gap year during college opinions

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>Hi all</p>

<p>I'm looking for some different opinions on taking a gap year during college. </p>

<p>I'm currently a freshman at my safety school. I did very well in high school and graduated with an excellent GPA and several AP classes under my belt. I was disappointed when I wasn't accepted to my top choice school, but decided to go ahead and head to college in the fall. </p>

<p>I am unhappy at my current school for various reasons. I've looked at transferring, but very few schools offer substantial transfer scholarships and my parents are unwilling to let me give up the full scholarship I am currently on. </p>

<p>Since I can't transfer, I feel like a year off might be beneficial and help me get back the motivation I lost. My grades last semester were not bad, but they could have been better. I'm also unsure if I want to continue in my current major (engineering) and feel like a year off might help me decide. I'm hesitant to move forward in engineering and get into some of the more challenging classes and then change majors in the middle. </p>

<p>If I were to take a gap year, I would likely intern abroad or in a region of the US other than where I currently live. </p>

<p>I've read other posts on cc from people who have taken gap years and had huge success, I'm just nervous to fall a year behind because of an experience that might not be the best option for me. </p>

<p>I'd love to hear any opinions, good or bad!</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>didn’t really read your post but i know a guy who took time off and visited Israel for a year and he’s doing fine now. </p>

<p>you only live once, you gonna live life full of regrets for not doing what you really wanna do?!??!</p>

3

<p>If you take a gap year, is your school going to allow you to keep the scholarships? Or are they dependent on things- i.e., you get so many semesters/have to have a particular gpa, etc? </p>

<p>Also, you mentioned going to another place in the US- if your parents aren’t going to let you transfer, are they going to support you while you intern? Most internships are unpaid, after all.</p>

4

<p>The scholarship issue I’d have to discuss with my advisor, I just want to make sure it’s something I’m really interested in pursuing before I ask him about the financial side. </p>

<p>I’ve mentioned it to my parents and they seemed ok. They were not unsupportive of my wish to transfer, it was just financially something my family could not take on. However, interning for a year or doing something that doesn’t require paying a lofty 4-year tuition would be more doable. </p>

<p>thank you both for your input!</p>