<p>How exactly does a gap year work? I hear people talk about how they "spent the year" abroad, but it doesn't make sense to me. Most US high schools get out around May-June and the application cycle starts around Aug-Oct. This would leave the applicant only 4-5 months at most to do anything. How do people get so much done within that short period of time? </p>
<p>Does reapplying after a "gap year" mean reapplyin as a 2016 and not 2015?? (if the applicant was originally a class of 2014)</p>
<p>Gap year can mean two different things. One, just waiting another year before going to college and thus not applying until the fall after you complete high school (so, yes, you would be going through the application process during that gap year). Two, it can mean applying for college while a senior, getting accepted and then getting agreement with college for you not to start college until a year later (meaning you would not have to go through the application process again during the fall after your senior year). There are colleges which allow that.</p>
<p>The application cycle starts around August, yes. Is there some reason why you can’t write college essays while staying abroad?</p>
<p>I can but I don’t know how I’m going to get all the recommendations and transcripts together.</p>
<p>That’s certainly a significant challenge. But then again, it’s a challenge anyway to do that after high school, even if you aren’t overseas.</p>
<p>It’s obviously not going to be as big of a challenge if I stay at home…I can just drive to school and get them from the counselor’s office…whereas if I’m abroad, I can only communicate with the school through e-mail and maybe the phone…but that, I presume, will be much more cumbersome.</p>