<p>I'm applying to colleges next but I am considering taking a gap year to do some long distance hiking. How does this effect my applying to collleges, do I apply in the same way?</p>
<p>You can wait and apply next year, or you can apply now and defer your enrollment (I’m not sure if all colleges allow this, though).</p>
<p>Halcyonheather is right that not all colleges allow accepted students to defer their enrollment. Most do–probably the vast majority–but you need to check about all of the colleges that interest you.</p>
<p>My kid did take a gap year after she graduated from high school in 2010. Here’s what she did, and it’s pretty typical. (All the other Americans on her gap-year program had done pretty much the same thing.)</p>
<p>She applied to college while she was in the 12th grade, just as if she were planning to start college the following fall. When she investigated colleges, she asked them whether they allowed accepted students to defer their enrollment for a gap year (they all did) and whether deferring enrollment would have any effect on other things such as invitations to honors programs or merit aid if they were offered (the answer was usually “no,” but not always). The reason to apply while you’re a senior is logistics. It’s easy to do the applications while you’re at home, where there’s a good, dependable broadband connection, and to get the transcripts and the letters of recommendation taken care of when you’re at school with your teachers and guidance counselor five days a week. If you’re hiking in Appalachia or the Andes or the Pyrenees or wherever, it’s a lot more difficult. Every organized gap-year program that my family researched said that they’d do their best to help students apply to college during their gap years, but they recommended that students apply to college, get accepted, and then defer enrollment.</p>
<p>When you’re applying, you do not need to tell the colleges and universities that you plan to take a gap year. You’ve already asked them whether they allow it. (And very many colleges not only allow it, but actually encourage it.) Just apply as if you plan to be a freshman in the fall. Then wait and see where you get in. Choose one of the colleges you’ve been admitted to. Pay the enrollment deposit, because they won’t hold a space for you in next year’s entering class without one.</p>
<p>While you’re applying, also be working out the details of your gap year. Do you plan to go on an organized program? Do you plan to arrange your own travel and lodging? How’s all that going to work?</p>
<p>In the spring, after you have paid the deposit at a college, contact the admissions office and notify them that you would like to defer your enrollment for a gap year. Many colleges have a deadline for this. That’s only fair. If you’re not going to be there in the fall, they need somebody else to take your place. At my daughter’s college, the deadline for deferring enrollment was in June, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be the same where you end up going. They may also ask you to describe briefly what your plans are for the gap year. This isn’t really a scary question. I think as long as you don’t tell them “Xbox and smoking dope,” it’ll be fine.</p>
<p>While you’re on your gap year, you’ll want to check in periodically with the admissions office to make sure you’re not missing important deadlines. While you’re away, you will have to take care of things like housing and meal plans and orientation and registration along with the students who are now a year behind you, but who will be your college classmates. (This was one area where my kid’s college didn’t do so well. They were terrible about keeping track of her. If she hadn’t been pestering them, she might have missed the deadline for housing.) </p>
<p>My daughter’s gap year was a very good experience for her. I hope yours will be for you, too. Good luck.</p>
<p>Awesome, thanks for the help!</p>
<p>My S did a gap year last year… he would say it was the best decision he ever made… life changing. He hiked the entire Pacific Crest Trail, took a NOLS EMT/Wilderness EMT class and then worked as an EMT. He also climbed El Capitan and the highest peak Mexico. He applied to college as a Senior, got accepted, then asked to defer a year. They wanted him to send in a detailed few paragraphs about what he was planning to do. That’s it… easy. </p>
<p>I am totally for gap years. I mean, why not?? What the heck is the hurry. Most of this generation of kids are going to live way past 100… go enjoy life, do some things that you have always wanted to do but were too busy in HS to do. Don’t listen to people that tell you that it will be hard to adjust to college after a year off. My S is thriving as a college freshman this year… could not be doing better. You only live once, and this time of freedom in your life may never come again. You will NEVER regret it.</p>
<p>I totally agree. My D is currently on a gap year on an opportunity that did not come up until end of June (after she had registered for classes, orientation, etc.). Even at the beginning of July her University allowed her to defer her admission. She is having the time of her life and I learning so much just by living and being independent. It would have been hard for her to apply for college this year though so I am glad that she has her admission all set and ready to go for fall 2013.</p>