<p>I'm a rising junior, and I skipped a grade when I was in elementary school. As a result, I'm younger than most of my classmates, and I'll be entering college when I'm 17 and turn 18 after 4 months of freshman year. My parents and I have discussed the idea of taking a "gap year" several times. I'm wondering, is there anyone on this site who has taken a gap year? Do any of you think that it would be worth it to take a gap year? If so, what should I do, and how would it affect my admissions process? Thanks in advance!</p>
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<p>Hi, Philbin, my first child took a gap year (not because of age considerations, simply to take a break–it was a big success for her). Here’s what I learned about how it relates to college admission:</p>
<p>It’s better/easier if you go through the college admission process as a HS senior, receive your offers and, hopefully, the school you’d like to accept will offer you deferred admission, meaning they will hold your space for one year to allow you to gap and matriculate with the next freshman class. Usually, they will require two things: (1) the standard enrollment deposit due of all accepting freshman on May 1 – generally several hundred dollars; and (2) a written deferral agreement including your promise not to enroll in any other institutions, with some exception for foreign language or other specialized study you may wish to pursue during your gap year. [Think about it; they don’t want to hold your space and also let you try out another school! But of course, if you decide during the gap year that you’d rather go to another school, it is not a problem. You simply lose that deposit to school A.]</p>
<p>If you don’t go through the admission cycle as a senior, then you have to do it while you’re supposed to be off having fun gapping. Not ideal! You also have to be sure you are frequently near all the technology to deal with applications. Not ideal if you travel! You also have to work with the college counselor and teachers (letters of rec) back at HS, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but because you are “out of sight,” sometimes, their attention to you vs. the on-campus seniors can seem like you are also “out of mind.” </p>
<p>See this Harvard College article for more general information. [Harvard</a> College Admissions § Applying: Taking Time Off](<a href=“http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/time_off/index.html]Harvard”>http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/time_off/index.html)</p>
<p>Good luck in exploring this idea! I think taking a gap year presents a wonderful opportunity for some people. It does require some thought and planning to make it successful. </p>
<p>Note, if you feel uncomfortable among your peers because of your age, then maybe gapping to “catch up” is for you; if, on the other hand, you’re okay with your age, and you don’t really want to sit out now (some people gap between college/grad school, a semester/year abroad fulfills the gap desire in others, etc.), but it’s your parents who are concerned about allowing you to go off to college “at your age,” then there are other ways to skin that cat! </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>