<p>Think about it this way. Taking a gap year means graduating one year later. There is actually a cost associated with it. Imagine how much money one may make for the first year after graduation versus what he could earn during the gap year. It would be a much better idea to start the college now and consider transferring to other school/program next year if he found the 3+2 program is not what he wants.
Most important, you need to make sure the scholarships can be deferred if he decided to take a gap year. </p>