<p>Our youngest child has a late summer birthday and is already displaying many symptoms of a boy who needs time to grow up before college. He is currently a sophomore, earning a 3.0 GPA and gifted. He struggles with organization, reading comprehension, and writing skills (we've suspected a mild LD for years). He is extremely articulate (orally) and has a fabulous sense of humor. He's very good at math. Currently he is working with a marvelous tutor once a week. She helps him focus on his goals and stay organized. She also works on English skills. His major interest is having fun and he'd be the first to admit it.</p>
<p>Looking down the road a bit, we realize that this child is a long way from being a motivated, self-sufficient college student. Has anyone researched the value of taking a year off between HS and college to grow up a bit? My thought is to apply to colleges (probably a state university) and defer admission. Is there a great risk that the child will never enroll in college after taking a break? Do kids like this mature significantly during that year? Finally, what are some activity suggestions for the year (work, CC courses, travel)? We have extended family members in Europe. Would a long visit help? We need a plan. Thanks.</p>
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Is there a great risk that the child will never enroll in college after taking a break?
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<p>I think parents have great ability to modify the "great risk" as this kid doesn't sound like he will be self supporting in a year. How strong is your resolve to send him to college? How strong is your resolve to not let him live at home or refuse to supplement housing that is not a college dorm? Answer these and your risk evaluation is clear.</p>
<p>I'm currently a senior in high school, and I'm also considering taking a year off before college to go out and experience life a little more before throwing myself back into the academic world. Whether or not this is a good idea really depends on what you plan on using that year to accomplish. There are kids who just sit around at home and play video games all day, and then there are those who go out and actually do something meaningful with their time off. For me, I plan on taking a cross country road trip from New York to California to explore new places, meet cool people, and try things I never would've dreamed of doing a year ago.</p>
<p>In any case, I think it's a little too early to think about this if your son is only a sophomore. People can change a lot in two years, and it would be wise to get him involved in life enriching experiences now rather than wait until after graduation.</p>
<p>Our grandS, while different in many significant respects from your S, took a "gap" year. He took it because the whole college application process just passed him by. Apparently, the various prime movers in the process were asleep at the wheel and some other extended family influences were steering him away from college as the next option. I bring all this up because we feared he would <em>never</em> go to college in this scenario, just as you wonder about the risk your S will never enroll.</p>
<p>His "gap year" consisted of working as a grocery store clerk. He was in touch with his friends at the state U, and he readily saw what his future held on the non-college path vs. what their futures held. He also saw the difference between their daily curricular and extra-curricular lives as residential college students vs. his life.</p>
<p>He jumped at the chance, with our logistical, financial and emotional support, to apply to college for the next year. He is now a successful 3.4GPA (proud step-grandma here and you should <em>see</em> DH!) student at a pretty-darn-good in-state U in a demanding Engineering program.</p>
<p>I have heard it said by a former college teacher here on cc that the most successful college students are of two types: (1) those who have always been high achievers academically and (2) those who have taken a year or so off.</p>
<p>I know all situations are different, but I tell this story to show that the time off can work out, even when it's not at all planned. Good luck and I'm sure you'll get many wonderful ideas here for productive ways to spend a gap year.</p>
<p>I think it is only in the US that taking a gap year is considered rare. I'm at Oxford and the vast, vast majority of students here took a year out. It is considered a very beneficial thing by university admissions and employers. So much so that I took a year out between my BA and MA so that I wouldn't be disadvantaged (I went to Australia). I don't know anyone who didn't find a gap year beneficial.</p>
<p>wow -- he sounds exactly like my son (and I do mean exactly -- even the good in math, suspect slight LD and wants to have fun). My son is just now in 6th grade and has a late summer birthday (he is on the older side -- indiana had a june 1 cut-off that year).</p>
<p>I am most definitely going to suggest a gap year or a post-graduate year at a good boarding school. I have seen numerous posters who had good success with the post grad year and I think we are leaning that way right now.</p>
<p>you never know how things will turn out -- we certainly have many years ahead of us -- however, I like to look ahead and consider my options.</p>