Summer may have officially begun, but for fall college applicants, this is just the pre-season to admissions. Now's the time to get a headstart on the process and make things easier come autumn. With three months of vacation, students can kick back, relax, and still have plenty of time to get ready for the piles of applications that await. Here are some tips on how to maximize your productivity this summer and make the fall a breeze:

• Get experience. MyCollegeCalendar.org suggests: "There are opportunities for unpaid internships, local community volunteer programs, domestic or foreign volunteer programs, community college courses, high school advanced credit courses, and other pursuits."

• Explore your college options. Such A Smart Mom says: "Be sure to factor in your GPA and any SAT or ACT test results as you narrow your choices. If you have certain schools in mind, spend time looking over their websites. The National Center for Education Statistics’ College Navigator has great information about graduation rates, freshman student retention rates, admittance rates and financial aid awards for colleges. Simply type in the name of a school near the top of the page in the section aptly labeled Name of School."
  

• Sneak in a campus tour. Steve Cohen at Zinch.com lets us in on a secret: "One real plus of summer visits is that some colleges only conduct personal interviews during the summer months. That’s because admissions officers are usually on the road in the fall visiting high schools. So check ahead and see if the colleges you’re considering will schedule an interview." 
  

• Create a resume. Michael Streich writes: "Summertime offers many undisturbed hours to gather four-year’s worth of high school accolades in order to develop a resume. Students should bear in mind that many applications will have separate forms listing extracurricular activities and volunteerism."

• Have fun. MyUSearch Blog offers the following parting advice: "Use the summer to really reflect on the things that you hold most valuable. If you could do anything, without commitments for one full week, what would it be? When you have that answer, ask yourself why you value that activity so much and think about how college will help make this activity more than just something you can do in your free time.

You might have been raised to believe that bragging is impolite, but if you plan on getting into the college of your dreams, then you'd better rethink that philosophy. Not only is bragging about yourself perfectly acceptable, but it is also a vital part of the college application process. After all, your grades and test scores can only say so much about you, but when it comes to community service and extracurricular activities, you’d better start boasting—and a brag sheet will help you do so.

What is a brag sheet? A brag sheet is like a resume: it lists your accomplishments organized by school year and category (such as sports, clubs, and community service). You'll want to include information like the number of hours you've spent on each activity, positions you've held, and awards you've won. When college or scholarship applications ask you to list your extracurricular activities, you can refer to your brag sheet in order to fill in the information quickly. Rather than racking your brains for every last hour of volunteering you completed, it will all be there on your handy-dandy brag sheet. It’s a great timesaver!

Like a resume, the brag sheet is also a great way to prepare for an interview with an admissions counselor. Reread it before you go in to refresh your memory, so you are not left stumped when asked about your leadership skills or what you did last summer. After all, attending a Glee Club rehearsal or a lacrosse practice might have become second nature to you, which is why you need the brag sheet to help remind you of all your accomplishments outside of the classroom. The brag sheet is also helpful to give to the teachers whom you are asking to write recommendation letters; they know you well in the classroom, but the brag sheet gives them a sense of who you are after the school bell rings.

Your brag sheet is a work in progress. Update it on a regular basis so that it is always ready to go, whether you are applying for college, a scholarship, or even a part-time job. Brag on! Remember, colleges not only want smart students, they want active ones as well so that their campuses remain exciting and vibrant places to be.