Beyond Summer Programs: What Else Can You Do Over the Summer?

"It's too late to apply for summer programs!" "I heard good summer programs cost thousands of dollars — we can't afford that..."

Han Education wants to share something important: summer programs are not the only option, and they are not necessarily the best option either.

Let's look at what other more valuable and meaningful alternatives exist beyond summer programs.

Research Opportunities: The Most Impressive Summer Activity

If you are interested in STEM, doing research over the summer is one of the most valuable options available. And many research opportunities are free, or even come with a stipend.

How to find research opportunities?

1. Reach out to university professors

This sounds intimidating, but many professors are willing to work with motivated high school students. The key is to: start early (begin emailing at least by February or March); do your homework — read the professor's papers and understand their research; write a professional email explaining your background, why you are interested in their field, and how much time you can commit; and follow up politely — many professors won't respond to the first email, but don't send harassing messages.

2. Local universities, research institutes, and hospitals

It doesn't have to be a top university. Local state universities, community colleges, and hospital research departments may all have opportunities. Geographic convenience is your advantage — professors know you can show up regularly.

3. Online research programs

Since the pandemic, many remote research opportunities have emerged. While not as rich as in-person experience, they are a solid option if local opportunities are hard to find.

Why is research valuable?

Through research, students can produce real outcomes (possibly a paper, a poster presentation, or even a formal publication); earn a strong letter of recommendation from a professor; write about deep, genuine reflection in their college essays; and confirm or refine their intended field of study.

Meaningful Volunteer Work: Not Just Logging Hours

Many students think volunteering means folding sheets at a hospital or shelving books at a library to hit 100 hours. But admissions officers can tell the difference between genuine commitment and resume padding.

What makes volunteer work meaningful?

The key is the impact of your contribution and your personal growth.

Han Education shares a few examples of high-quality volunteer work:

Student A — identifying a problem and solving it: While volunteering at a local food bank, she noticed that many homeless teenagers lacked hygiene products. She organized a donation drive, collected contributions from her school and community, and ultimately built a long-term supply chain. In her essay, she emphasized: "I identified a gap in services and created a sustainable solution."

Student B — deep commitment to one organization: She volunteered at an animal shelter for three years, starting with basic cleaning, gradually learning how to train dogs, and eventually becoming a volunteer coordinator who trained new volunteers. Her story demonstrated growth in both commitment and leadership.

Student C — connecting volunteering with academic interests: A student interested in computer science built websites and database systems for several nonprofits at no cost. He both helped the community and demonstrated technical skills and the ability to solve real-world problems through technology.

How to make volunteer work more meaningful:

Long-term commitment: volunteering at the same place for two to three years is more meaningful than volunteering at five different places for two months each.

Take initiative: don't just complete assigned tasks — think about how you can improve the current situation.

Reflect on impact: not "I did X hours," but "my work helped Y people" or "the project I started brought about Z change."

Passion Projects: The Best Way to Show Who You Are

Passion projects are arguably the best way to showcase a student's individuality, and they are Han Education's top recommendation for summer activities — because nothing better reveals your personality and initiative.

What is a passion project?

Simply put, it is a project you initiate and drive forward, based on something you genuinely care about.

A few real examples:

A student who loved writing created an online literary magazine dedicated to publishing essays by teenagers about mental health. She recruited an editorial team, built a website, ran social media promotion, and published over 30 articles in one year, reaching thousands of readers.

A student passionate about the environment noticed significant food waste in his school cafeteria and launched a food recovery program that donated leftover food to a local shelter. He had to negotiate with school administration, contact food safety authorities to understand regulations, and organize a volunteer team. In the process, he learned project management, public health policy, and community organizing.

A student who loved coding developed an app to help students manage assignments and deadlines, incorporating an AI feature that recommended optimal study schedules based on individual habits. He taught himself machine learning, conducted user testing, and continually iterated on the product. Over 500 students ended up using his app.

The key to any passion project is that you are creating something, not just participating in something others have created.

How to find the direction for your passion project?

Ask yourself a few questions: What excites you and makes you want to spend your free time on it? What needs or problems exist in your community? What skills do you have that could create value? Then, start small. You don't need to launch a world-changing project from the beginning — start at a scale you can manage and grow from there.

Internships: Big Companies Are Not the Only Option

Many people assume internships mean working at companies like Google or Goldman Sachs. But those opportunities are very hard for high schoolers to land (and when they do, they are often purchased through connections). Han Education recommends more realistic and valuable internship options instead.

Small businesses and startups

They may not have formal internship programs, but if you reach out proactively and show genuine interest and eagerness to learn, many will give you a chance. At a small company, you may also be exposed to a wider range of work and learn far more.

Nonprofit organizations

Many nonprofits need help but have limited budgets and are very welcoming of unpaid interns. You may end up doing real, impactful work — like helping write grant applications, organizing events, or managing social media.

Family businesses or friends' companies

Don't underestimate this option. Working at a family business, you may learn entrepreneurial thinking, financial management, and customer service. What matters is how you reflect on the experience and what you demonstrate you learned.

Your own small venture or service

Some students tutor, mow lawns, babysit, or run a baking business over the summer. If you treat it seriously, this is also a reflection of entrepreneurial spirit. Building a client base, managing income and expenses, marketing yourself — these are all genuinely valuable skills.

Online Learning: Be Strategic About What You Take

Summer is a great time to explore new areas or go deeper in a subject you care about. But don't just sign up for a pile of online courses, collect certificates, and retain nothing.

Han Education recommends a few high-quality approaches to online learning:

Choose courses that are challenging and substantive, such as MIT OpenCourseWare or Stanford Online. Actually complete the assignments and projects — don't just watch the videos.

Learn skills relevant to your intended field of study. Aspiring engineers can study CAD or programming languages; aspiring business students can learn advanced Excel or financial modeling. These practical skills will serve you in college and beyond.

Produce real outputs. If you finish a web development course, build an actual website. If you study data science, find a dataset and do a real analysis project.

Enroll in community college courses. Many community colleges allow high school students to register. Tuition is far cheaper than university summer programs, the course quality is solid, and credits may transfer to college.

Part-Time Work: An Underrated Option

Many parents feel that working a job is "wasting time" that should be spent studying or pursuing more impressive activities.

But in reality, part-time work teaches life skills that few other activities can.

A student who worked at Starbucks learned customer service, multitasking under pressure, and team collaboration. Working in retail teaches sales, inventory management, and how to handle difficult customers.

Admissions officers also respect students with work experience, especially those from lower or middle-income families who contribute to their household. It demonstrates responsibility and maturity.

Even for students whose families don't need the financial support, working is a valuable experience. It helps students understand the value of money, learn to manage their own income, and develop a professional work ethic.

Wishing everyone a fulfilling and meaningful summer!

If you have any questions towards college application, feel free to reach out to us, our consultants are more than happy to provide more insights to you!