<p>Stupidity on my part caused me to finish my applications (and write supplement essays) just minutes before the deadlines. I think they actually were pretty good, but not near as good as they could have been, probably not good enough for the schools to which I applied. I have good scores (750 SATII Bio, 800 SATII Math L2) (2260 SAT) but I just screwed my essays. My question is... assuming I don't get any acceptances... Can I take a gap year, pursue ECs without 7hrs of school in the way, retake SAT (2400 with a year of practice), then reapply next year as a freshman? How will colleges view this action?</p>
<p>Most students who get shut out of four year schools probably go to community college with intent to transfer to four year schools as juniors, or go to work or military service during gap year(s) before going to college.</p>
<p>Many top schools don’t just accept gap years - they actively encourage it. The additional year of maturity and ‘boundary expansion’ is widely recognized as a plus. Check out The Gap Year Advantage by Karl Haigler and Rae Nelson for ideas. Gap years don’t have to cost a lot - in fact, in some cases you can be earning money for a few months by working and then use your savings to help pay for it.</p>
<p>You already have your letters of rec lined up so that’s done. It would make reapplying much easier if it comes to that.</p>
<p>By the way, spending a year trying to improve your test scores from 2260 to 2400 is a waste of time. Take it one more time if you think you have significant room to improve somewhere, but realize that its diminishing returns at some point - both in terms of your ability to improve and the value that improvement actually provides to your chances of admissions.</p>
<p>Last comment: A few less than stellar essays probably won’t result in your being shut out of every place you applied unless you have no real safeties and few matches. Still, its always good to know that you don’t HAVE to go to college next year if your options are entirely to your liking.</p>
<p>I’d say it if you don’t get any acceptances then you did not do a good job of identifying matches and safeties. </p>
<p>Some kids do take a gap year in order to improve their ECs. Since this is an entire year of your life, I think you want more focused advice then you’re going to get from an anonymous board like this. I would suggest working with a qualified private college admissions counselor to make sure that your plan for your ECs will actually improve your application. There sometimes is a disconnect between what HS kids think of as strong ECs and what colleges think. And if you go this route also be sure you understand all the rules for remaining a frosh applicant. At some schools if you enroll in any college classes after graduating high school you are no longer considered a frosh applicant.</p>
<p>A gap year that involves something other than work or community college is also a signal of wealthy parents who are unlikely to need as much financial aid to send their kid to college. Of course, going to community college disqualifies the student from applying as a freshman to many four year colleges, so the poor and middle income family kids who more typically go this route are automatically screened out from the highly selective colleges that accept few or no transfers.</p>
<p>If a student’s attending a community college they’re not taking a gap year, they’re attending college!</p>
<p>I know plenty of kids who have done cost-neutral gap years. Some have done internships, others done Americorps programs or worked part time while spending most of their time and energy on travel or a project. DS is considering a gap year of a really fun training program involving free international travel. He had to have specific and unusual skills to qualify, but room and board are covered and he’ll make a small stipend which will be enough to pay for his incidentals.</p>
<p>I’ve seen posts where students are contemplating a gap year, and mentioned a desire to take a few classes at their local CC to keep their studying skills up. Bad idea for many colleges, since they will no longer be considered a frosh applicant. So I wanted to make sure that information gets out there.</p>
<p>Justin,
It’s actually a fairly interesting and simple response: students having taken a structured Gap Year are being shown to have better GPA scores in college, graduate earlier, and be more engaged in campus activities… obviously, you’ll have many more life experiences to draw from in those applications and once at college. Because of all of this, most universities are eager to have Gap Year students. That being said, if your sole purpose of taking a Gap Year is to get into the schools, then your best bet is to hire an independent college counselor (IECA or HECA, for instance), and pay someone for their expertise. </p>
<p>The caveat to those data about Gap Years though is that the experience needs to be a “structured” Gap Year, not working at Dairy Queen, or simply tramping around New Zealand (though these could in theory both be elements of a structured year).</p>
<p>Just another quick comment on a gap year … since applications for the highly selective schools is due by usually Jan. 1st (or earlier if you do ED), your gap year will really be a gap semester in terms on new things that you can accomplish. So if you decide to do that, make sure you have something to show for it by the time you submit your next round of applications.</p>
<p>p.s. good luck … since you are likely a high achieving student, my hope is that you will actually get in somewhere that you like and are just a bit hard on yourself.</p>
<p>Wow! Thank you for all the help, I really appreciate it.</p>
<p>I have been awarded the NROTC scholarship… to Yale. I listed some state schools, low matches on my NROTC application, and Yale as #5. They chose to place my scholarship at Yale, though, so I need to be admitted there. I am a legacy (father completed residency there).</p>
<p>I have many, many business ideas which I have not been able to pursue due to my age and lack of free time. With a gap year, I am positive that I can start a very successful company.</p>
<p>My parents are quite wealthy (not bragging). Will Yale look favorably on this or poorly? I know 20 years ago it would have been a hook, but today it seems they are looking for minorities etc.</p>
<p>“By the way, spending a year trying to improve your test scores from 2260 to 2400 is a waste of time” -M’s Mom Are you sure I shouldn’t pursue three SATII 800s, a 2400, and many 5’s on AP tests?</p>
<p>Last question… Do I apply in exactly one year from my last application? That would really only give me the last 7 months of 2013 as my gap “year” since Jan-May I have school. Or is it that I graduate from high school in May 2013, take a gap year to May 2014, then apply Jan 1st of 2015?</p>
<p>Yale is need-blind, so your family’s financial status is not going to be considered when you are applying, simply your application. Yale will not be able to tell if you have applied for FA or how much your parents make.</p>
<p>
If you spend your gap year on test scores that are already good, I would be willing to bet schools are not impressed. Your scores are good enough-- let them stand.</p>
<p>
Your gap year, like SnowflakeVT mentioned, is really a gap ‘semester.’ It would be from graduation in May 2012 to Dec 2012, and you would be applying for admissions in Fall 2014.</p>
<p>Post #10 is a self-serving advertisement who I have reported to the moderators. We can’t tell if this “study” is on the up and up. </p>
<p>Personally, I think taking a gap year if you are wealthy and are doing it for your own personal development is fine. </p>
<p>However, taking a gap year because you think that that you were “stupid” and muffed the essays in my opinion suggests to me that you are indeed correct about being stupid. >90% of your future is based on you not which particular school you go to. You have stellar stats and there are great schools with Jan 15 or later deadlines. Today is January 8th. Even schools with 1/15 deadlines will take your transcripts and recommendations late. They have to wait for your midterm report anyway. </p>
Do either. In the first your gap “year” is roughly a semester in terms of what colleges will know about when you apply, and you’d apply for admission in Fall 2014. In the 2nd case you’d have a little over a year of activities during your gap year to talk about when applying, and would be applying for admission in Fall 2015.</p>
<p>Would colleges look down on taking 1.5 years off, even if I accomplish amazing things?</p>
<p>I’ve been doing some reading, and am wondering if I am even allowed to apply again. How many times can I apply for freshman admission? transfer admission?</p>