<p>After undergrad I worked for a couple years, then I took a year off to travel. I volunteered for a small part of the year, but mostly I was just traveling. Since I returned I have been working again in a policy research position and plan to apply for MPP/MEM programs this fall.</p>
<p>How badly does a year off hurt my application? I think I'm pretty solid apart from this (good GPA, GRE, recommendations, experience). Does this knock me out of running for the very top programs? Does anyone know of examples where a year off has or hasn't hurt someone's app?</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about your specific field but I highly doubt traveling for a year will hurt your application.</p>
<p>I don’t think it will. In fact, I would think that traveling would be an incredible cultural experience, and perhaps something you could mention in your application. You weren’t just sitting around playing video games, which would hurt you.</p>
<p>even if you were sitting around playing video games, the year off will not hurt you (although don’t mention that in your application). people are people and time off is not unheard of. just remember to jog your former professors’ memories when you ask them for LORs.</p>