A Gap Year

No, a gap year is not a year when you only wear clothes from Gap. A gap year is a year in between high school and college that you spend doing whatever it is you want. Some kids travel, others volunteer, and some take internships. Gap years have been very common in Europe for a long time. Gap years allow people to grow up in a way, and to figure out what it is they want to do.

Benefits of a gap year

There are countless benefits of a gap year. Students and their parents agree that they are far more mature, confident, and much more self reliant after their gap year. Many schools promote gap years. Princeton has recently launched a gap program. They wish to have 10% of their freshmen take a gap year. A mother said that her daughter “learned to live independently, she basically grew up” (Smith 1) during her gap year.

Students who have taken on gap programs outside their comfort zones reported that they were much more confident at the end of the year. Nicola Rentschler took on a program rehabbing wild penguins in South Africa. Nicola had never been an animal person, but she wanted to push herself and see what she could do. “You have to like, wrangle them, you have to hold them. They bite and they claw. You'd be surprised how many ways they can actually hurt you” (Smith 1). Whatever it is you choose to do during your gap year you will definitely take something great away from it.

Options for a gap year

There are many different things you can do during your gap year. Some people see the world, others volunteer in third world countries, some people take internships. There are tons of programs to help you get the most out of your gap year. Many people who take gap years spend the first few months working  and then they go on to do whatever it is they are to do. James Clark, a recently graduated high school student, decided to take a gap year, “I’ll never have time to do whatever you want, and so I knew that I had to seize this opportunity.” (Smith 1). The possibilities are endless.

Volunteering

Many people spend their gap year volunteering. There are a number of programs to help you spend your gap year giving back. City Year is a volunteer program (part of Americorps) that helps kids in schools with high dropout rates succeed. The program “unites young people of all backgrounds for a year of full-time service to keep students in school and on track to graduation” (Smith 1). City Year volunteers work with and tutor children in grades kindergarten through 9th. The program has a number of locations all over the country. City Year is a very competitive program. Their Columbus, Ohio location only accepts 38 students. The program is very cost friendly. You receive a small living stipend, and are given $5,500 for education fees at the end of your service year.

Travel

Traveling is also a very popular activity to do during your gap year. Although it can be very expensive it can be well worth it. There are many programs that offer traveling activities. First Abroad is a program that offers many different trips and gap year programs to a number of countries. Global Citizen Year is another non-profit travel program for students interested in taking a gap year. Of course, you don’t have to travel with a program. Planning your own trip can be much less expensive.

Internships    

A very popular activity to do on your gap year is to get an internship.

Internships are great because they help you to determine if you want to spend the rest of your life doing whatever it is you're doing. You can take an internship here in the U. S. or you can even take an internship abroad. Dynamy is a gap year program that offers internships in a variety of fields. First Abroad is a program I have mentioned before that offers many different options for a gap year including internships abroad.

Preparation for a gap year  

A gap year is a great idea, but requires some preparation. You might be wondering by now, how you would go about getting into college. Most colleges suggest that you apply before graduating from high school and then request a deferral if you are accepted to the college. They will almost always grant the request. “When a student defers, you have to reapply for aid the following year” (Chatzky 1). Some scholarships allow you to wait a year, but many do not. You must remember that if you got a scholarship before you can probably get it again.

Some gap programs are hard to get into, and require preparation prior to your senior year. It is best to start improving your application as soon as possible. These programs like to see extracurricular activities and good grades on your application. They really want to see that you put in effort and care about your education.

Gap years can be expensive, but they don’t have to be. Some organizations, like Americorps, pay you. However, some programs like Thinking Beyond Borders cost up to $30,000 for two semesters. As I said, many people spend the first few months of their gap year working to save up for their plans. In the long run gap years can save you money, “If a gap year clarifies what a student is going to do in college, it pays back in college because you’re saving tuition money for the time a student may have spent clarifying their major” (Kern 1).

Whether you spend your gap year backpacking in South Africa or teaching English in Costa Rica you are sure to enjoy your year. Gap years are becoming more and more popular for a reason, they are a great idea. Who knows,  a gap year may be perfect for you.

Works Cited

Chatzky, Jean. "If Your Kid Wants to Find Himself, Just Say Yes."CNNMoney. Cable News Network, 01 Dec. 2005. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. <http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/moneymag_archive/2005/12/01/8362044/>.

Kern, Rebecca. "7 Questions to Ask When Considering a Gap Year." US News. U.S.News & World Report, 19 May 2010. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. <http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/right-school/timeline/articles/2010/05/19/7-questions-to-ask-when-considering-a-gap-year>.

Smith, Tovia. "Students See World During 'Gap Year'" NPR. NPR, n.d. Web. 21 Jan.  

           2014. <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92528052>.

"USA Gap Year Fairs | Programs." USA Gap Year Fairs | Programs. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. <http://www.usagapyearfairs.org/programs>.