I’ve recently been rejected from my top choices so I want to take a gap year and reapply. Does anyone have recommendations for gap year programs that will significantly add to my application? I’ve been scouring the web. Also, I can’t do any programs that are only for 18 and up. many many thanks!
Looking for the same for my son. Rejected at all of his top choices.
Our son met with an independent college counselor when he was in a similiar circumstance. She pointed out gaps in his application that we had not considered. She recommended he study and take an additional sat subject test that he should have for his intended major. She also recommended he sign up for online classes through Edx in the area of study he wanted to pursue. He redid his common app essay to be much more focused and less generic. He also realized one of his top choice schools admits almost its entire class before November- so applied early the following year. His results were much better/ but his college list was also much more realistic. He loved the engineering school he attended and will graduate next month.
For his gap year, he got a job- which he had never had before as he attended BS out of state for high school. Good luck in your gap year decisions.
Another choice is always to attend the school where you were admitted and transfer. Our daughter went this route and transferred to a top 20 school after 2 years at another college. She turned down USC and Northeastern as a transfer to attend her current school.
Thanks so much! I’ve been wanting to take a year off whether I got into my top choice or not. I’ve heard that age can be a factor in admissions, which I wish I would’ve known lol. Did your son do well with working and doing classes? Did he feel he had enough to do? I live in a rural area and am worried about being bored.
And if you don’t mind, what kinds of gaps did she find? I’m sorry, I don’t want to come off as prying so you don’t have to answer. But thank you very much for your help!
@ivyorbust27 in our experience age wasn’t a factor in admissions. Our youngest who is 16 was just accepted to 8 of the 10 colleges she applied to- including 2 ivies.
I just asked my son how he felt about his gap year, as our daughter is now pushing to take one. He sadly called it the loneliest year of his life. So, it was definitely not ideal.
As far as gaps in his application, he was applying as an engineering major, but due to his studying abroad in high school, he has not taken advanced physics courses. He also had not taken Sat subject tests on the areas that mattered. She recommended he sign up for advanced online physics courses through EdX or a local CC.
We were late to the game as we initially encouraged him to attend the only college he was accepted to. He lasted 1 week at the school as it was a total mismatch. He ended up coming home unexpectedly and we scrambled to figure out a path forward. One of the major challenges with reapplying is you only have a few months to start the process all over again, as applications can we due in fall for EA:ED Applications.