LET’S FACE IT, THE CLOSER YOU GET TO senior year and graduation, the more you get bombarded with the question, “Where are you going to school next year?” While many students boast their future plans with pride, others dread this question. If you’re one of the many students delaying or thinking about delaying college, here’s what you should know to have a productive and meaningful gap year or semester.
WHAT IS A GAP YEAR? A gap year is a year-long break from formal education, often between high school and college, but it can also be taken between college years or even after graduation before starting a graduate program or beginning your career. People typically use their gap year or semester to travel, volunteer or engage in other meaningful activities before taking their education to the next level. While it’s very common for students to take a gap year in other parts of the world, like Europe and Australia, interest has significantly grown in the U.S. in recent years. A trend that has been dramatically accelerated by the global pandemic. 30
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? Taking a gap year is much more than taking a year off. You should enter your gap year with goals and a strong sense of what you want to explore and learn. What you do during your gap year will ultimately determine how meaningful it is in your life. If you’re undecided about a career path, a gap year can help you discover your passion and gain real-world experience before committing to a major. Deferring enrollment for a year may also lead to higher grades later on by giving you time to gain clarity and reset your priorities. A gap year will also test you in new ways and help you gain skills that you can’t learn in a classroom like financial responsibility, independence, cross-cultural communication and creative problem-solving.
