “figured out” before move-in. Some of the best opportunities will be unplanned. While preparation will help set you up for success, make sure you leave room for:
- Changing majors
- Unexpected mentors
- New interests
- Surprising opportunities
The students who flourish are often those who combine initiative with openness.
The Months That Matter
Committing to college is just the starting point. The coming months offer a rare opportunity to prepare intentionally for your next few years. The goal is not to arrive with everything mapped out, but it’s to arrive ready. Enjoy it!
Congratulations on your commitment. Now let’s make the most of what comes next!
Ready to Make the Most of What Comes Next?
Getting into college was one milestone. Making the most of your college experience is the next. Whether you want guidance on course selection, finding research opportunities, securing faculty mentorship, mapping internships, or thinking strategically about graduate school and long-term career goals, intentional planning early can have a huge impact.
That’s exactly what our Top Tier Admissions Career Planning and Academic Advising program is designed to support. If you’re ready to think beyond move-in day and start building a strong foundation for your collegiate career, reach out to learn more!
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Kylie’s background includes leading student recruitment and enrollment initiatives, serving as a Founding Member of the Higher Education Advisory Council at Cambridge University Press & Assessment English, and mentoring emerging leaders through coaching.
She holds a Master’s Degree in Liberal Arts and a Leadership Development Certificate from Johns Hopkins, and brings a passion for Positive Psychology and helping individuals navigate meaningful life transitions with confidence and clarity.
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