<p>I’m getting the chills reading this thread. You are embarking on something many have been too wary or scared to do. Everything in life takes discipline, and a gap year isn’t an exception, if you choose to follow that path. I wish you only the best of luck. I myself am a freshman at college, and I have met people with 3.0’s from high school who are 4.0ers here, but life is so much more than a grade. Which is why I think a gap year could be good…for you! And I agree with other posters: you seem very intelligent. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, be afraid to ignore them. It sounds like you push things off until they’re ridiculously impossible to fix (e.g./i.e. procrastination).</p>
<p>All in all, I think you’ll end up fine…and who knows? Maybe you’ll learn more in a year than some undergrad droids will learn in four. Take care :)</p>
<p>Alright, I’ll make sure that my guidance department has all that stuff if I decide to do this. The more that I think about this option, the more that it appeals to me more than just diving into college. I’ll see how it plays out, I definitely don’t want to rush into a gap year unprepared, but I have a good feeling about this.</p>
<p>And static75, yeah, this is scary. It’s scary for me because I have no idea what living outside of my parent’s house will be like. I have no idea what it means to have to work to buy the food that I will eat and the clothes that I will wear. But I guess that those things are part of what attracts me to this, out there I have so much to learn as well. Learning those things will take discipline, hopefully I’ll develop that discipline in time, and be able to apply to colleges next fall and winter.</p>
<p>I do have an additional question, however. Would it be a good move to study for a while and then retake the SATs? And maybe take some Subject Tests as well? I mean, it can only help my application down the line, right?</p>
<p>Since you were a TASP finalist, I doubt that you need to retake your SATs, but do compare the scores with those of admitted students at colleges that you’re considering.</p>
<p>I believe, however, that what you do on your gap year will influence which colleges accept you more than your SAT scores will.</p>
<p>Taking subject tests at the end of this school year in subjects you’re taking now could be a good idea. Most of the very top colleges require subject tests and will look at your best 2-3 subject tests no matter how many you’ve taken.</p>
<p>Did you know that Harvard invites all of its accepted students to take a gap year? That’s because Harvard has found that students who’ve had a pre college gap year are more focused and do better in their academics than do students who haven’t. </p>
<p>If you enjoy community service, check out Americorps. It was a wonderful experience for my son. It provides excellent training and experience, and it lets you run with your ideas. [url=<a href=“http://www.americorps.gov/]AmeriCorps[/url”>http://www.americorps.gov/]AmeriCorps[/url</a>]</p>
<p>I absolutely agree with this. My one added suggestion would be to consider taking one college class in the Spring. That way you can experience success before going full-time but it will require doing some prep-work in the coming fall.</p>
<p>You are already on the right path but I’ll add to it. Read some books on how to manage time well and how to do well in college. Read websites and blogs. Most tips or ideas will not apply to you but the few that do stick will help a lot. </p>
<p>I’ll share with you something that worked very well for me; I gave up on the idea that I should be able to do it all on my own and decided to build a support network. I did study groups, made friends with the people at the writing and math centers and so on. </p>
<p>There is not one academic award given for slogging through college on your own and there is not one academic penalty involved in using every available resource. The more connected you are to others in the same boat, the easier it is to stay on track. </p>
<p>I wish you the very best of luck and very much admire your self-awareness at such a young age.</p>
<p>My Dad has always told me that “no man is an island”. Thanks for the advice everybody, I really feel like a gap year will help me out. I’m also looking at the option of doing Americorps during that time and I’m liking it.</p>
<p>I certainly won’t make the final decision on this now, because I want to make sure that I’m not rushing into something, but in the coming weeks I’ll decide.</p>
<p>“Would it be a good move to study for a while and then retake the SATs? And maybe take some Subject Tests as well? I mean, it can only help my application down the line, right?”
Absolutely! For starters, take the SAT’s and any subject tests you can in may and June of this year, while what you have learned this semester is still fresh in your head. That also means that you should NOT let the foot off the gas, and allow an early case of “June swoon” to take over, as hard as that may be, especially if your classmates are taking it easy their last semester.</p>
<p>“I absolutely agree with this. My one added suggestion would be to consider taking one college class in the Spring. That way you can experience success before going full-time but it will require doing some prep-work in the coming fall.”</p>
<p>My only concern with that is whether he would then be considered a transfer student instead of an incoming freshman, which has some major disadvantages at some schools.</p>
<p>A non-credit course or auditing a course may be a loophole in that, though, if that is something that interests the OP. I am not sure how those courses are evaluated, if at all. I have no experience in that area.</p>
<p>So, I’ve been looking through some of the Americorps materials, and I was wondering if anyone had any insight into the difficulty of getting into a program?</p>
<p>I don’t want to be left without a backup option if Americorps rejects me, so should I be looking for one? Should I still finish the rest of my college applications in case Americorps decides to reject me? Or is Americorps easy to get into?</p>
<p>“I was wondering if anyone had any insight into the difficulty of getting into a program?”</p>
<p>I suggest you start a new thread on the parents forum using this question as it’s title. you’ll get faster responses than hoping someone will see your question on this thread. I know the Northstarmom knows a lot about Americorps.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that the right time to go to college is when you feel 100% ready to do well there–you clearly have the potential. If you find yourself engaged in a program, job or travel that is productive, you are enjoying and learning from, there would be nothing wrong with 2 or more years off IMO.</p>
<p>I see so many directionless, inexperienced kids graduating from college with no perspective on the world and no worldliness. Can’t tell you how many I’ve interviewed coming out of top colleges with great GPAs.</p>
<p>Given the global economy we live in and the fact that understanding different cultures will be a huge advantage for future jobs, I think many will start to question whether everyone should rush to college at 18.</p>
<p>I would take the SATs, get your recs in order although they may well end up being replaced by those you get your education from in the next year or so, and look at opportunities that really excite you.</p>