<p>Of course I want to go to college. I am taking a Gap Year with EF Language schools to earn my college foreign language credits in Chinese and Spanish. I am going to China to live with a family in Beijing for 3 months and Costa Rica to live in an apartment with other students for 5 months. When I come back i want to go to college in Michigan but start in the summer. My question is if I am making the right decision? I am pretty straight forward with this idea and I would love to do it. I am leaveing June 24, 2013 a week and a half after my high school graduation. I also get volunteer opportunities in both countries. Thanks.</p>
<p>As long as you’re doing something productive (and it sounds like you are), I think a gap year is a wonderful decision. </p>
<p>My advice would be to apply when you graduate and ask them if they’re willing to defer you for a year (you can also contact them now before you apply and see if they give you a straight answer). If that works out, you can go abroad with the security that there’s a spot in college waiting for you when you get back. If not, you can always apply/reapply when you get back. </p>
<p>Colleges don’t mind (and sometimes even encourage!) students to take a year off, especially when you’re doing something useful with it. What they DON’T want to see is someone taking a year off with nothing to show for it. Put yourself in their shoes; would you want to accept someone who said, “oh yeah, I spent a year lying on my couch and going to the mall”, or someone who said, “I spent a year studying abroad in two different countries!”. 
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<p>Go for it, and have fun!</p>
<p>Students in many other countries take gap years before college, and it sounds like you will be doing something both admirable and productive. I agree with callian that it would be best to apply your senior year and then defer, so you won’t be worried about college applications while abroad.</p>
<p>Thanks guys for the helpful advice, i greatly appreciate it.</p>