Many students across the U.S. are lucky enough to have Fall break—a short break for high schoolers around the middle to end of October. This three-day break in the middle of the semester offers high schoolers a chance to rest, rejuvenate, and even get ahead in their college prep.
Wondering what you are going to do for Fall break? Whether you’re looking to relax, explore, or get organized, we’ve got you covered. Check out our list of 30 activities to make the most of your Fall break. We’ve broken our list into two parts: one for college prep, and one just for fun!
Fall Break Activities: College Prep
1. Study for Your Last ACT or SAT
If you’re applying to college under Regular Decision or Regular Action, your final opportunity for the ACT or SAT is fast approaching. To make the most of your remaining study time, especially if you’re aiming for a higher score, consider taking a practice test during your fall break. Use this time to review areas for improvement and reinforce your strengths.
2. Bounce College Ideas off Family Members
Your family members will want to talk and collaborate with you about where you will end up going to college. Fall break is actually a great opportunity to get some input from people you love and value. You could ask your family members about essay topics, their thoughts on your intended major, or their opinions of the colleges you plan to apply to. They may just come up with the perfect essay topic you didn’t think of or a school that would make a good addition to your college application list.
3. Ask Family Members for College Tips
Family members can also be a valuable resource when reviewing your college application. If they attended college themselves, they can offer tips on what to expect and share insights about the application process. Bonus points if they went to a school you’re applying to, as they may provide valuable perspectives on campus facilities and professors, even if some details have changed since their time. Family might also offer additional support and advice to help strengthen your application.
4. Check off Some Application To-Do List Items
Fall break isn’t long, so optimizing the time is a must. It can be a great period to focus on your college essay, for instance. However, if you have a busy schedule with family over your break, you’re traveling, or your parents are asking you to help around the house, your attention may be a bit too divided for your essay. If that is the case, just take what time you get to check off those smaller to-do items. You could:
- Complete college application forms
- Jot down notes for your essay
- Research scholarships
- Write out your list of activities and accomplishments, or some other little job you need to finish in the coming months.
Of course, if you get an opportunity to devote more time to your college application, you can absolutely target those longer tasks like your college essay. That January 1 universal application deadline comes up quicker than you think!
5. Consider Looking for a Part Time Job for Winter Break
With winter break around the corner, fall break may just be a great time to look for a part-time job to make some extra cash over the holidays. A job not only keeps you busy but makes you extra money (and let’s face it, who doesn’t like that?). Not to mention, a job looks GREAT on your college application.
Fall Break Activities: Fun
Of course, your fall break shouldn’t be all work and no play! Make sure to take some time for yourself and your family and friends during your time away from school. And you can decide what that looks like! Here’s a list of fun activities for fall break:
- Visit a local pumpkin patch
- Read a book
- Play video games with friends
- Go to the movies
- Grab coffee with a friend to catch up
- Go apple picking and then enjoy them in pies or cider
- Enjoy the fall foliage by taking a hike
- Visit a nearby town or city
- Enjoy quality time with loved ones
- Host a game night
- Start a new hobby, like painting, knitting, or playing an instrument
- Cook or bake something new
- Take a short road trip to a nearby city
- Visit a theme park
- Go camping
- Tailgate at a football game (it can be your local high school or maybe the college you hope to attend!)
- Find your way out of a corn maze
- Get spooked at a haunted house or hayride
- Go for a bike ride in a beautiful scenic place
- Go stargazing with friends
- Watch your favorite fall movie with popcorn
- Visit food trucks
- Carve pumpkins
- Go shopping
- Start a passion project
- Attend a concert
When fall break arrives, you’ll be two to three months done with your senior year of high school! And you only have just over a month for regular decision applications. Remember, it is called fall “break” for a reason—be sure to use this time for rest and rejuvenation.
Do you have your final ACT or SAT coming up? Do you know what grades you should be aiming for to get into your dream school? Find out by using College Match and see how you stack up against other students.
