My son took a gap year after HS. A psychologist who tested him described him as severely gifted – brilliant and severely dyslexic/small speech delay/… . As a result, we thought, of the dyslexia, he became very tired in HS. I suggested that he graduate in 5 years instead of 4 and apply for colleges the following year, but he pushed for four (and was in the top 5 in his HS class). We discovered that he had sleep apnea, which is rare in someone so young, but it was the major cause of his tiredness. In his senior year, he did not apply to colleges but waited until the gap year, which was used for a variety of things including taking SATs and ACTs, applying to college, working on a novel, campaigning in New Hampshire for Obama in Obama’s first election, getting coaching on reading, helping a university professor with research on dyslexia, coaching HS in Moot Court competitions, … . Plus, he had surgery for the sleep apnea in the spring of the gap year.
He had time to study for SATs/ACTs and did really well. He applied to relatively competitive colleges (Ivies, NESCAC). Because he thought it was irrational to visit schools that had a 10% probability of admission, he applied to more schools (I think 15). I think he had two rejections, a few wait lists and at least 10 acceptances. His final choice was between an Ivy and a top NESCAC school and he ended up choosing the latter.
Neither he nor I had a sense that his gap year harmed him in college admissions. Being able to take the time to study properly for the standardized exams was likely a net benefit.
The greatest thing was the maturity we saw develop prior to his showing up in college. We are all in favor of gap years.
I think it depends on what the real motivation is. Of the three kids I know that stated they wanted to “wait” to go to college, none went.
I think in each situation there was indecision to start with. Community college is the same way…some go there not really sure if they want to be in school.
One other observation would be that each of them ended up getting skilled labor jobs (welding, etc). I think that makes college relatively unattractive, since its basically a 4 year vow of poverty.
AGREE: “the application list in one year or two years. It could change wildly once he’s out in the working world. Most of my son’s friends who did that were much more cost conscious once they were out in the real world and their college lists were very different than when they were talking about college as high school students.”
I have two nieces who have taken Gap years. I think Gap years are fantastic but I think its important to have a plan. Both girls went through the college application process, got accepted and deferred their admissions. One to UVM and the other to George Mason. Both went on Rotary Youth exchanges. One to Finland and one to Belgium. Each wanted to travel, learn another culture/language and have the exchange experience before getting back to work at school. Both had fantastic experiences.
Sorry I am just seeing this now! I am usually all over Gap Year posts.
My D just started her Freshman year after a Gap Year. She completed her college application process, chose her college, and deferred admission. They were fine with that and she was able to keep her merit $$. So far college seems to be going fine. She was worried about the year away from academic stuff but it doesn’t seem to be an issue so far. Knock wood.
I think it was a tremendous experience for her. She did a lot of maturing during that time.
She spent the fall at an internship through the Student Conservation Association. They have a variety of internships primarily in National Parks or Forests. The internships are paid and they provide housing. And many of them are eligible for Americorps scholarships. So it was not an expensive experience. She really had to be independent- doing her own shopping, cooking, laundry, etc. So I think that got some of the stuff kids have to deal with at the beginning of college out of the way.
Over the winter she was home, working to save $$ and she took a Wilderness First Responder course at a local college. That was a great challenge for her.
Then in the spring she met friends who were backpacking in South America and spent 6 weeks backpacking Patagonia and other parts of Argentina and Chile. She very much did not want an organized group type trip. It was a great personal challenge for her and she saw some breathtaking sights. At the end of that she spent some time staying with family on the West Coast. That was nice because she got to form her own independent relationships with them in a way she never could have just visiting with us.
And then back home to her job, working out (she plays a college sport), getting ready to go off to college.
Rough spots- When all her friends left for college and her internship hadn’t started yet. Not being in a group of age peers in the fall. I think her particular internship was more isolated than some. OTOH, she formed friendships with folks who were very different from her in age and world view and I think that is a great experience.
So far, we have no regrets! Well, she does say she misses the freedom of that year but such is life.
Mine did a gap year in a country in Europe to learn the language, and then apply directly to university. This one is exceedingly good at languages, so she was able to pass the test in a few months. It worked out well.
Here’s another thing to know about gap years: some colleges won’t allow a gap year, so if a kid applies to colleges and then decides to take a gap year (not the OP’s situation), the choice of where to attend college might be limited. Taking a gap year and then applying to colleges eliminates this scenario.
My son applied to colleges in fall of his senior year, but by spring, he knew he needed to take a gap year for a lot of reasons. With his many acceptances in hand, he began to look at gap year policies at various schools. We knew that if he wanted to go to one of the UC schools or OOS state schools, he would not be able to take a gap year, so his choices became limited to private schools that allow a gap year.
Re. classes during a gap year: Because my son’s college doesn’t take any community college transfer credit, my son was actually allowed to take a couple of classes at the local community college during his gap year. Good to check each school’s policy.
My son probaly could have used another gap year, but he’s giving it his best shot at making it work.
My middle sons both took gap years and neither applied to college. S17 is considering a gap year and because of the annoyances of having to deal with the HS when the guidance department is done and through with you and on to the next group, I am encouraging him to apply and then defer. However, at least one school he is looking at doesn’t permit deferrals and told him to just apply next year.
My first son is a really bright kid who severely underachieved in HS. He’s young in the grade, too. He spent the gap year finishing up his Eagle Scout project and went to Europe for a month and a half. He also spent about 2 months getting up every morning, walking 2 miles to the home of a friend and spending the day with the friend’s younger brother, who was so depressed that he had to put on home instruction. My son got the boy out of bed, convinced him to shower, cooked for him, took him out for a walk and supervised while the teachers came each day. After a couple of months, the boy was improved enough that he could go back school. The experience was wonderful for both boys. After the gap year, he went to a state school, where he still is. Unfortunately, my son is struggling with anxiety issues in college and I don’t know if he will be able to stay away from home.
The next one took his gap year and then started at community college, where he still is. He joined the local volunteer fire department and was the regional head of his scouting unit and organized a large multi-unit gathering.
My oldest son went straight to college and wasn’t ready. He dropped out and floundered for several years. He recently began working for the federal government and talking about going back to school.
The most difficult part was, as I said, dealing with the HS to get the transcripts, etc. sent. What I think I am going to do for S17 is obtain several sealed copies of the transcripts before he graduates and then send them to the colleges. I have been told that as long as they are sealed, the colleges will accept them.
I know taking a gap year has become very trendy in some circles. but I think they are a mistake. a lot of people take a year which becomes 2 years than 3 years than a lifetime. if college is not in your future that is cool. but just taking a year off can be very risky for many people. sure if you are obama’s daughter and are super rich and privileged and have opportunities galore because of who your parents are no worries…do what you want. but if you a regular person there is a good chance you can wind up heading off course. just saying.
OP: Does your son not want to apply now and then defer? That seems to be the easiest way to do things. However, I would think the high school must have procedures in place to allow students to apply to college after a gap year or after working for a while. I would suggest, however, that he get his teacher and GC letters written this year while he is part of the senior class and won’t have to chase them down next year when he is not at school.
As for the post-grad year. I know one or two kids that did this, primarily for athletic reasons or as required for a military academy. Seemed to be successful.
@mom2and - while unusual, waiting a year to apply is what DS wishes to do and we support him in this decision. Your suggestion for getting recommendations this year is spot-on. Many thanks!!
Our DD did a gap year in Belgium with a reputable, established exchange program. If we had to do it all over again, we would not. The sweet host mom had health issues and was uninvolved, the local school program was not a fit, and DD became a smoker/drinker. When DD returned to the US, she went to college and had a hard time at first, having been away from normal studies for over a year. Home placements vary and there is the risk that your student’s assigned environment will not be a healthy one.
How did your gap year kids do once getting back into school? Did they feel like they’d lost some of their math, their reading speed, etc.? Did the type of school they enrolled in change from what they would have picked straight out of high school?
As someone who skipped a year and pushed and pushed to be young when I graduated, the fact that my kids took gap years freaked me out. I refused to allow it for my oldest and he wound up dropping out and hasn’t gone back yet. My D finished a masters, taught for one year and THEN took a gap year. She may never become a fully certified teacher because of that. As I noted above, my middle boys both took gap years.
I am now facing my youngest son’s determination to take a gap year. He may succeed simply because he is refusing to do college applications. I am going to have him ask his teachers for copies of the recommendation letters in sealed school envelopes that can be sent in if he chooses to apply in a later year.
@redpoodles, my 21-year-old son has done really well in college after 2 1/2 gap years! He found his passion (helping Syrian refugees) during the gap. It would have been a disaster if he’d gone straight to college.
As a result of his gap experience, he studied one semester at our local school, then applied to the American University of Beirut. Uh, no, he wouldn’t have gone there straight out of high school. He said it’s challenging, but his high school prepared him well.
So a gap year may not work for some people, but the gap was literally a life-saver for my son. He was able to go off all psych meds after discovering his purpose in life, and also lost about 100 pounds. It’s mind-blowing to me.
My son needed a gap year, and would never have made it if he’d not taken one, but he’s still struggling; that has less to do with post-gap year stuff and more to do with his “stuff”. He definitely lost academic skill, though, particularly in math. He has a math disability, and though he completed Calc I at a community college in his senior year (with an A), he says he doesn’t remember anything.
Maybe taking a 2 1/2 year gap year would have been good for him. Unfortunately, I think his spot at the uni, and the scholarship he has, would not have been held.
Listen, you do the best you can, and hope the outcome is ok. If not, there’s always a plan B (or C, and so on).
My daughter had a gap year to get a better handle on a recently diagnosed heart condition. She was accepted senior year and deferred. She is a math and art kid, and spent most of that year working as a freelance illustrator. She audited Calc I and II at a nearby university because she’d done Calc BC in ninth grade and it was rusty, even without the gap year. She took a summer course at her new university to get her feet wet after the gap year and did great, which I think was a confidence builder. She is now doing well with a demanding courseload including a notoriously difficult math class, and doesn’t feel like she lost skills.
Even with my son taking a hard summer school class at the local UC before he started in the fall, he still struggles with anything math related. He’s doing great in other courses, but math-related classes will always be hard. At least it’s been helpful in determining what major(s) he won’t go into.
