Is It OK to Take a “Gap Year” Before College?

Sometimes when we think about taking a year off before college, we picture a high school grad playing Xbox and sleeping late. In reality, though, a gap year can provide a chance to explore possibilities for the future. Before you write it off as a lazy kid’s way to delaying the inevitable, consider some of the benefits you may reap from waiting a year.

Princeton University calls it a “bridge year,” and they highly recommend it to their incoming freshman. The thinking here is that taking a year in between high school and college gives incoming college students a great chance to explore the world.

Avis Hinkson, dean of Barnard College in New York agrees, he told CNBC: “A gap year is a wonderful opportunity for young people to take a year to follow a passion before attending college.” The caveat here is that the time must be spent wisely; this is not a year for “vegging out.” Rather, it’s a time to take stock of things and to start moving forward. Hinkson adds that the point is for students to “grow and mature.”

While, perhaps, a gap year is not the most conventional way to do things after high school graduation, it does provide specific benefits. Below, we’ll explore a few of these.

Travel:  Travel is a great way to engage with the world and to become a socially and culturally competent young person. It looks great to prospective colleges and it sets you up to have a true understanding of others. After traveling, you’ll be starting college with a unique and broad worldview. Planning in advance will help you make the most of this experience and that might include working out your budget and getting job to fund your travels.

Work: Building a work ethic and a resume is never a bad thing. Neither is making some money before heading off to college—you’ll need it and your parents will love the fact that you’ve got some of your own. Taking some time to enter the workforce before going to college will help you to develop valuable skills and will show schools that you’re not kidding around when you say you’re a hard worker. The habits you adopt from working will translate into great organizational and prioritizing skills once you hit the college campus. And that means good grades and success in academics.

Research: Imagine being able to research something you’re really into without having to stress about assignments? It is possible if you devote your gap year to finding out if a subject is something you want to pursue in college and beyond. I know students who have taken internships and worked alongside professionals in order to determine what career path is a good fit. A year spent exploring your passions can really help you hone in on what you want to do.

Volunteering: A lot of young people today really value donating their time to others. This is a wonderful thing and a great way to support the less fortunate in our communities. Whether you go on a service trip, volunteer in your town, or find some other way to lend a hand, volunteering your time is a great way to show schools your commitment to the broader society and to hone your empathic skills and your understanding of the struggles of others. I have worked with students who, in their gap year, went overseas to volunteer in impoverished areas, only to come back feeling energized and ready to continue as social advocates and to bring that great energy to college with them.

So…is it ok to take a gap year? The answer is a resounding yes. Ultimately, the opportunities this extraordinary year provides will get you where everyone wants to be: at a school that’s a great fit with designs on an amazing and interesting future!

Written by Phil Lane

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