More high school students spend their vacations
gearing up for college applications. Is there any time left for fun?

The lazy days of summer are becoming a hazy memory for high school students.

As elite colleges become increasingly selective, more students are using their summer vacations to beef up their applications by enrolling in camps, community-service projects, college tours, test-preparation courses and internships. And for some, the quest begins as early as eighth grade

“The last time I had a stress-free summer was the summer before high school,” says Elizabeth Garai, a senior from Newton, Mass. “It seems like a really long time ago.”

Garai spent four weeks this summer in Brussels, interning in the European Parliament. She also volunteered for two weeks at Tenacity, a program that teaches literacy and tennis skills, completed her college applications and prepared for the ACT.

“It’s not just hang-out-by-the-pool” anymore, says Jen Graham, associate director of college counseling at the Winsor School in Boston. “It’s hard for them to relax, and I don’t blame them for that. There’s a lot of constant focus on college all over the place.”