<p>Younger D just learned that she got Spring 2008 semester admittance to her first choice school. She does not really want to start at one school and transfer for 2nd semester - she'd rather just wait till second semester. Does anyone have any information about Gap "semesters" or projects for her to participate in from Sept thru Dec?
Thanks</p>
<p>What are her interests? What kind of activities is she interested in? Is she outdoorsy, does she like kids, does she want to go abroad?</p>
<p>If she is both outdoorsy and wants to go abroad, check out Where There Be Dragons (google it). My D started college in Feb. and did their Himalaya program in the fall. It was a life-changing experience.</p>
<p>I also recommend doing something at the school she'll be going to in Spring 2008. Possibly taking classes for credit and living off campus. That way she'll still meet all the new freshman and can tag along for the orientation programs. I remember my sister starting her college experience at Duke (her dream school) with the Spring term. She ended up leaving Duke. Her main complaint was that everyone already knew each other and she felt like a duck out of water. They didn't even house her in a freshman dorm. She roomed with an upperclassman. She told me that if she had to do it all over again she would have taken the full year off and started the following September to benefit from the full freshman orientation program and experience.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input- I actually was surprised at how adamant she was about attending her fall back school. The school she wants to attend is a BIG State University on the East Coast where lots of kids are admitted to Spring semester so transferring in isn't such a big deal - although I have to agree with thelongroad - sometimes friendships are already formed by 2nd semester. I just hate the idea of her living in an off campus apartment - I think she would really be isolated from campus life - plus we'd have to commit to a year's lease so no chance to get on campus till soph year. Lots to think about - but I know everything will work out for the best.</p>
<p>Puzzled88 - I checked out that program - looks fantastic - but my D is not outdoorsy at all - She has mentioned Australia but I dont' think that's in the budget - especially with an older D in college too.</p>
<p>etselec - D is more of the fashion-makeup type- I wonder if there is a Gap year program in NYC that involves working on 7th avenue in the fashion industry.</p>
<p>It is a bit off topic but there are a couple of other things I wanted to mention about a spring start in college. My D chose to start later and doesn't regret it but she was unhappy to find that in the early years she always had lower priority for class registration and housing choice than the kids who started in the fall. She was also unable to start a new foreign language until the fall as beginner classes were not offered in the spring semester.</p>