What are the most prestigious gap year programs that can be used on a college application for a student who has taken a gap year.
I know there are lots of prestigious summer programs such as Research Science Institute, Governor’s College, MIT Launch, etc… so I am wondering if there are programs in that same vein of prestige (even if they are not specifically billed as gap year programs) that can be done by a high school graduate on a gap year.
Just a thought, how about if you find something that revolves around finding the courage of your own convictions?
That would be much more impressive than chasing elusive and imaginary prestige.
Gap years are terrific for figuring out who you are and what you want from life. Here are some possible places to seek out your soul-
Student Conservation Association – many internships of varying lengths – https://www.thesca.org/
workaway.info
coolworks
Peacecorps
volunteer.gov
hike the appalachian trail http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/explore-the-trail/thru-hiking
A gap year should be to do something that is meaningful to you, not a search for prestige.
Thank you for the replies.
While I understand the points being made, I never said I did not intend to also do something that is personally meaningful to me. That is absolutely an area that I would like to focus on over the gap year.
However, my intent with this post is to understand what sort of prestigious programs exist and then I can evaluate those programs and other options from a holistic perspective. Prestige is only one component of what I am seeking to do, but it is exclusively what I am looking for from this forum post.
bump
Well Americorps, particularly if you got assigned to FEMA Corps would have been terrific this year.
There aren’t really any that are “prestigious”. That’s really not what gap years are about. I suspect the fact that you want a prestigious program indicates that you don’t really understand why you weren’t a candidate for prestigious colleges at the end of your HS years. Colleges want people who are interested, interesting, and genuine. Students who are worrying about prestige are really NOT what they want.
Some of the most interesting applicants to some colleges are non-traditional students who did not attend college immediately after high school, but immediately went into the work force (or military service) for several (gap) years, eventually to return to college as non-traditional students (often starting at community college and building an excellent academic record there before transferring to a selective four year college).