Gap year experiences, in which students defer admission to college and take a year off after high school, are becoming increasingly popular. Long a part of European education, the gap year is now attracting many US students.
Karl Haigler and Rae Nelson, authors of Gap Year, American Style: Journeys Toward Learning, Serving, and Self-Discovery (2013), believe firmly in the transformational powers of the gap year experience. Through their research they established that there are two major reasons students choose to take a gap year.
• Students feel a need to take a break from formal education because they are burned out.
• They want to learn more about themselves.
Some of the things students take on during a gap year include: teaching classes, helping build houses, interning, participating in scientific research, serving on ships and working with animals. As one gap alum shared, “If you can dream it, you can do it!”
Many parents worry that their children may get distracted and never attend college. Research has shown, though, that not only do students return from their travels and go on to college, but that they come back reinvigorated and better prepared to tackle the academic challenges of college.
Most students also report a greater appreciation of the opportunity to attend college. One parent talked about her child’s reignited passion and curiosity: “He was ready to go (to college) after a gap year. He was refreshed mentally. So psyched about his classes and his teachers. He was ready to make something of himself. The result is that he got the maximum value out of his college experience.”
Until parents and students do their research, many wonder what colleges will think about their decision to delay their start of college for a year. It turns out that most colleges are very supportive. MIT, Harvard, Princeton, UNC Chapel Hill, Yale and Middlebury are among the many colleges that not only support, but also encourage, students taking time off. Some colleges that offer applicants spring admission encourage entering freshmen to either intern, find a job or participate in a gap year experience during the fall term.
The American Gap Association (AGA) (www.americangap.org) maintains a list of colleges and descriptions of their gap year policies. Additionally, the AGA lists scholarships designated for students taking a gap year.
