Debunking some Myths Surrounding Gap Year

Hi. I am back after a short hiatus, ready to bring some clarification to the many parents out there who have some genuine concerns about their kid taking a year out before college. First, the most frequent concern I hear from parents is that their student may lose interest in going to college if they take a year out, and it may be to their disadvantage in terms of getting into college, or getting a job! Yikes! Mom and Dad need to start reading my Gap Year News feed, and the plethora of information there. The fact is that there is convincing evidence to the contrary! Students return from their gap year with renewed passion for course work and a better sense of self direction. Also, they often have a clearer view of the field of study they want to pursue. Employers are very keen to hire college graduates who have involved themselves in productive pursuits outside the classroom. Who is reporting this you ask? Admissions departments at both private and public universities across the US, and the directors of organizations that provide gap year experiences for students. If you aren't convinced, read the article Time Out or Burnout For the Next Generation written by a group of professional educators at Harvard University. (You will find a link to the article in my blog entry titled "Planet Gap year Site Goes Live...). If Harvard is too stuffy for you, try reading my blog titled "CU Seeking More Gap Year Students".

Second, I want to discuss the following misconception- taking a gap year will help the student get into their first choice school by taking the year out and reapplying. Experts in the admissions field warn that taking a year out just to try and pad one's resume, and reapplying later to a more selective school is a bad idea! One reason is that this thinking leads to a pursuit of activities that don't necessarily coincide with the students interests. College admissions offices are still going to examine your academic record as a basis for admission. Thus, if you don't get into your chosen school, you may be better off going to your second or third choice, or even a community college, proving yourself academically, and then reapplying as a transfer student. Another approach, is to take a post-graduate year after high school, also called a "PG" year. I chose this path after my senior year in high school, with guidance from my parents. I had average grades in public high school and felt that my true academic abilities could be further developed in a smaller classroom setting with more challenging coursework. I also wanted to have a shot at getting admitted to more selective colleges, which worked well for me.