How to Create a Meaningful Summer Personal Project That Stands Out in College Applications

Summer is the perfect time for students to embark on personal projects that not only fuel their passions but also make a significant impact on their community and strengthen their college applications. In a recent webinar hosted by college admissions coaches Jasmine and Eliza from Evoloc, students and parents were guided through the process of creating standout summer personal projects. Here’s a comprehensive overview of the key insights, tips, and examples shared during the session.

What Is a Personal Project and Why Does It Matter?

A personal project is a student-led initiative outside of the traditional school curriculum that reflects a student’s interests, values, and creativity. It can take many forms—such as starting a blog, launching a podcast, organizing a community event, or developing a small business—and importantly, it should be self-initiated and have a tangible impact on the student or their community.

Why Are Summer Projects Underrated?

Personal projects demonstrate qualities highly valued by colleges:

• Initiative: Showing you take action without being prompted.
• Leadership: Taking ownership and supporting others in your project.
• Creativity: Innovating solutions or new approaches.
• Passion and Drive: Reflecting authentic interest and commitment.
• Impact: Making a difference, no matter how small, in your community.

Summer projects help bring extracurricular activities to life, making applications more memorable beyond grades and test scores.

How to Find Your Personal Project Idea

Start with three simple questions:

1. What are you curious or excited about?
2. Who or what do you care about?
3. Who would benefit from what you create or do?

Additional prompts:

• What problems do you see in your community?
• What frustrates or excites you?
• What are you researching or learning about at odd hours?

Your project can align with your academic major or explore completely different passions. For example, a student interested in environmental science might create a community garden, while another passionate about storytelling might start a local interview series.

Types of Personal Projects by Interest Area

• Creative: Photography exhibits, short story collections, music albums.
• Research-Oriented: Independent studies, lab experiments, white papers.
• Service-Oriented: Fundraisers, workshops, blood drives, health initiatives.
• Entrepreneurial: Building apps, launching small businesses, digital shops.

The key is to transform ideas into something tangible and meaningful, showing real-world application of your interests.

Planning and Executing Your Project

1. Research: Look into similar projects online via YouTube, blogs, podcasts, or platforms like Khan Academy and Coursera.
2. Outline Scope: Define what you’ll do, timeline (3-4 weeks recommended), resources needed, and support systems.
3. Create a Mini Plan: Break tasks into weekly milestones. For example, weeks could be dedicated to theme selection, content creation, editing, and promotion.
4. Document Progress: Keep journals, take photos, record videos, or create vlogs to track your journey.
5. Execute Consistently: Start small, stay consistent, and aim for a "minimum viable product" to ensure completion despite obstacles.

Documentation and Digital Portfolio

Keeping detailed records of your project is invaluable. This can include:

• Photos and videos of your work in progress
• Journal or blog entries reflecting on challenges and successes
• Voice memos or behind-the-scenes snapshots
• A digital portfolio or website showcasing your final product

This documentation will serve as a rich resource when writing essays, completing applications, or preparing for interviews.

What Makes a Project “College Essay Worthy”?

Admissions officers look beyond the end product to the qualities demonstrated through your project:

• Initiative and Leadership: Showing you can lead and take ownership.
• Creativity: Approaching problems in innovative ways.
• Impact: Even small-scale but meaningful contributions count.
• Passion: Genuine interest that shines through in your storytelling.

Remember, it’s not about telling colleges who you are—it’s about showing them through your actions.

Tips for Success and Pitfalls to Avoid

Success Tips:

• Choose a project you care about to keep motivated.
• Keep it realistic and manageable; small wins count.
• Utilize free tools like Google Sites, Canva, and YouTube.
• Prioritize consistency over perfection.
• Seek feedback from mentors, teachers, or peers.
• Reflect regularly on what you’re learning.

Common Pitfalls:

• Being overly ambitious without a clear plan.
• Choosing a project just to impress colleges without passion.
• Not finishing or documenting your project.
• Trying to do everything alone without seeking help.

Inspiring Real Student Examples

• Student A: Interested in business, created a “Shark Tank” style competition teaching middle schoolers entrepreneurship, inspired by family experiences.
• Student B: Noticed tennis balls wasted at a country club and initiated a recycling program that saved thousands of balls.
• Student C: Advocated for safer pedestrian crosswalks in their community by tracking traffic and proposing safety measures, demonstrating initiative and community care despite project challenges.

Each of these projects reflected personal passion, community impact, and leadership—qualities colleges admire.

Can a Project Be Unrelated to Your Major?

Absolutely! Your extracurriculars should showcase both your academic interests and your diverse passions. If you already have major-related activities, a project in a different area shows well-roundedness and genuine curiosity.

Does the Project Need Long-Lasting Impact?

Not necessarily. Even one-time events like a beach cleanup or single blood drive can be impactful if you document your process and reflect on your growth. The story behind your “why” is what resonates with admissions officers.

Exciting Opportunity: The Summer Startup Challenge

For students interested in entrepreneurship or looking for a structured summer project, the Summer Startup Challenge is a four-week program that guides students from idea to launch. Participants will:

• Validate their project idea
• Build a digital product using templates
• Launch a live website
• Learn customer outreach and potentially generate revenue

This program includes live coaching, peer collaboration, and expert mentorship from a seasoned entrepreneur, making it an excellent way to gain real-world skills and a standout project.

Final Takeaways

• Pick one project idea that excites you and start small.
• Make a simple, realistic plan with weekly goals.
• Document everything for easy reflection and essay writing.
• Reflect on your growth and share your story authentically.

By investing effort into a personal project, you not only develop skills and confidence but also create a compelling narrative for your college applications.

For more resources, including a free worksheet with brainstorming prompts and planning steps, and information on the Summer Startup Challenge, consider reaching out to the Evoloc team.

Ready to Start Your Summer Project?

Don’t let the perfect idea hold you back. Begin with curiosity, take action, and watch your summer project transform your college journey and beyond!

This blog post is inspired by the expert advice from Evoloc’s college admissions coaches Jasmine and Eliza during their webinar on creating summer personal projects.