The sun is out and so is school. It is finally time to empty your brain of everything you learned over the course of the school year—or is it?

If your ultimate goal is to go to college, forgetting everything you worked so hard to learn in the past nine months just isn’t practical. You need to retain all of that information to score well on the SAT or ACT, or even just to start the next year off on the right foot.

Some of Liberty’s classes require summer homework, but there is a plethora of other ways that you can use the summer to you academic advantage. In addition to the obvious choice, an SAT or ACT prep class, there are many potentially more fun ways to take advantage of your summer academically.

If Liberty doesn’t offer any classes in a subject you are interested in, find a course or camp to attend outside of school. This will give you more insight into a potential career path and demonstrates interest and dedication to colleges. Taking courses in new subjects can also be a good option for students who are unsure of what field they want to go into because gaining experience in a variety of areas can help them make decisions about where to go to college or what to major in.

Jobs and internships are also a smart use of a student’s three free months because they provide valuable workplace experience. Even though many internships are unpaid, they are still great opportunities because they serve as resume builders for getting into college or applying for other jobs.

Another good way to take advantage of the summer is to volunteer, especially if you are in Honor Society and need to get a head start on your hours. Colleges like to see students who have focused in on one project or cause, and the summer is an exemplary time to do this. Plus, volunteering may provide stories or ideas for college application essays.

Although many high school students just want to fill their summers with fun and relaxation, taking advantage of one of the many opportunities to get ahead will make life easier when it comes to applying to college.