<p>My brother will be taking a gap year before college to do a Rotary exchange program for a year. He's applying for college this fall and ideally would get in on the first go and have his acceptance deferred until the next year.</p>
<p>If he were not accepted initially, and given the constructive nature of what he's doing during the gap year (from my study abroad experience I can say there's no doubt it'll make him an infinitely more mature and focused freshman), how would admissions officials look at this time off and how would his chances be affected the following year? Is there any chance they would reference his earlier rejection and look skeptically on a second application? </p>
<p>Basically, is there any rational for skipping the initial application/deferment and not applying until after he comes back from the exchange program with a year's worth of overseas experience under his belt? Does he have anything to lose by applying both before and after?</p>
<p>The goal school is UNC-Chapel Hill and he's an in-state applicant.</p>