Although the pandemic has certainly accelerated things, the number of students inquiring about and then pursuing gap years after high school graduation has gradually been increasing over the last decade or so, in my experience. That said, I have long been a proponent of gap years. In fact, a few years back, I changed my essential questions -- those questions I expect every student I work with to be able to answer -- to be as follows:
Why are you going to college?
Why are you choosing to apply to the colleges on your list? (Eventually, with their final list, why are you applying to each school on your list?)
Why do you need to go to university next year (if not already pursuing a gap year)?
This final question is, of course, particularly germane to gap years. Frankly, some students have good reasons to head to university right away, but most do not. (This is not to say that they are not ready to go to university! Instead, it is more that most students don’t spend a great deal of time, in my experience, reflecting on why they feel compelled to head to college right away.) Additionally, there is something powerful in terms of motivation when a student has a clear reason in mind at the outset. I think it is therefore important to try to get all students to engage in thought about the gap year.
That said, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there about gap years. In recently speaking with a colleague involved in the college admissions process in the US, I gleaned one interesting perspective on the situation for students who are undecided and their consideration of gap years. Essentially, what he shared with me was that 20 years ago, when a student was genuinely undecided, it was common practice to encourage students toward liberal arts colleges where they might develop a host of competencies in support of any one of a variety of career opportunities. (Of course, there were other tactics, but this colleague asserted that this was a very common one, for him at least.) However, things were different when costs were so much cheaper. In essence, he argued, a family could justify paying $20K per year for college even if the student were undecided, but now when those same schools are in the neighborhood of $80K per year, parents and students alike are more inclined to take a year to explore their options. Parents, in particular, are far more cost conscious and often want their child to have more direction. On the surface, this makes some sense: wait a year and try to get a better plan together.
However, I see the need to offer a few words of caution to this lens as well as to dispel some of the other myths here:
In regards to the college application process (at least in the US), a gap year is not fully reflected in the application: students taking a gap year still qualify as first-year applicants and are still beholden to the same application process, including the same timeline. As such, if a student hopes to use the year to explore possible majors, they really only have an additional summer and likely a few months in the autumn before applications are due. It is possible to make good use of this time, but it needs to be approached strategically.
A gap year is not recommended for students who didn’t “do well” in the college admissions process. It works best when done deliberately, in my opinion, and not when used as a last resort because things didn’t work out.
Relatedly, a gap year is not a way to get into “better” colleges, which is a question I face each year when typically parents are disappointed in their child’s results. The transcript, arguably the most important piece of the application, is locked in after graduation. The student could take new tests (SAT, ACT), but universities will see when they took the tests. And, similar to the previous point, there is not a huge runway for a transformative experience. Typically, in my experience, the gap year allows students to find better fits, not more selective acceptances.
A gap year does not mean that a student enrolls in a program. The term “gap year” does not connote anything other than a year off between high school and university. How it is spent is up to the imagination. That said, the common fodder for this year includes, but is not limited to: travel, jobs, internships, community service, independent study, and foreign language immersion. None of this necessitates paying for a program. While I have seen students take advantage of programs such as Where There Be Dragons, Outward Bound, and Rustic Pathways or the like for more glamorous experiences, I have more often seen students cobble together thoughtful and meaningful series of internships or jobs or service. Additionally, I’ve seen highly successful gap years spent on particular projects or duties: finishing an art portfolio, learning an instrument, writing a book, etc. The key point is the intentionality!
Here are some other resources most of which I borrow from Julia Rogers at EnRoute Consulting for families looking for high-quality gap year information:
Be thoughtful about considering a gap year! It can make a huge difference!
Let us know if you have any additional resources or ideas! We would love to share them!