High school students and parents who wait until the school year to focus on college are missing out on the opportunities summer can provide – and adding unneeded stress to an already demanding time.

According to international education consultant Jennifer Viemont of Beyond the States, an online guide to bachelor’s programs taught in English in Europe, summer is a great time to focus on college and make life easier for students entering their senior year – and for the parents who have to live with them.

“This is a time when kids have time on their hands and can really dive in,” said Viemont. “Between my experiences with my own teens, as well as the students I work with, I see so many missed opportunities for them to get a head start on the college search process.”

In addition to free monthly webinars at www.beyondthestates.com, Viemont offers these “Six Tips for Summer” for maximizing the summer break for college-bound students and their parents:

1. Explore Your Passions. Delving into passions and interests often gets lost in the busy work of the school year. Use the summer to dive deep into what you love – or to figure out what you’re passionate about – without concerning yourself with college application requirements. A development and knowledge of your interests is especially helpful when considering programs in Europe, where students aren’t applying to just a university, but to a specific program of interest.
2. Visit. Even if classes aren’t in session, schools are still open. Meet with administrators, arrange a tour and see what the college town is like. Many families are traveling this summer anyway; try to tack on some college visits to your trip.
3. Visit Virtually. If you can’t pay a physical visit, explore the cultures of college environments in other ways – especially colleges abroad. Try restaurants with food from that region, watch shows like House Hunters International to see how people there live, find groups and associations that match culturally. There are great videos on YouTube with students showing what the international college experience is like.
4. Get a Passport. A passport is not only handy for a summer vacation, but a copy of it is required for applications to schools outside the United States. Get it now and be ready to be whisked away at a moment’s notice (and be ready to plan your future).
5. Consider European Colleges to Reduce Stress. Unlike in the States, where students spend the first part of their senior year of high school frantically preparing applications and the second part anxiously waiting for a response, colleges in Europe do much of their enrollment in the fall. Of the more than 1,500 English-speaking programs listed in the comprehensive Beyond the States database, over half have rolling admissions. Many rolling admissions periods begin in October with acceptance letters coming 3-6 weeks later. “You’re likely to know where you’re accepted before Thanksgiving,” said Viemont. “Imagine being able to relax while everyone else is caught up in the admissions rat race.”
6. Do It Together. Don’t leave all the research to the student – or to the parent. “Exploring colleges is a great thing to do with the kids,” said Viemont. “Wonderful dialogues start when parents attend our free webinars alongside students.”

Students and parents can get more information, arrange for a consultation and sign up for free monthly webinars from Viemont at www.beyondthestates.com.

Beyond the States helps students connect with and navigate English-taught, accredited, post-secondary educational opportunities to start and compete their bachelor’s degrees abroad. With over 300 schools and more than 1,500 programs in its database, Beyond the States is a one-stop source for comprehensive and unbiased information, empowering students to make informed decisions about their future and to earn their degree while seeing the world.