<p>I'm an international student and last year, without much thought, applied to several very competitive schools in the top 20. Unsurprisingly, I was rejected from all. There's still the local institutions but I'm really keen on studying in the US so I'm considering taking a year off and applying for next year. I actually applied to Purdue after I received the rejections and have been accepted to start in fall this year but I only applied because it was rolling admissions and I guess I just wanted at least one acceptance letter, pathetic as it was. However, I'm really reluctant to enroll as Purdue's arts programs are not exactly strong. </p>
<p>I've heard many opinions that a gap year will hurt my admission chances. How will it hurt admission chances exactly? Since I'll be applying as a freshman, there isn't any question on the applications for students who took a year off, is there?</p>
<p>I'm not sure this is the right forum to post at, but it seems the most helpful so far so I'm really hoping that I can receive some good advice. Thanks in advance!</p>
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I've heard many opinions that a gap year will hurt my admission chances. How will it hurt admission chances exactly? Since I'll be applying as a freshman, there isn't any question on the applications for students who took a year off, is there?
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<p>Gap years can be good, also. It really depends on the severity of your situation AND what you're willing to go through--physically and what not.</p>
<p>Ideally, if you're taking a gap, colleges want to see you doing something (something good). Community service, arts, job, ...something.</p>
<p>And then you have to reflect on that in your essays/apps when you reapply and try to include a broader range of schools this time.</p>
<p>I think you must consider whether you will approach things differently next year. If your plan is just to take a gap year and apply to the SAME colleges hoping for a different outcome, I would not take a gap year -- However, if your plan is to take a gap year, research a wider range of options, and strengthen your application with either work or volunteering, that would be a different, better plan.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice, I've finally decided after an entire month of depression over all the rejection letters and its such a relief to have finally just decided on something. I'm going to take a gap year and enroll in a japanese language institution in Japan this coming fall. I'm not japanese and neither do I live in Japan and since I figured my intended major's East Asian Studies, it will help my application. What do you think?</p>
<p>carolyn: thanks for the advice; i most definitely will not be applying to the same colleges. I never did really want to go to those except for the prestige factor I suppose. I've just recently discovered so many good schools that are strong in liberal arts but not necessarily ranked high on usnews and are much more realistic choices. So hopefully, the second time around will be a lot less disappointing. </p>
<p>college-ish: "you'll be okay" sounds really comforting. thanks :)</p>