<p>Hi, there. </p>
<p>I am taking a gap year and need to apply for colleges in November. The Common Application system requires me to upload a gap year statement explaining the experience that I have during the gap year. </p>
<p>However, I am not quite sure about the format of such a statement and don't know what it should look like...</p>
<p>Can anyone kindly contribute some personal thoughts or provide some sample gap year statement? </p>
<p>Thank you. Any help will be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>I didn’t notify my college until after I had been admitted and made my deposit that I would be taking a gap year. </p>
<p>I said something like I will be doing X, Y, and Z and it will benefit me in ways 1, 2, and 3. I am very passionate about this experience because ____. I believe this will strengthen my college experience because A, B, C. I am looking forward to starting at school X next fall. </p>
<p>A paragraph including this type of information is fine. Note how I also emphasized academic goals, in my case specific to my college. You don’t want it to look like you are so excited about the gap year that you might decide not to go back to school!</p>
<p>My daughter (who is on her gap year now) did the same thing. She asked the colleges and universities that she was interested in whether they’d allow her to defer enrollment for a gap year, but she didn’t tell them she was taking a gap year until she’d decided where she wanted to go and put down a deposit.</p>
<p>It all worked out fine for her.</p>
<p>Sorry, guys. But I guest you misunderstood my meaning… or I did not articulate myself clearly…</p>
<p>I took a gap year after graduation without applying to any college or university, which means that I will apply this November. The Common Application requires me to indicate any education interruption, so here it is…</p>
<p>Oh! That is a different kettle of fish.</p>
<p>I would write something like what irishrabbit suggested–with the verb tenses changed, of course.</p>
<p>I should note that I have no actual experience that makes me well qualified to answer this question. But I’ll also speculate that it comes up so seldom that there’s not really a right or wrong way to do this. Anything that clearly explains what you did and how it benefited or affected you is probably plenty good.</p>
<p>A couple of the college-specific forums have admissions officers who post there. MITChris posts, obviously, at the MIT forum, and AdmissionsDan posts at Tufts. Somebody like that might be able to give you an informed answer. Or, of course, you could contact the admissions office at a college or two that interest you and ask them if there’s something specific they want to see.</p>
<p>Hi, lzhd1028, hope your gap experience is going well! </p>
<p>I looked at the Common App form and note the question you are viewing. On the form they offer for preview of the actual app, there is only a fairly short line provided for your answer. Does the actual app offer more space to elaborate on your year’s interruption? If “yes,” no problem. If “no,” then you will have to offer a brief answer in that space and then consider whether you desire to elaborate on your experience as a part of either (a) your free form response in the place they offer for writing on one EC or work experience, or (b) your Common App essay. </p>
<p>How much you devote prose responses to your gap experience depends on your gap rationale and objective and also your other life experiences and what you want colleges to know about you. If you gapped for medical reasons or to make money for college, your approach will likely be a little different than if you gapped to further a passion already clear to them from your HS record (academic, foreign language, athletic, fine arts, etc.), explore a new interest or to recharge and engage in some personal development (Harvard’s and other statements on the value of a gap year are easy to find via Google and will help you find a way to weave the ideals of your gap year into some discussion). </p>
<p>I’m just a parent (of a kid who gapped, but like the other responders, with a deferred admission). I think a key person to talk to about this is your HS guidance counselor, as you will want the counselor’s recommendation to dovetail with the approach you decide to take. You can view the form the counselor will complete:
<a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/commonapp/Docs/DownloadForms/2012/2012SchoolReport_download.pdf[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/commonapp/Docs/DownloadForms/2012/2012SchoolReport_download.pdf</a></p>
<p>Best wishes on a fulfilling year and you college applications!</p>
<p>^TXArtemis, </p>
<p>Thank you so much for your reply. It really explains a lot. In fact, I contacted the Common Application system officer after reading your reply, and was informed that I only need to put only one sentence to explain why I took a gap year. </p>
<p>Well, I guess I will just put the Gap Year Statement in the additional information then. </p>
<p>Thanks again. !</p>