Gap Year...need help!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm considering a gap year between my senior year (this coming year) and my freshman year of college. </p>

<p>Does anyone have any insight into this? </p>

<p>Also, I have not found many-or really any-programs that I am eligible for. This is because I am 16. By the time I graduate, I will be 16 or 17, depending on what time of year I graduate. Most of the gap year programs I have seen have a minimum age of 18. Does anyone know of any others that I could look into?</p>

2

<p>I suggest you read this book: [url=<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Time-College-Admissions-Guides/dp/0375763031]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Time-College-Admissions-Guides/dp/0375763031]Amazon.com:</a> Taking Time Off, 2nd Edition (College Admissions Guides) (9780375763038): Colin Hall, Ron Lieber: Books<a href=“I%20found%20a%20copy%20at%20my%20local%20library”>/url</a></p>

<p>It definitely helped me decide whether taking a gap year was right for me or not.</p>

3

<p>You could also think about a January/February admission. More and more schools seem to have this—Middlebury, Hamilton, Whitman</p>

4

<p>I have found Kristin M. White’s Gap Year Programs guide very helpful.</p>

5

<p>There are lots of threads on this issue, so run a search with “Gap Year” as your key words and you will end up with plenty of ideas.</p>

6

<p>xcatastrophex,</p>

<p>It would also help if we knew what kind of experience(s) you are interested in and how much (if anything) your family is willing to pay for them.</p>

7

<p>I’m mainly interested in wilderness expeditions, but also in language and service. My family is willing to pay at least the equivalent of a year at college (approx 40K for me)</p>

8

<p>Don’t have any advice to give about wilderness programs.</p>

<p>For language programs, you might want to start by looking at AFS ([AFS</a> Intercultural Programs](<a href=“http://www.afs.org%5DAFS”>http://www.afs.org)). They run exchange programs for high school students and students in gap years. You live with a host family and attend a local high school so you are really immersed in the local culture. Full academic year programs usually run 8K to 12K I believe.</p>

<p>The Rotary Club also runs exchanges—they are more competitive since the Rotary Club pays for most expenses if I recall right. Don’t know if they do gap years. You can find out more information by going to <a href=“http://www.rotary.org/en/studentsandyouth/youthprograms/rotaryyouthexchange/pages/ridefault.aspx[/url]”>http://www.rotary.org/en/studentsandyouth/youthprograms/rotaryyouthexchange/pages/ridefault.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;