<p>I'm a 17 year old senior in high school. By the time I go to University I'll already have about a year's worth of credits, therefore I could get my Bachelors in like 3 years. </p>
<p>I have absolutely NO IDEA what I want to do with my life, or what I'd even want to major in.</p>
<p>My average is about a 90-92 and I scored 1370/1600 or 2040/2400 on the SAT and have decent extracurriculars, and I know I won't have a hard time getting into any of the universities I'm considering.
But, since I don't know what I want to do and am in no rush, I was considering taking a gap year and working for AmeriCorps. I'd really appreciate it if someone could give me more info or tips about it. Also if it matters, I live in the central NY area. I'd be willing to do full time volunteer work, but I wouldn't mind having a little income or some kind of benefits. I'd be willing to travel around for it for a year.</p>
<p>I have no idea what to do so any good advice is appreciated.</p>
<p>I researched Americorps, but most of the reviews I found online were negative. If I were you, I’d apply to colleges now. Once accepted, if you’ve found something else you’d like to try, you can ask for a deferral.</p>
<p>Americorps and City Year are good choices of gap year activities. If you don’t need to be earning money, you could also consider a student exchange with a solid organization such as [AFS</a> Intercultural Programs | Connecting Lives, Sharing Cultures](<a href=“http://www.afs.org%5DAFS”>http://www.afs.org) or [Youth</a> for Understanding](<a href=“http://www.yfu.org%5DYouth”>http://www.yfu.org). If you post your questions about Americorps in the Parents Forum, you will get reports about the experiences of students who have done that.</p>
<p>If you don’t know what you want to study, it is a good idea to take a bit of time and figure that out. When you do head off to college you will be much more focused, and you will perform better in your classes.</p>
<p>Do post on the parent’s forum-I know there is at least one parent there who had a kid in Americorps and speaks well of it. my understanding was that most positions are for those already holding a college degree.</p>
<p>Don’t let that discourage you though. If you’re not ready for deciding what to study or where to do DON’T do it! If you want any proof-just go to the “College Life” forum and read the dozen or so posts by students horribly unhappy at college because they don’t feel ready, or think they’re in the wrong school or wrong major.</p>
<p>I speak from experience. My oldest went to a specific college she thought would please her dad and was miserable in part because she didn’t really know what she wanted to do with her life. She’s headed in another direction now, and happy, but we’d have all been saved heartache if she’d taken time off FIRST.</p>
<p>If I had a do-over, I would have taken a gap year and joined the peace corps. I have a great life but it is one of my biggest regrets that I didn’t do this. College leads to grad school or work, which leads to settling down and family. If you want to take a year off to volunteer and experience something besides school, I encourage you to do it.</p>
<p>I worked once with organizations that hired AmeriCorps students, and each one was gaining invaluable skills and realizing how much more poised and prepared they were for success in college.</p>