Hey CC! 
Sorry if I’m posting in the wrong section but this seems like the right section, considering my circumstances. I;ll try to be brief explaining my current situation.
Basically, I’m considering taking a gap year.
I’m a senior in high school, and while I like to consider myself intelligent, I’m kind of an under achiever. When I applied to colleges, the only thing I really considered was location and whether it had a decent reputation or not. Well after having received most of my acceptance and rejection letters, and having done a LOT more research, I’m starting to have doubts about my college options and choices.
~~~Another problem is, there are only two colleges oos that I can afford to pay, and while they're nice/decent schools, they're not really my favorite choices, and I think I'd end up transferring out of them if I chose to attend.
~~~Third, I'm kind of tired with school at the moment. I'm 110% I'm going to go to college to get a degree because I want the ability to move up the ladder and earn a good wage. I'm not one of those people that if I chose to take a gap year I'd never go back to school. I just want a break.
~~~I haven't lived in or been in the states for 5 years. :I Not only would it be an adjustment living on my own, I'll be going through serious culture shock.
SOOOOOOOOOOOO, I'm considering on living with my grandma in NC for a year, working to save money, and apply to oos schools I like/have a good reputation/and I can afford.
BUT Idk if this is a dumb idea. Thanks for your responces!!
-Sincerely, InternetJunkie
“I’m kind of tired with school at the moment. I’m 110% I’m going to go to college to get a degree because I want the ability to move up the ladder and earn a good wage. I’m not one of those people that if I chose to take a gap year I’d never go back to school. I just want a break.”
Absolutely the best reason of all for a gap year. And, you are also correct about getting through the culture shock. Separating that from dealing with college is a good plan.
If your grandma will have you, and you can keep your behavior up to whatever standards she requires of you, I think you should go to NC for a year.
Hmm, I’m actually surprised the reasons you suggested are #1. I would think the price would be the biggest indicator.
I think a gap year can be a great idea. My son just took one and it has been a great experience and made him feel much more prepared to go to college (and it also gave him more time to research and apply).
Thanks for the responses.
The things I’m concerned with are: am I going to be bored taking a gap year? Will I feel like my life is on hold?
Well, my S is going to take a gap year, so I’m going to take a guess that what you mean by “bored,” since you’d be living with grandma, is that you’re worried that you won’t know anyone and will have no social life. That’s similar to S’s concern … he’s keen to do it for all kinds of reasons (including maturity time and engaging in projects he’s been wanting to do but hasn’t had time for), and we also live overseas (so can’t realistically visit US colleges anyway during senior year), but his social life revolves around high school so being untethered will be a challenge. Much more so in your circumstance, since I’m guessing you don’t have friends in grandma’s town! (For S, it’ll just be a case of not seeing friends every day, all day, and maybe feeling like all of a sudden he has time on his hands to go out while his friends one grade lower are still slogging through the intensity of senior year. Whereas you’d be truly untethered.)
A gap year is a great idea, but if you’re lonely, you’re in danger of being (ahem) an internet junkie. Honestly, the reverse culture shock would be easier at college; you might even meet other kids going through the same thing. Do you have a plan for connecting with people your own age so it’s not all about going to work and hanging with grandma and on the internet?
BTW, don’t military families still have residence in their last state of residence? And aren’t there a few state schools that give in-state tuition to all military folks, maybe including families? (I’m thinking the Colorado system but there could be others.) Check that out …
I have no plan what so ever on how I’ll maintain a social life. Being an internet junkie is the exact thing I’m worried about. : /
Also, I’ll be using two years of the G.I. bill. So I get in-state prices I think in most states for the duration of it’s use.
The problem is…my state of residency is KY, which I have no family in, and a state my parents do not wish me to return to. So they pushed that I go out of state.
bumping for more responses hopefully
If you are burned out, then it really doesn’t matter if there are or aren’t money issues. You should be taking the time off anyway.
As for the home-state issue: Take yourself to maps.google and check out the possible routes from some of the public universities in KY to your grandmother’s place in NC, and then read through those universities’ websites. They may not be quite as awful as your parents fear. It is important for you and your parents to know that the academic job market is very tight. There are terrific professors to be found everywhere because the colleges and universities can be extremely picky about who they hire.
If what your parents object to about KY is something that isn’t specific to the universities themselves, but that would make your experience at one of the universities more challenging than necessary, then yes, maybe you want to take that into consideration.