<p>So, I'm deciding whether I should go on a gap year or not. The idea is I'd get out of the academic environment, have more focus on what to do with my life, experience new things. Additionally, I realized that I should have applied to different schools where I could get bigger scholarships and is stronge rin my area of interest, and the gap year would allow me to do that.</p>
<p>On the not so fantastic side, I could just be wasting a year.</p>
<p>Thoughts?</p>
<p>Most students who go for a gap year end up not coming back to an education at a college or university. Gap years are pointless, because “deciding what you want to do with your life” and “experiencing new things” will most definitely happen in college too.</p>
<p>Not true, at least if you’ve already been admitted.</p>
<p>NuclearPakistan1, that is an ignorant thing to say. I have known countless students to take gap years and all have returned to school and most of the time, to better schools and with a changed attitude. And there are clearly certain experiences you gain by taking a year off that a college student will never have so I don’t think you can fairly compare the two. </p>
<p>aranyria, I’m taking a gap year for many of the same reasons you are and I applaud your ambition if you choose to go through with it. PM me if you want to talk more in depth about your plans. I would be glad to offer any input I can.</p>
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If you have any facts on this let us know. Clearly they won’t be forthcoming. </p>
<p>Aranyia,</p>
<p>What happened to ‘you guys are right, University of Illinois for me’ reply … you know in one of the other two threads on this same subject. </p>
<p>Candidly, why don’t you just tell us what you want to hear so we can give you your answer?</p>
<p>Wow, ctyankee, you’re right–I must be playing you. There’s no way I could just be reconsidering…</p>
<p>You can ask if U of Illinois if they can defer your acceptance? What our your plans for a year?</p>