<p>My 17 yo has the following options: ASU, USD, Rensselaer, University of the Pacific for Mech Eng. He's gotten merit awards to each. He's not sure he is ready to go away to school and leaning toward the hometown choice (though wanting to live on campus). But he's also asked about delaying, until Spring 2013, enrolling at a more distant university.</p>
<p>Should that even be a consideration? What happens to merit awards? Would it be wiser to enroll at home for a year, and see if merit awards will be available should a transfer as a Soph become appealing?</p>
<p>Any comments/opinions about the 4, very different schools where he's been accepted?
He's a smart, skateboarding, videogaming, "young" 17yo.</p>
<p>So he would go to college local and then transfer? From what I understand he cant have it both ways, enrolling one place and holding his place at another school even though delaying. I wouldn’t count on any scholarships being held or many more being available for a transfer.</p>
<p>There is less merit aid available to transfers. </p>
<p>I think he should consider waiting a full year. It will give him more time to grow up and he will be able to enter with the other freshman in his class, instead of coming after everyone is already in the middle of things.</p>
<p>There is far less merit money available to transfer students. I think it can also be difficult to arrive at a school mid-year because the vast majority of the kids have been together for several months.</p>
<p>I have heard of schools that will allow students to delay for a year, but not to attend a different school in the meantime.</p>
<p>He could ask each college if they would be okay if he deferred his admission for one year, if they could hold his scholarships for him. Some will.</p>
<p>A year spent working might be very good for him.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the feedback and new perspective. I like the idea of a gap year, but wonder how colleges evaluate a student - still on SAT/ACT/Senior High grades?</p>
<p>Assuming your son is happy with his current options, he would ask whether they would hold his merit money and then defer admission for a year at the school he chooses.</p>
<p>My son did that, and all of his merit money went to him when he enrolled after his gap year.</p>
<p>My D is also taking a gap year–She needed to get approval for this from the college and they wanted to know her plans (She’s doing the Dynamy Internship Year in Worcester, MA–they want to know she’s doing something of value for the year). No problem in rolling over her merit aid but you should make sure that’s explicit. I agree a year is better than a semester socially.</p>
<p>My D did a gap year after her acceptances and FA were well in hand. The LAC accepted the gap, the state schools did not. She was very much ready for college after the gap, and entered ready to take off. A semester seems a social liabililty. </p>
<p>A full year, not at all especially if he is a young 17. Your first question should be of the colleges as to what they will accept.</p>
<p>Should that even be a consideration? What happens to merit awards? Would it be wiser to enroll at home for a year, and see if merit awards will be available should a transfer as a Soph become appealing?</p>
<p>a gap year is best if he won’t start this next fall.</p>
<p>Transferring is bad if merit aid is desired.</p>
<p>Starting in the spring is bad because merit won’t likely be awarded and it’s harder to adjust in the spring…everyone else started in the fall and all the “ice-breakers” were held then.</p>
<p>I see it as risk management as much as anything. A relatively immature, quite young college freshman who loves to play video games and skateboard might find himself in over his head socially and time-management wise at college this fall. Waiting (and working) for a year gives him some time to mature, a better understanding of responsibilities, and probably a better sense of why he wants to go to college. And all those things are likely to make for a better first year experience when he goes – and then he’ll be the same age as many of the other freshmen boys.</p>
<p>Thanks arabrab - well said. I learned from one of the schools that the merit award would keep, should the school approve his request for a delayed start. Any other need based award is dependent on each year’s FAFSA. </p>
<p>The clock is ticking - May 1 deadline. Exciting, but stressful times!</p>
<p>Joining the chorus for deferring present admissions for a year. One of mine did that very successfully.</p>
<p>Just to add food for thought on your original idea: Think about the hassle, stress, emotional rollercoaster, etc. of this year’s admission process and imagine repeating that next year with a son who is enjoying his gap time off, removed from peers who are all going through the same process together and also removed from the on-campus GC who helps and prods in so many ways. (And if your son takes any time to travel, think about doing this from, say, a backpacking trip with limited access to computers, Internet, etc.) Note, also, when you apply fresh after a gap year or as a transfer from a local institution, you’ll have to write an essay discussing either your gap year or transfer rationale. Point being, while you can regurgitate most stuff, fresh writing will be required! All in all, whatever +1 you realize because of familiarity with the process and the ability to heavily rely on past apps, the “this is a drag” factor can be pretty significant!</p>
<p>Another parent with an S delaying a year. He won’t be 17 for a few weeks, so definitely needs another year to mature. He’ll be going on a study abroad year with Rotary. When he started the college app process, he wasn’t sure he wanted to take the year - he got into his top choices, and the top 2 are willing to hold his merit aid for a year, so he won’t be applying during the gap (I can’t imagine trying to prod him to do that from 4000 miles away!). We will have to re-file FAFSA and hold our breath on the need-based portion of his packages. He still hasn’t made a final decision as to which school - a few days yet until May 1! </p>
<p>Some schools, however, will not hold aid. U Arizona and Pitt are among them.</p>
<p>Here is yet another parent voice for a gap year. My daughter deferred for a year, and it was the best thing that happened to her. She was 17 when she started her gap year program.</p>
<p>She is now doing very well as a freshman and ready to study in a way that she was not before.</p>