<p>What things can I do during my gap year? What do colleges look for?</p>
<p>Do something intresting</p>
<p>Common thing to do is to work a menial job for 6 months to save up money, then go on vacation for 6 months.</p>
<p>Colleges look for something. Honestly, as long as you’re doing something for a lot of your time, it doesn’t really matter.</p>
<p>I’m entering my gap year, and I’m a full-time, paid archivist and English teaching fellow at the high school I graduated from. I’m also doing some volunteering and taking some online, non-credit classes.</p>
<p>In a gap year abroad you could learn a foreign langauge and become highly conversational in a language like French, Italian or Spanish. In Europe now there are six levels of language (beginner to advanced…) and in a lot of language schools and universities where you do a level per month - nothing like at home. You’ll meet people from all over the world, learn a new culture, eat some great food, and really expand your horizons. If you do that independently, you can get some really good deals.</p>
<p>Then come back and take a CLEP exam and get credits for it, or at least take a placement exam and get out of your foreign language requirement (because you already fulfilled it!)</p>
<p>Imagine you came back speaking Italian better than most university students after 4 years of classes at home) and you had done some Italian culture classes and learned about Italian history, art, culture, film.</p>
<p>From the college’s point of view - you learned a language, learned about a new culture, expanded your horizons, showed independence and initiative…</p>
<p>It’s just one option - but that was my favorite option!</p>
<p>Thanks!!!</p>
<p>I am also considering a gap year and, while I would love to travel, I plan on spending the majority of my time working to save up money for the forthcoming school year. If you have free time I think it would be worthwhile to do a month or two of overseas volunteer work, a backpacking trip, or an internship. If you can, check in with your high school guidance counselor and see what opportunities your school can set you up with. </p>
<p>Gap year people!!! Come to the non-traditional students page and join our thread.</p>
<p><a href=“Gap year thread! - Applying to College - College Confidential Forums”>Gap year thread! - Applying to College - College Confidential Forums;
<p>LaMuniv and I are lonely.</p>