<p>If you choose to wait to apply to college a year after high school graduation are you considered the same as a high school senior when it comes to admissions and financial aid? My S is considering taking a year off and interning in a music studio before applying to college for recording arts. </p>
<p>Yes. That would be like a “gap year”. Sounds like a very good way to strengthen his application!</p>
<p>There will be things that your son will not longer be eligible for: school fee waivers, testing fee waivers. It may be harder to get your recommendations because the school has moved on to the current set of seniors. School may also charge you for transcripts to send to colleges since he is no longer a student. I would recommend that your son gets as much of his stuff in order before he graduates so when he does contact his school for information, it is readily available. I would also recommend that he get a recommendation from his internship in addition to his academic recommendations.</p>
<p>Of course, for gap year applicants, high school senior year grades will be visible to colleges, and high school senior courses will be actual courses taken, not planned or subject to change.</p>
<p>Provided they do something interesting with their gap year, imo, they are looked upon more favorably.</p>
<p>Would a gap year of paid work (or multiple gap years in enlisted military service) be “interesting” from an admissions reader’s point of view? It would not be surprising if these were relatively common types of gap years.</p>
<p>I imagine so.
My youngest worked for 5 months full time ( but two jobs), to pay her way on a 5 month volunteer vacation.
But some kids could put all their earnings toward school.
IMO, " interesting", would be most anything that shows commitment.
Although a gap year that showed commitment to sleeping till noon and playing Angry Birds & Halo, may be less successful.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the helpful comments! Y’all brought up some things we need to take into account but overall it sounds like this could a good decision for him. </p>
<p>His intention to get some hands on experience in music biz before entering a program should make him a very interesting candidate in that the student will really bring some perspective to those studies. He will also find out how useful or not that major really is.</p>
<p>On the part of most colleges, it would not make a whole lot of difference, IMO, and could be a great benefit, depending on what was done that year. Sybbie brings up a good point about the ramifications of doing this on the part of the student’s high school, however. My opinion is that parent and student should contact the high school and get those issues addressed and in writing.</p>
<p>I once lived in what was considered a great school district. Blue ribbon, top scores, etc, etc. They made me tear my hair out the way they handled some things. </p>
<p>I had an issue with one of my kids that required a lot of time and effort, working with his assigned GC. We had everything all set–and then she did not show up the next school year and there were no records of any of our agreements. And she had known all along she was taking that sabbatical when she was talking to me. I was enraged, and came danged close to sueing the school, the district and making this a big publicity case. Oh, I was furious, and in those days, I had the energy to channel such anger so that packed some wallop. Oh yes, I hunted down that GC, took the school on, and got the everything put back together-=it had all been trashed, and fingers were pointing everywhere. Had I not kept record the way I did, and not been the way I was, all would have gone to the wayside. Some of these people are like the “Finding Nemo” bluefish in that they only deal with what’s right there right now. Total amnesia later. </p>
<p>So I think the high school is something that needs to be addressed. </p>