<p>Do you know anyone who has taken a gap year before college, who has been successful? Or anybody who has withdrawn from college after their first semester to study what they want? In the second case, the student would go back to school the first semester of his sophomore year.</p>
<p>I graduated at sixteen and I'm taking this year off.</p>
<p>I think it depends on the person.</p>
<p>I'm on my third and last gap year :P but I'm from Sweden thou, and the mentality here is that almost everyone take at least one year off. I'm going to start study in USA fall 2007. I rekommend you to take a gap year after high school. I think this is the time when you should explore the world, you probably won't have time to that later in your life. For example I spent four months in the Alps skiing. Another good thing with taking a gap year is that you may be tired of school and all the studying. When you come back after a year you will be more motivated again. I don't think you should take three years off as I did, because thats a bit to long :P, but I definitly think that one year is a good idea.</p>
<p>qwilde, that's a good idea for you to do, because I also graduated at 16 and went straight into college barely 17 and it was a really hard transition, especially socially.</p>
<p>Yes, AUlostchick I'm glad that I didn't attend college directly after graduation because I believe I would have had a difficult time adjusting. I'm in a bind though. <rant>I decided to attend community college just for some audit classes because I didn't want to go for the whole year without picking up a book and now a great majority of colleges will only consider me, as a transfer. So, I recommend that if you take a year off and you intend to go to an institution other than community college do not, I repeat, do not even think about stepping on the campus of another university. </rant></p>
<p>P.S. Why was it so difficult adjusting socially?</p>
<p>How are you defining successful? by achievement and merit.... or through personal growth?</p>
<p>i think its more logical to take a gap year AFTER college. i also know that this is what most people who take gap years do. If you have to work to earn money for college then by all means take the gap year, but if you want to travel and explore, id suggest you do it after college. Also, of course you can be successful, its just a matter of practicality and knowing when you need such a long break.</p>