<p>So I have gotten to thinking about possibly deferring a year. I found a unique organization by the name of Cross Cultural Solutions, and I will be heading to Salvador, Brazil this July as a volunteer specializing in AIDS awareness, fertility control, and women's empowerment. Though I have long been "ready" for college, I am now considering the possibility of taking a year and embarking on various volunteer efforts through this same organization in Tanzania, Thailand, etc. (2-6 week stints for each locale, obviously leaning more towards 6 weeks) There are numerous reasons for this, one of which includes the non-stop admissions process and competitive school environment that has really burnt me out. In addition, I'm wondering when else in my life I will have this sort of opportunity, without having to worry about grad school or a peace corps long-term stay, among other things. Now here are where the questions come in:</p>
<p>-If I am accepted to school A, and let them know I will be deferring a year, am I allowed to apply to other schools the next year, in essence, trying to "upgrade"?</p>
<p>-Has anyone had success getting into a high-level university after the gap year?</p>
<p>-Do kids tend to, after a year away from school, not want to go back?</p>
<p>-Do kids find it difficult to come back to a class that is younger than them?</p>
<p>-Are there any other concerns/ideas you have? Please share.</p>
<p>Of course, if I get in to my first-third choice schools, I will probably be so excited I will just go anyways. Nevertheless, now is the time to prepare!</p>
<p>I wish I could have convinced mine to take a year off. She had so many things left to do, and so many opportunities staring her in the face! Of course, she was homeschooled, and one could say she had been off for 16 years, so she was looking forward to school! There are so many things you can do when young, most of which you could also do when older if not psychologically caught on life's rollercoaster. </p>
<p>And just because you do it now doesn't mean you won't want to do it again, or get the chance.</p>
<p>I actually took a year off, but then again, I fast tracked and finished hs in three years! I got into Georgetown, and deferred, but this year I am applying to Yale. But I really think that I'll stay with Georgetown regardless of Yale's decision. </p>
<p>I am definetely looking forward to university. I don't think that not wanting to go back would be a problem, at least for me. This time has really given me a chance to think about university, decide on what to take, what EC's are available, etc. If I went straight to university, I'd never have learned as much about the school and the opportunities available. So, taking a gap year has so far been very worthwhile for me!</p>
<p>No, my parents invited my relative from Poland (I'm in Canada) so I'm spending time with them. It's only me, mom mom and my dad here, so it's nice to have someone else with us! Other than that, I am tutoring biology, chemistry, and computers. I will probably be going on a trip to Asia next year. But mostly, I'm just relaxing aftera few really hectic years of school.</p>
<p>ilcapo - not sure about US schools, but I know from applying to schools in the UK that it's not always a good idea to tell them right off the bat that you want to take a gap year, reason being that you are asking them to give you a place for the next year without being able to compare you with that year's applicants, who might be better than the current lot.
I would recommend either holding off for a year on all applications, and then you can write all about what a wonderful experience it was because it has already happened, or wait until you get accepted and say...well, actually...i think I want to take a year off</p>