<p>So I'm a junior right now and would graduate next year. So I want to go into acting and/or directing, but I'm still really lost as to where I want to go and so I was thinking a gap year could be a good idea. I could be able to get a job (I don't have time for one right now), could still do stuff at my community theatre, be able to prepare materials for auditions, read more plays, be able to tour campuses, and probably take a trip or two. So do you think this would be useful to me, or would it just be better to go straight to college?</p>
<p>I think it depends on the student. I don’t think a gap year would be good for my D as it seems she might lose the momentum from senior year. But every kid is different. If you are a mature, self-starter, then it might make sense to spend some time figuring out your path. However, if you are thinking about a BA or BFA degree, perhaps starting at a community college and getting some of your general ed classes done and figuring out where you want to go and then transferring as a freshman with GE credits into a BFA would be beneficial. </p>
<p>Well, three of my kids (so far) have taken gap years and it’s worked well for all of them. But it’s very individual. For them, they didn’t feel they were quite ready for college. They spent the gap year working and acting and training. My younger D who is at Northwestern took classes at community college to improve her foreign language. They lived home with me; so I guess this would have to be all right with your parents as well. I do have to say people thought I was a bad mom for letting my kids do this, and some told me so (many insinuated they were college drop outs, or said so outright, not that they had yet gone to a college to drop out of…). And my kids were pretty isolated as all their friends went off to college–they had to have a strong conviction this was the best thing for them. But they were pretty certain. My oldest D used some of her savings to take a three week trip to England by herself, and to go on an archaeological dig; she wrote a fabulous college essay on the experience. My younger D took acting classes, acting in semi-pro and community theatre, and worked. Again, it can get isolating but they were all sure they were the right thing for them. My younger D often talks about how glad she is she took the gap year, as she is just much more mature than a few years ago and feels she’s getting more out of her college experience. This is just her, of course.</p>
<p>So the short answer is: If you think this will be better for you, then go ahead. It is very individual.</p>
<p>Only if you have a training plan/regimen/alternative to school set up and are self-motivated enough to return to school and/or go straight into acting. Gap years are tricky. For some people, they do help and are the difference between 0 BFA acceptances and several options. However, 1 gap year can easily snowball into 5, then 10 in the blink of an eye if you do not stay focused and on track. Like connections said, you know yourself. Do you have the money to take acting classes and do things to train other than go to school to prepare for college auditions next time around? Do you have a history of procrastination? Will you actually work towards figuring out what you want to do and take a few steps to get there or are you just trying to stop time? Like connection said, it’s really individual. </p>
<p>connections - I love that your kids had the ‘courage’ to take a gap year, and shame on those that thought bad of them for doing so. I think too many kids go to college - any college - just to go to college and end up wasting time and money. As long as you have a plan a gap year can be invaluable. </p>
<p>Hello, rarely post but often read! This is a topic though that I have personal experience with. I do realize that everyone’s personality is different and maybe a gap year would not be the best choice for some, but for my daughter it made all the difference. Last year my D went through auditions and by late March had recieved two acceptances. One of these was at a smaller school that she just didn’t connect with and another was at a top program that she also didn’t feel was the one for her. So she sat my husband and I down and asked to take a gap year, going to New York City and furthering her study. That last sentence makes her sound more mature than she is but she just strongly felt that she did not want to attend either of these schools. I was happy she had received offers and wanted her to take one… a bird in the hand and all that. Then reality joined the picture, were we really going to pay top dollar to send her somewhere she did not want to go, with students that did want to go there? Maybe it would have worked out but we will never know. We let her take a gap year. The most difficult aspect for her was the silence that followed her explanation when asked where she would be going to college. She half jokingly said that she expected a candle vigil to be held for her in our district which emphasizes academics. She researched the best private coaches in NYC, signed up for Improv classes and headed to New York. She came back a different person and a better actress. Her first audition at Unifieds was with Boston University, There were two people called back at a time. She and another girl went in and 10 minutes later the other girl came out. This pattern repeated itself for half an hour until my D came out with a big smile and the business cards of both auditors. The auditor that worked with her said, “I expect you are going to get many offers. Please don’t make a decision until you visit our campus.” This was worlds apart from the previous year. At Carnegie Mellon she had completely bungled her audition the previous year. This year she was passed around to everyone. This was like taking an entirely different person to auditions. It had not been an easy decision but it seems, so far, to be working out well. And no we didn’t have a ton of money to send her to NYC but I learned a few frugal tips. That however is an entirely different post. So if you want to take a gap year and you have the support do it!</p>
<p>So happy for you warblan! What a wonderful thing for your D. Yes, we had the same experience from people with the reactions, so you do have to prepare yourself for that, and to be confident in yourself.
Obviously this path worked for her and one year is so short in the scheme of things.
How did she fund the NYC experience? Were you able to help her? </p>
<p>Thank you connections! As I am sure you know over the past few years my D had to think out of the box when it came to earning her own money. With the unpredictable schedule of an actress in training she had to get creative! She did a lot of babysitting, putting up ads at our local library. She did hair for a number of friends and family for special occasions. You would probably never guess what was the most help. She would write stories, mostly fan fiction, for her younger sister and on a whim she started self publishing on amazon. It has been amazing, once listed they started selling and in the past 18 months she made enough to pay for most of her trip for New York. She used her graduation money for lessons. We gave her a budget for food each week and deposited in her account. That way I was certain she was eating!</p>
<p>I’m jealous of the gap years your children took. It makes me want to take one myself!</p>
<p>What wonderful drive she has, warblan. So amazing she sold her stories on Amazon! Good for her!</p>