Gap-Year Plan Advise

Applying to College
1

<p>I am considering taking a gap-year. So, I made up a plan of things to do(its mostly in writing to help convince my parents). It should be noted that the two main things I looked for were "whether it interested me" and "its assistance on a college app." Anyways, I was wondering if anyone can give me some advise.
Specifically, I'm not sure if I'm overextending myself or taking it too easy. I don't want to bored or stressed out of my mind.
Also, what do you believe a admissions officer will think of my year.</p>

<p>Plan for what to do(I still have to do the math on the credits)
Summer-
Northwestern Summer Session(maybe Stanford)
Fall/Winter-
1-2 C.O.S. classes (community college)
2-4 Berkeley online courses (I?m not sure if admissions value online courses)
Application process using books related to this process and allow more time to do the essays
One of the mistakes I made last time was not using any of the many books that discuss how to present yourself to a certain college and I started too late
Year-round
Volunteer Work
SPCA volunteer work
Republican Party/McCain volunteer work
I?m considering hospital volunteer work and this depends on how my friend describes his experience there
Employment
I?m not sure about maintaining my job at the country club. Although, I enjoy my job there are some jobs that would look better on a college application. A job where your dad is the boss is often looked down upon. However, on the other hand not having a job hurts my application.
Math Tutoring
With a little reviewing I could do some independent math tutoring for C.O.S. or high school students. No need to say how good this looks on college application.
Spring/Summer-
More C.O.S. and online Berkeley classes
3-12 week Intern Abroad program <a href="http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org/choosing_your_program/intern_abroad/default.asp%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org/choosing_your_program/intern_abroad/default.asp&lt;/a>
It should be noted that there are many similar intern programs all designed for people of my qualifications
I am considering moving this to earlier in the year because ?participated? looks better than "plans" and it would be something of interest in an essay</p>

2

<p>first -- if you take college courses after graduating from high school then you are most likely going to be applying as a transfer student and not a freshman. that group is much more competitive and financial aid is much tougher unless you are going to try to attend a lower level school.</p>

<p>Your gap year doesn't exactly sound spectacular -- it sounds like the EC's and schoolwork of most high school students. Other than the intern abroad program (and kids participate in this type of thing during the summers, often) there isn't anything there that stands out to me. </p>

<p>What schools are you interested in getting in to and what were the results this year? Why the gap year?</p>

<p>If you want to continue volunteering, be a tutor and take classes while living at home -- attend community college. Your success at transferring into a 4-year university will be much better if you take a look at the guaranteed transfer options at your local CC.</p>

3

<p>I believe most colleges would allow me to apply as a tranfer as long as I do not exceed the credit limit(I still need to do the math).
My apps did terrible. Some would consider it decent but anyone who knows me and my personality knows how terrible it is.
Tranfer is out of the question because my CC is terrible. Many schools don't even accept its credits.
Thanks for your advise. I'll look for something that stands out more.</p>

4

<p>If you are going to take the gap year, make it one that really shows passion/initiative and stands out. What you describe really doesn't -- it just sounds like more stuff you wanted to add to make your application look better.</p>

<p>Really check the policies at colleges on freshman status -- many college regard ANY college courses taken after high school graduation to make you ineligible for freshman status and freshman scholarships/financial aid. You want to make sure that the colleges you are interested in don't have this stipulation.</p>

5

<p>this is what I would ask about -- from the UC's website:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/freshman.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/freshman.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>"You are considered a freshman applicant if you are still in high school or have graduated from high school but have not enrolled in a regular session at any college or university."</p>

<p>I really think that if you take classes during the year from the CC after graduating, you will have problems applying as a freshman.</p>

<p>Don't just call up and ask -- get it in writing from the admissions office. This has been a problem for kids in the past.</p>

6

<p>Anyone else have any advise.</p>

7

<p>Yes, get a plan that looks less like what it is--Some time to reapply. </p>

<p>Staying home is probably the first indicator you don't have much of a plan. I'm doing a gap year now (accepted to college though) and I've done various things from volunteering to jobs that reflect my passions. The full year will include time in NY and Hong Kong working, volunteering in Asia and this summer is a vacation with friends (cheaaaaap) and language study in Europe.</p>

<p>Follow your passions and have fun!</p>

8

<p>I have a number of questions and comments:</p>

<p>1) Why do you want to take a gap year? Be specific and forthright.</p>

<p>2) You show maturity to want to outline a plan and convince your parents of it. Congratulations. And I really, really like the fact that your plan is supposed to be related to what you like (hopefully this is related to your passions) and to what practically will help you (you don't want to only have a kind of fun that ends up hurting your future when there is so much fun to be had that can help your future.) Having said that, I agree with hsmomstef that the year just does not sound spectacular. </p>

<p>3) If I were you, I would approach this year as affording you the possibility of achieving a project of some sort. A school would love to hear that you went for an achievable goal and achieved it or came close trying. Let me give you an example: go to Central America work in a ecotourism operation, learn Spanish, and dispatch articles to a journal of some sort or do some filming that you intend to produce or something. It would be much better if this project had an identifiable completion point and outcome (I put together my video or something like this.) It would be EVEN BETTER if the project related to what you think you would want to study in school or at least do afterwards.</p>

<p>4) I would be very careful about enrolling in any degree programs for the reasons that have already been stated. Further to that, if what you really wanted to do was go to school (as evidenced by taking courses), what happened that you didn't just get into college and go like a normal kid? This goes back to question 1.</p>

<p>5) If what you do falls in line with a passion that you have and with your future goals, you will be much better off describing this to an admissions officer than if its something that was done to pass the time.</p>

<p>6) What are others of your interest? Let us know and maybe we can come up with some suggestions.</p>

<p>I think you are on the right track, but you need to polish this up, reach inside yourself and identify what you really want to do next year in terms of something you're passionate about, and act with speed and confidence. You don't have much time to get hooked up with an outfit or program that will be willing to take on a graduating high school student.</p>

<p>I really would not stay around and work on your father's job and hang out and expect a few classes to work well for you in the application process.</p>

<p>Your instincts are right on; your plan, so far, is a bit weak.</p>

9

<p>Continued from last post:</p>

<p>7) I think the crosscultural solutions thing could be a good springboard for you -- absolutely -- particularly if you went somewhere to do something that you could extend for the year. Find out if they let you stay on, if your parents agree or whatever. The only thing about that approach is that this program could end up sounding like summer camp for unfocused kids or something like that. You should choose any program you want as a springboard to achieving something you want to do and have planned separately; otherwise it might look like you just decided to stay because you couldn't think of anything else to do.</p>

<p>Here's one thing schools will really like (in my opinion):</p>

<p>A project that proceeds along the following lines:</p>

<p>PASSION that leads to
INTENTION that leads to a
PLAN that includes achievable
GOALS, and that you pursue these and end up with
USEFUL OUTCOMES that are hopefully impressive but at the very least describable, tangible, and something that points to your maturity and ability to plan and get things done in the real world.</p>

<p>This may sound like a lot to bite off. It should. If this year doesn't sound like it was action-packed for you, it will sound flaky. And if schools think its flaky, they'll count this year not as so much of a positive, in my view, as kind of a negative.</p>

10

<p>Thank you for your advise. My reasons for a gap-year are complicated. It has to do with both the colleges available to me right now(this is thing that first made me consider it) and the fact that I feel there are a lot of stuff that I never really had time for during high school. Plus, I wouldn't mind exploring my interests outside of the limited high school enviroment.</p>

<p>On a side note does anyone know of a long term volunteer opportunity or internship related to science or math(main interests). I can't seem to find anything that isn't for undergrads, for current high school students, or a month long. </p>

<p>In terms of other interest I guess you could say I'm pretty interested in politics, history, and engineering and have a mild interest in film(I'm an audio commentary nut and love learning about the decision making process behind everything but I never got the chance to take any classes related to it) and writing.</p>

11

<p>"On a side note does anyone know of a long term volunteer opportunity or internship related to science or math(main interests). I can't seem to find anything that isn't for undergrads, for current high school students, or a month long. </p>

<p>In terms of other interest I guess you could say I'm pretty interested in politics, history, and engineering and have a mild interest in film(I'm an audio commentary nut and love learning about the decision making process behind everything but I never got the chance to take any classes related to it) and writing."
Anyone?</p>