Gap year and study abroad for Skidmore consecutively?

<p>I'm applying to Skidmore and on the application there is an option to apply for the Freshman Experience in London. It looks like a really cool opportunity, but I'm a little concerned about it being the first semester of college and how that affects your experience as a freshman once you start on campus in the spring. Also, does anybody know how it works if you get accepted for London but decide not to go do you have to start Skidmore in the spring or can you start on campus in the fall instead of london? I would be worried that I might decide to not do it and then have nothing to do for a semester if you can't start till the spring.
I'm also thinking of doing a gap year program in Israel before college and I don't know if it would be weird being out of the county for 9 months and then another 3 months after the summer.
Does anybody have any experience with any of the above?</p>

<p>If you on the Skidmore section under Colleges and Universities, there’s some parents with kids who did London (I think). I’m not sure if you even can not go to London and still go to Skidmore in the spring…it might be London or no Skidmore at all.</p>