<p>How do the top colleges view GAP years? Would taking a year off to reapply to top schools be a joke, even if you are a qualified applicant? I have made plenty of posts, and everyone has told me to stay away from taking a year off. I have got into great places, but because my counselor picked the colleges I applied to, I really don't feel like antending any of them. I am a high school senior in Wyoming with a 4.0 GPA, 2350 SAT I (superscore), and decent EC's. I know that I was a strong applicant last year, but if I take a year off, I fear that I will be laughed at by the admissions people.</p>
<p>I don't understand why you did not apply to the colleges YOU wanted..your counselor is not going to college, you are.</p>
<p>Any advice?</p>
<p>Explain exactly why you want to take a gap year -- is it so that you can apply to different colleges? What colleges did you get into? Did you get denied admission anywhere?</p>
<p>Most schools like to see kids that take a Gap year to improve something in themselves -- volunteer, become fluent in a language, get some work experience, etc. They aren't particularly impressed by kids who take a gap year because they weren't happy with their college acceptances the first time.</p>
<p>Just so you know -- you might read about kids who take a gap year and do all sorts of neat stuff. Most of these kids have already been accepted into a college and have deferred their matriculation with the approval of the school. Not as many as you think take a gap year without a college admission.</p>
<p>Gap years can also be very expensive.</p>
<p>ok -- your past posts indicate that you were admitted into Dartmouth, Brown, Wharton and University of Chicago. so it isn't like your only choice is backwater community college.</p>
<p>I think you need to go to a school you were accepted into -- I see that you are not thinking that you should take a gap year and apply to Yale, Princeton and Stanford. I think it would be a big mistake.</p>
<p>Taking a gap year was probably the 2nd best thing that ever happened to me. It was also a decisive factor in my getting into a top school / my first-choice. (I know this because my admissions officer specifically told me so)</p>
<p>It causes you to grow up immensely, and have more interesting life experiences to discuss. Much more perspective on the real world, and (having seen the real world) much more motivation to go back to school and do well there. After what was essentially 2 years in the workforce, I entered college like my ass was on fire - I was way more motivated than most other freshmen I knew, and my freshman and sophomore grades reflected that.</p>
<p>The girl I dated freshman and sophomore years had also taken a gap year. During those 12 months, she was (1) A teacher at a school for the blind, in Virginia, (2) a park ranger in hawaii, (3) A waitress at a restaurant in the south of france, and (4) a housekeeper for a wealthy british family, also in france. And you can bet your ass it made her a more interesting person.</p>
<p>So in short, gap years are a great choice for the majority of high school students, who could probably use a little growing up and diversity of experience. There are some who know exactly what they want and where to get it and don't want anything getting in the way - but that's the exception, not the rule.</p>
<p>When I look around me, I see kids who got into Penn, JHU, and other good schools with amazingly low SAT and ACT scores (one girl reported a 1700 SAT I). The Penn acceptance particularly bothers me. I attribute these acceptances to the location these students were applying from (Wyoming). I might have been accepted to my dream schools, but because my counselor gave me poor advice and recommendations, I am out of luck.</p>
<p>Where did you get accepted? Just answer that question.</p>
<p>he has previously posted that he was accepted into Dartmouth, Brown, Wharton and University of Chicago.</p>
<p>What is your "dream school"?</p>
<p>I still think that a gap year is not warranted in your case -- you were accepted into excellent schools. I am a big fan of gap plans for the right reason -- but I don't think trying one more time so you can see if you get into Yale, Harvard, Princeton and Stanford is the correct reason.</p>
<p>a school that has tremendous name recognition and students who are gifted and have done great things</p>
<p>If you got into those schools, then you should visit them and decide between those schools. I don't understand why you would even consider your dream school if you got into those schools. They all have different environments, so chances are, you will find a suitable environment during visits. And, they all have academic integrity, so that isn't an issue. </p>
<p>If you're dream school is Harvard, Yale, Princeton, or Stanford, then there is still an overwhelming chance that you won't get in after the gap year. So, you might be risking all of those amazing schools for one of these, which isn't a wise decision at all.</p>
<p>EDIT: Since when do Dartmouth, Brown, UPenn-Wharton, and UChicago not have name recognition and gifted, ambitious students. Dartmouth is amazingly reputable in political circles and international affairs and sciences. Brown is notable for its open curriculum and its ridiculously selective PLME program. Wharton, well, I shouldn't even have to explain that. UChicago is also well-known; it's a well-rounded school like Dartmouth. And due to their selectively all of these schools have amazing, ambitious students.</p>
<p>Prince William took a gap year to south america.</p>
<p>Prince William also had a choice to go to any school in the world he wanted to</p>
<p>Well then spend some time volunteering to get some new experiences.</p>
<p>People, this is an old thread, the OP is long gone on his gap year or whatever by now.</p>
<p>Sorry, no more grave yard digging</p>