Taking a Gap Year

What is a gap year? It means different things to different people, and in different countries. To us, a gap year is a break between high school and college which offers a graduated senior the opportunity to pursue special interests, try something new, address academic or other concerns, or take a break before the rigors of college. Interest in gap years seems to have grown annually during the past decade, and we have spoken with many seniors this year about why and how they might do something different than college next year. If you are wondering if you are ready for college, thinking you’d like to improve your record in order to be admitted to different colleges, hoping to pursue an extracurricular or academic passion, or considering a chance to travel the world or serve your local or global community, then a gap year might be right for you.

We should make one basic distinction here between a deferral year and a more open-ended gap year. A deferral year refers to a situation where you have been admitted to a college you like and have made an enrollment deposit there. In most cases, you can then write to the college and request to defer your matriculation for a semester or a year. Typically, the college would ask that you have a plan outlined and some reasons for the deferral. Check out the academic policies at your particular college to see if deferring is an option and what the rules are. If you are a junior already planning a gap year between high school and college, you can shape your list to include colleges that state their openness to deferrals. Two general conditions will apply if you are granted a deferred entrance. First, you must not enroll in any full-time academic study as a degree student at another college. Second, you should not apply to any other colleges for full-time freshman admission without notifying your deferral school. This can get complicated, but if you decide you would rather not attend the college where you have made a deposit, you will likely need to give up that guaranteed space while you apply to other schools. In some cases, the deferral college will give you the chance to attend, perhaps asking you to write a letter explaining that you are still interested and what you have accomplished during your deferral year.

The second type of gap year is open-ended in the sense that you are not holding onto a spot for college the following year. So, you must apply to schools during the fall of your gap year. You must also consider how your gap year might impact your chances for admission. In our experience, almost any productive gap year will be seen as a net positive for you. You will come across as more mature, and perhaps more ready to succeed in college. If you finished senior year well, you will be able to show a full four-year high school curriculum and GPA. You can retake standardized tests if you need to, with more time to prepare for them. Being “productive” is a subjective determination. Are there weaknesses you need to address in your transcript or background? Some students will enroll full-time in a post-graduate (PG) year at a U.S. or international boarding school in order to have more structure and academic rigor. That will help you to improve your academic standing and get extra support as you apply (or re-apply) to colleges that interest you.

Are you almost recruitable in your favorite sport? Perhaps a PG year, or participating in a competitive league independently, or on an Olympic development squad, will help you get to the next level. Music? Arts? Theater? If one of these areas is of special interest to you, there are drama programs, music conservatories, youth symphonies, art institutes…There is virtually no limit to the kinds of programs you can find and combine during the fifteen or so months between your high school graduation and your college entrance.

Not interested in programs? You can work, in a mundane series of jobs, in a compelling internship, abroad or in the U.S. You can volunteer, work on a political campaign, join Americorps. We typically suggest that students break up their gap year into several chunks, to have fun, and to try new things, but this will depend on your own goals and interests. Showing independence, maturity, a willingness to take risks, curiosity, leadership, a passion for an intellectual interest – all of these personal traits are valuable, and one is not “better” than another. Focus on the things you would be most interested in doing and follow your heart. Within the limitations of time and financial means, you should be able to have a great year, and one that will help you succeed and get the most out of college when you enroll.