What are the pros/cons? If I were to apply after my senior year, my GPA would be boosted significantly. But, how would applying in the fall of my gap year hurt my admissions chance?
Significantly? One semester out of eight? Most people apply with seven semesters’ grades. I’d advise you to apply when everyone else is and not during your gap year. Rec letters, paperwork, etc are easier to obtain & manage. Since you’ll be around mates who are going thru the same thing, it’ll be easier to stay on top of things. That’s my opinion. Good luck
My first semester ends after I’d be applying to schools, so I’d have two semesters more. I do realize those would be easier to obtain though. Do colleges view your application much differently as a current high school student vs a graduate?
Some colleges have students apply and then send in the 7th semester transcript when it is available.
Taking a year off to increase options and chances at better schools doesn’t sound like a good idea. True you could get more money, but that is a whole year of your career lost. Imagine when you have a job knowing you could have started a year earlier and earned a whole year’s worth of wage!
I’m already planning to take a gap year. I’m not taking one just to increase chance at admissions.
If you are applying RD and it is not a rolling admission schoo, they usually look at your first semester senior year grades before deciding. Waiting means you have to track down recommendations, transcripts, etc when you are no longer a student at the high school. You won’t do yourself any significant good by waiting.
This question is a tough one, despite the answers above, but in the end, the only real factor is what you’ll be doing during the gap year. It’s quite conceivable that an action-packed and character-building gap year could make you a better applicant, after all. If your gap year is just a “year off,” though, it’s probably not a good idea to wait.
Agree you should apply, be accepted and defer. There is a well-known thread about a kid who only applied to tippy top schools, got in nowhere and chose to do a gap year rather than go to a college on the NACAC list. During that gap year, he did a lot of very productive and relevant stuff, and got into a great college. However, I would think that student is an exception and not a rule, and he didn’t have to hunt down recs and such because he reused the material he already had.
Agreed with earlier posters. And I have to caution you about “magical thinking”. You seem to believe your GPA will be much higher for your senior year compared to your first three years in HS. How likely is that? What will you do to make it so?
Logistically it is easier to go through the application process when you are at the HS. Then you will have access to your HS guidance dept., teachers writing the recommendations, any English teacher you may ask to read your essay over etc. Once you are removed from the school, this all becomes harder to coordinate. Agree wit the others – not sure why you expect your senior year GPA to be far superior from your prior three years GPA.
Some of this depends on the schools on your list: For a friend’s child, the private schools on their list were happy to consider a kid who wanted a gap year. Their flagship state U wants kids to apply the year before they come. So, during the gap year if taking one. Ask your colleges.
My junior GPA is high and I know I’ll do well next year, but my grades from freshman and sophomore year are still puling me down a lot.
I’m spending my gap year working on my music and saving money because I’m pursuing a music major.
Are you applying to a music school or just doing a music major at a traditional college/university?
My gut would say deferring is better because otherwise you’re opening up the gap year and its accomplishments are part of the app, and especially if you’re not applying to a “music school” I’m not sure this gap year helps you at all.