Summer is the most elastic season. It seems to stretch easily in the beginning, has plenty of play in the middle, and before you know what hit you, it's snapping shut at the end.

The fourth of July is arguably the beginning of the middle. Once you pass that milestone, you're looking at about eight more weeks of school vacation.

The beginning of the academic year is also the start of college admission panic time. Getting a jump on college admission planning during the summer can put you ahead of the crowd in the fall and you can probably do it without cutting too deeply into your summer fun.

"You have to prepare yourself for college admission and college success," says Richard Hassalbach, Phd., Executive Assistant and Counsel to the President of the Borough of Manhattan Community College, in New York. "There are practical things that you have to do to get in but it's another thing to succeed. Success in education really isn't about the grades. Success in education is about the expanded mind and the expanded heart."

Here are a dozen practical suggestions to help you use summertime as prep time.

1. Talk about money
   "The first thing people should do is have a frank conversation about how much money the family can afford to spend on college," says Laureen Grieve, an executive at a web company devoted to helping students find scholarships, colleges, and jobs. "They should create a budget. Then when they start looking at schools they'll understand how much they can afford." "If you're early in the process and a college feels right, don't let the cost put you off," cautions Rick Ziegler, Vice President of Enrollment at Maryville College, Knoxville, Tennessee. "You may need financial aid, but I would encourage you to go for your dream."



2. Narrow down your list
   "The summer is a great time to narrow down your selection list," Says Michael London, of College Coach, a nationwide service that prepares students for the college admissions process. "You can use some simple criteria, such as the size of the school, the setting, and your child's major, to narrow it down to 20 or so. Then you have to decide which ones will be a good fit for your child and where they will be happy. Using the Internet, (especially at college web sites), the library, and guidebooks can help you winnow the list down. Seven or eight colleges is a manageable target number for visiting and application."



3. Visit campuses
   "I think the campus visit is different for a high school junior than a senior," says London. "The junior should be looking to see the difference between a small, medium, and large school, and how they feel in a specific setting. Do they like a rural, suburban, or city school? This information will help make future decisions a lot easier."
   
   While juniors are generally at the beginning of the college admission process seniors are much closer to making a decision. Hopefully they have done their homework to find colleges that meet their criteria as far as setting, size, and curriculum are concerned.
   
   "We find that seniors often go with their gut in choosing a school, but it's the visit that helps them identify their gut feelings," says London.
   
   The down side of summer campus visits is that you're not likely to see any students or classes in session. "Even though school is not in session, you can get a feel for the campus and may receive more individual attention from senior administrative people. Administrators may take the time to tell you things about the school when they're relaxed that they wouldn't think of during the season," says London.



4. Start getting applications
   "Once you narrow your list down, it's not too early to start getting applications," recommends London. "When classes start, it gets busy at a college and it may take longer to receive an application. Some colleges only mail out applications once a month, and sometimes by October they run out and have to reprint. Some schools have applications online that you can download.



5. Begin researching financial aid
   "Begin exploring and learning about the types of financial aid available," recommends Grieve. "There are many different avenues that a family can explore such as scholarships, grants, loans, work-study programs, and state-based tuition break programs. If, for example, it comes down to a decision between an out of state or in state college, and both are equal in terms of academics, a student may choose the local college because of the incentive program."



6. Do something with your time
   "The student needs to do something meaningful with their time in the summer," says London. "If they're an athlete, then they can coach kids in the summer. If they've been playing violin, maybe they could teach in a music camp. Leadership can be shown in many ways. But it looks bad when someone does something just to enhance their application. When a student's activities show what their passion is, that's impressive."



7. Start thinking about your essay
   "The best way to begin thinking about your essay is to go to www.commonapp.org and download their common application. The common application is accepted by many, but not all, schools," says Thad Robey, Manager of Education for College Coach. "Commonapp will give you a choice of three types of essay that you can use for your application. I've read over seven thousand essays," recalls Robey, who was an admissions officer at Colorado College and Washington University, St. Louis. "Once you've read that many, patterns evolve and quite a few look similar. If you want your essay to stand out don't try to think about what an admissions officer wants to see. Think about sharing your passion and personality. Start early and give yourself a lot of revision time. A good essay can help a student get into college. It really hurts your chances when it's obvious that an essay was written the night before."



8. Take a class
   "Students might want to consider taking a class to improve their SAT scores, or classes to further their education. You can take summer classes at a local university, community college, or college preparatory classes at a high school. All of these can help you improve your test scores and better your chances for a merit scholarship," says Grieve. "Some colleges offer a summer camp during which you can take courses that will contribute to your intellectual development, and will also expose you to the campus, and the people on it. It's an opportunity to develop relationships with professors and students which can be helpful during the admissions process."



9. Keep current and develop a point of view
   "Keeping current is easier than developing a point of view," says Hasselbach, "Keeping current involves using media outlets well. I recommend reading 2 newspapers a day and I vote for the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. I'd scan them and then read in depth in areas that catch your fancy or play into your interests. Online publications also offer a great opportunity to keep current in a way that will help you familiarize yourself with modern information gathering methods."
   
   "Everyone has a point of view, whether they know it or not," says Hasselbach. "We develop our point of view by beginning to reason why we feel the way we do about things. It's a good idea to read all opinions on a subject including the ones on the left, right, and middle. If you only read what you agree with, your mind gets to be a pretty boring place to live."



10. Develop your sense of wonder
    "Wonder is important because it's only when we begin to see things differently that new ideas can happen," says Hasselbach. "It's hard to develop a sense of wonder because we take so much for granted. I hearken back to The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint Exupery who said, 'It's only with the heart that one sees rightly. What is essential isn't visible to the eye.' Take the time to appreciate and enjoy rather than rushing to all those matters that seem to be of consequence."



11. Read
    "There are really two sets of literature that I would be concerned about if I were a student," says Hasselbach. "You need to know great literature because its so often referred to, and reading great literature prepares you for the world of thought that college ought to be. Try to get some book lists, that are prepared by savvy high school faculty, or recommended by the college that you hope to go to."
    
    "The second set of literature is that of your field of interest," says Hasselbach. "All fields of study have literature by the great minds of that field."



12. Write
    "Human beings are expressive. They have a need to express their thoughts," says Hasselbach. "The process of writing helps us solidify and focus our knowledge. Writing can help us see gaps in our knowledge that we don't notice when we're just thinking. If a student can develop the habit of daily writing about their thoughts, not just their feelings, that is a skill that will serve them well for the rest of their lives."

There you have it: eight weeks and twelve suggestions. Some are practical and easily accomplished, and some are the beginning of an adventure of discovery. What better time to begin than in the warmth of a summer day