Many students choose to take a Gap Year between high school and college, but what does a Gap Year really mean and how do colleges view them?
Loosely defined, a Gap-Year is a time period taken off between high school and college meant to explore a career path through interning or work, to study and learn in a new environment or abroad, or to volunteer with a service organization at home or abroad.
It is highly recommended that students who are considering a Gap Year should follow the normal college application process during their senior year and, once accepted, work with each individual college or university to apply for a deferred enrollment.
NACAC, the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, offers a starting point for researching Gap Years. Click here for more information.
As with any type of “program”, there is a myriad of choices, from for-profit travel groups, to government and non-profit service programs, to paid-consultants and sites to help you design your own Gap Year.
Non-Profit and Goverment-based programs:
Americorps (includes Americorps, Vistacorps and FEMA Corps)
City Year
CIEE
United Planet
American Gap Association
Student Conservation Organization
For-Profit resources:
Gap Year Fairs
GapYear.com
Teenlife
Center for Interim Programs
Universities with Gap Year Deferral programs or their own Gap Year programs