July Perspecta by Stanford, Ivy League, and MIT Alumni
Internship Opportunities for High Schoolers, College Admissions Advice from Ivy League, MIT, and Stanford Mentors, Summer Prep Strategies and Reading Recommendations.
Welcome to Path Mentor’s monthly newsletter!
You are receiving this newsletter because you or your child signed up for the Path Insights community at one of our events in Stanford, Palo Alto, or Cupertino.
Mentors Kevin and Jimmy discussing college admissions strategies in our June webinar session
In July, summer is well underway. Whether you are doing research, pursuing a personal project, or relaxing on vacation somewhere with your family—be intentional with how you spend your time. If you are a rising senior, this summer will be your staging ground for applying to college this fall.
Let’s get started.
Summer Updates:
New Website:
We’ve recently updated our Path Mentors website to highlight student projects, available programs, and our wonderful mentors: www.pathmentors.co
High School Internships
We have several internships available for high school students that are interested in gaining real-world experience and making an impact in their communities. Interns will be working with our mentor team of accomplished alumni from top schools, to help plan and execute educational events, create informational materials, and support mentorship and learning activities. The internship is hybrid, with in-person work taking place at or near Stanford and additional tasks completed online. Detailed information and applications are available here: https://pathmentors.co/internship
1:1 College Mentorship
Whether you’re a rising high school senior seeking support with your college applications or a student just starting high school, Path Mentors offers personalized guidance from alumni of the Ivy League, Stanford, and MIT to help you stand out and succeed through Project-Based Mentorship. We provide hands-on mentorship, proven strategies, and firsthand insights you won’t get from traditional counselors. Click to learn more or schedule a free consultation.
What You Should be Thinking About in July
The summer is already halfway over. Hopefully this past month has given you time to recuperate from school and reflect on your past year. What went well? What could be improved? What are looking forward to in the fall?
This reflection is important because for last half of summer, whether you are a rising senior preparing for college applications, or a younger student preparing for your first AP class—now is the time to be strategic about how to position yourself for the upcoming year.
From the Archives
For July, we’ve gone back into our repository of writings and found a few articles that feel relevant for this month.
For our seniors heading off to college, you may be wondering what you should focus on. Is it getting good grades? Securing a lucrative internship? Exploring different classes? All of these are important, but consider this:
— Mentor Jeffrey on The Importance of Making Good Friends
Rising seniors, in just a few months you will be undertaking one of the most difficult tasks of your early career: packaging everything that makes you who you are, into a few hundred words. Where do you even begin?
— Mentor Aspen: We Love a Good Story
— Mentor Rémy: Putting Together the Best Art Portfolio
Freshmen, Sophomore, and Juniors:
Your focus this summer should be learning more about your interests and finding some way to prove those interests, whether that is through a formal program or through a personal pursuit. Take a look at these articles:
— Mentor Michelle: My Journey to Columbia
— Mentor Jamarr: College Prep During Your Summer Break
What Should I Be Doing?
We’ve compiled an overview of important topics for each grade, so that you can best prepare for what will be coming next. This newsletter only contains a general overview for July, so make sure to explore the links for more in-depth information.
Rising 9th Graders:
Your start of high school is just around the corner. Have you looked at the different course offerings, electives, and extracurriculars available to you? Spend the rest of summer figuring out what interests you: learn more about your local community and attend community events, or visit your local library and browse the bookshelves. You may be feeling a little anxious or uncertain about entering a new environment. Embrace that energy and channel it into researching and envisioning what you want out of high school. Read more, here.
Rising 10th Graders:
You have a year of high school experience now. Do you feel prepared for what’s coming next? Perhaps, your first AP class or becoming more deeply involved with your extracurriculars? Consider spending time this summer building up your core skillsets: time management, effective organization, and communication. High school will only get busier from here, and these skills will make sure you have the capacity to excel both academically and personally.
What’s the best way to begin building these skills? Start with expanding your worldview—go out and get involved with different activities: engage your interests and responsibilities. Think about your skills and interests—how do you prove them? Taking classes or signing up for another summer camp is one way, but you can also volunteer, explore, and seek out ways to get involved with your community. Get involved in manners that you choose, rather than seeking out opportunities that arrange them for you. If you’re not sure what community means, this is a good time to find out. Read more, here.
Rising 11th Graders:
Buckle up! Your most critical year of high school is approaching soon. Juggling a full course load of advanced classes and managing all your extracurriculars can certainly feel overwhelming. So what can you do to best prepare? For the rest of summer, nail down your organizational and work ethic. Develop a good sleep routine and track how much time you’re spending on social media. Be tough on yourself with your time management and discipline—it will pay dividends as the school year picks up. If you haven’t taken your standardized tests yet, they would be a good way to hone these skills—and avoid adding extra stress during the school year. Read more, here.
Rising 12th Graders:
You’ll soon be coming face to face with one of the most difficult periods of your early life: figuring out who you are, what you stand for, and communicating that in just a few hundred words. This summer, your most critical task will be to feel more certain about yourself. Reflect on your past experiences—can you describe to someone why you pursued them and what you learned? What are your interests and how have you proved them? When a college essay or interviewer asks you to discuss the challenges you’ve faced or how you pursued your passions to the end of the earth—what will you say?
We’ve written two new articles to help lay the groundwork for college applications this fall.
— Mentor Hana: How to (start to) Build a College List
— Mentor Kevin: Brainstorming Your College Essay
The coming months will also be the last opportunity you have to take your standardized tests. Finish these because once college applications get going, it will be difficult to find the right bandwidth and schedule. Read more, here.
It’s not easy packaging all of your experiences into just a few paragraphs. If you’re a rising senior seeking support with your college applications, Path Mentors offers personalized guidance from alumni of the Ivy League, Stanford, and MIT to help you stand out and succeed. We provide hands-on mentorship, proven strategies, and firsthand insights you won’t find with a traditional counselor. Click here to get in touch with us.
July Updates
Path Insights Workshops
We just wrapped up our fifth Path Insights session in Palo Alto at the end of June. We have another session coming up at the end of July, so make sure to join our mailing list to stay up to date on further details and events.
Thanks for reading!
Are you new to the college admissions process? Not sure what advice to follow? Path Mentors provides personal mentorship with graduates from the Ivy League, Stanford, and MIT.
Schedule a free consultation here.
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