<p>I'm currently a junior in CS at Cornell and I plan on applying to top-tier CS PhD programs. I was wondering if taking a gap year after graduation, doing something completely unrelated to CS (i.e. going abroad to learn a foreign language) would be bad for my application. It seems to me that doing this will allow me to include my achievements from my second semester senior year while also giving me additional time to polish my application. I was just wondering if grad schools frown upon this.</p>
<p>Another possible option would be to apply senior year, then defer admission one year. Is this feasible?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>I think it’s an excellent idea, and it definitely won’t show weakness. The year off will help you gain more focus and experience, field-related or not. I have never heard of grad schools frowning upon this.</p>
<p>Deferring is almost never allowed for grad school.</p>
<p>You will probably be in the majority if you take time off before you start a Ph.D. program. I agree with DespSeek that I have never heard of a grad school which will defer admission for a year. There are too few students in each entering class to allow for this.</p>
<p>I deferred my grad school admission (in political science.) So did several other people in my department. It’s not at all uncommon at least in my field - big, top 5 department.</p>