<p>I want to apply to college as a junior, then take a gap year with what would've been my senior year to study abroad, and then go to college. </p>
<p>My question is, once you decide to apply to college as a junior, in the hypothetical situation that you don't get into any-- then could you just continue as if you hadn't applied, and apply again in senior year to the same colleges? </p>
<p>And I guess general advice on which colleges allow gap years, how to take one (whether you can just do it or whether you have to get approved) and whether this whole scheme is a good idea in the first place. </p>
<p>Thank you very much anyone who answers. I'm trying to muddle my way through all of this :)</p>
<p>As to a gap year, some colleges will allow those who are admitted to then delay a year. But that is something for high school seniors that applied and get admitted and decide they would like a year after high school before starting and you would need to check with each college as whether it is allowed. It has to be requested and it is something requested after admission. Some colleges have what is called “early admission” meaning they will take students into college after junior year of high school and thus you can apply as a junior in high school. Many do not have such programs and accept no juniors (and thus you would need to check chosen colleges for info). And for those that do they are usually looking for exceptional students (geniuses) and few are accepted. Whether they will then allow those chosen in that program to take a gap year I do not know. If you actually applied to one of those early admission programs and did not get accepted, you can still apply when you are a senior in high school.</p>
<p>There are some colleges that will accept you after your junior yr of high school, but I imagine that they expect you to start college the next year.</p>
<p>How about this… Why not do some of your traveling this summer? 3 months of traveling is really about as much as most can handle. My friend’s DD took a year off to travel, but then was “done” with traveling after 2 months.</p>
<p>Also, while you’re in college, you can “study abroad” as part of your normal college curriculum. Virtually every college has a study abroad program. You’re allowed to “study abroad” for more than one semester. You can also do a “study abroad” during the summers between college years. So, you’d have plenty of opportunities to study in several countries.</p>
<p>Have you considered traveling over this next summer (and taking a class or two if you’d like), going to college in the fall, and then doing some study abroad programs during your 4 years of college???</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice drusba and mom2collegekids. mom2collegekids I def. have considered a study abroad program during college too. There are a lot of things on the table right now that I’m considering. And I have to decide fast! I’d really like to study/ just generally BE in the country I’m thinking about for longer than just a few months, and my parents are really against me taking a gap year after high school for some reason (I think they want me in college by a certain age). I’ll contact schools to ask them about their policies and then decide :)</p>
<p>One reason for getting you into college by a certain age could be your medical insurance coverage. If you are on a parent’s policy, you might lose coverage when you turn 18 if you aren’t in school.</p>