But the spring semester has barely started! Still, some students are looking ahead to the summer.

What makes the ideal summer (in terms of preparing for your career)? Do something in the summer that you could not do in the academic year--something interesting and challenging. Usually, students who spend the summer plodding half-heartedly to take "get rid of" a few more prerequisites at a community college are selling themselves short.

ExploreHealthCareers.org has an extensive listing of summer programs.