Summer Between Junior and Senior Year
Summer before Senior Year is looming. What is the best way to allocate your time this summer? What should you prioritize? What should you do if you are already feeling overwhelmed by the college process?
You’ve worked hard to get here and you have lots of options. There’s no “perfect” way to spend this summer. When I used to be a college professor, sometimes I’d open a discussion by saying “there are no right answers, but there are wrong ones.” This summer is like that: lots of things will help you but one major mistake will throw you off.
Summer After Junior Year: Expand, Prepare, Demonstrate Responsibility, and Have Some Fun
Whether you’ve been working with us or not, you probably have something of a college list by the end of your junior year (Is it balanced and strategic? You can always schedule a one hour session with us!)
Expand. Broaden those horizons.
As you get ready for audition season, this is the summer to try new genres and push your range as a dancer. That’s going to mean something different to each dancer, so figure out your growth edge and head over there. A good gut check is that if a form makes you worry that you are going to look like a complete dork, you should probably try it. This can be at a summer intensive, but doesn’t have to be. You can take classes in your area at other studios or community center or sometimes even community colleges.
If you have the budget to go away for summer study, we recommend attending the high school summer institute at your top choice of college. It’s a great way to get to know faculty, get a real feel of the campus, and expand your range as a dancer. A few schools are able to use this as the audition, several use it as a pre-screen, and at all schools it is worth it, for when you audition the coming year the faculty will recognize you.
Lastly, if you don’t already, this is your signal to start cross-training and self-caring. Next year is going to be intense and the best way to be ready is to be strong, fed, and rested. Make sure you have a conditioning program you are following. Learn about dance nutrition from a licensed dietitian (we love Melissa , Ally, or Rachel). And incorporate practices like mediation or constructive rest, along with prioritizing sleep and recovery.
Prepare. Application season begins.
Either with us or on your own, dedicate some time this summer to application preparations. Take the SAT/ACT again; write your common app essay; work on dance supplemental essay questions; choreograph or commission your solo; and if you are in the DC area, take our Faux-dition ‘26 totally fun, totally fake audition! TRUST US, you’ll want to get this stuff done in summer because dance applications are so much more work than other applications as each college has a slightly different set of requirements.
Demonstrate Responsibility. Work, Volunteer, or Shadow.
This one will really depend on if you are home for the summer or going away, but this is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate your leadership skills. Get a summer job anywhere (and save that money for college), volunteer somewhere that fits in with your career plans, assist with teaching classes, job shadow pointe shoe fittings at your local dance wear store (and support your local store, we want to keep them around!). If you go away for the summer, arrange for a one week experience when you get home: maybe you can job shadow an OT at a clinic if that’s something you are interested in. Dancers sometimes think that the only thing programs care about is their technique and artistry, but in reality faculty are looking for the next generation of leaders in our field. Circle back to our Sophomore Summer post for more work ideas.
Have some fun.
Safe fun, but fun. Go to the pool. Go on dates. Stay off your phone and be out in the world with your friends. Learn to cook a new meal. Do board game nights with your parents. Go to outdoor concerts. Go rollerskating and enjoy the A/C. See a move in the theater. Walk around an art gallery. You can totally have time for fun this summer.
And a “don’t:” Don’t blow college prep off
We work hard to keep the college application process as smooth as possible but it is and will be stressful. This is a big life event. While some of your academic peers can wait until October and still meet Early Action deadlines, you will HATE EVERYONE if you are trying to do academic applications, artistic pre-screens, audition prep, and you know things like Nutcracker or Fall Concerts. If you are overwhelmed we can help you make clear timelines, spread out the planning, and still stay on track so you can have a fun and fulfilling senior year. Same with dance, this is not the summer to take off. You actually totally can take a summer of dancing in college, but don’t do that this summer. Plan some weeks off, but be dancing for at least half of your summer, daily.
A Summer of Preparation
The summer after junior year is about gearing up for a season of hard work and as yet unknown outcomes. This is the time to lay the groundwork for a successful audition season and a super fun senior year.
Need help planning your summer or mapping out your college dance journey? Schedule a consultation with Dance & College Counseling and take your next step with expert support.