Given the family finances described in reply #11, any gap year needs to be at least free, or preferably earning money (i.e. paid work).
Is the student a high stat student who, as a frosh applicant, could get a large merit scholarship (like those listed at http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/ ) or be competitive for admission for the more selective good-financial-aid schools (of course, net price calculators need to be checked to see if they are affordable before applying)?
Or is the student not likely to get either large enough merit or good enough financial aid as a frosh applicant, such that his most affordable option is likely to commute to a community college and then transfer as a junior to a local state university within commuting distance?