<p>deega123, I couldn’t say about the gap year. I do know my son says now that he should have taken one, but our concern was he’d just flail and then <em>never</em> get to college, so we sent him off. And see where that got us! </p>
<p>If I had a do over I’d get him in with an excellent counselor for teens. I should have pushed harder to get that excellent one instead of just jumping from mediocre to mediocre. Boy are there mediocre counselors out there! I think kids like ours need an excellent counselor just to help them peek into their future. </p>
<p>A gap year spent in <em>service</em> would be rewarding and help direct her, I think. I know nothing about AmeriCorps but I bet people on here do. And a family counselor that can help relay your concerns about college might help her see her situation a little more objectively, too. </p>