<p>Help! I'm graduating one year early and taking the following year to travel around the world. </p>
<p>Should I apply before I graduate school (as a senior) and then, once accepted, ask to defer?</p>
<p>Or would it be better for me to apply sometime during my round-the-world trip and then not have to defer when accepted?</p>
<p>If you are absolutely committed to taking this Gap Year, wait and apply next fall. Many students who take time off between HS and college find that the list of schools that they want to apply to changes quite a bit.</p>
<p>If there is a chance that you might change your mind about the Gap Year, go ahead and apply now so that you have a school to go to next fall should you decide traveling isn’t for you.</p>