Speaking in general terms, can a kid be accepted to a college, send in the deposits, but then wait a year before actually starting? My D – already accepted to several places – is now wondering whether she could take a year off, work in a ski town, and then go to school…i’m not necessarily against this…she has worked so hard academically…and when will she have another chance like this…I"m just curious if there’s an accepted approach around this…
My son did that with no problem. We had to put down a small deposit. He ended up NOT going to school, so we lost the deposit.
I imagine the uni decides whether or not to agree, as it hasn't been a term of her application at this point. I would want to check whether it affects any merit or FA offers though. In other countries you apply for a deferred application and it would be fairly common, the USA is different though. I don't know if unis have an opinion a fluff year, rather than say, service or pre professional development or even financial security. I would be interested to hear the answer myself.
If you use the collegedata website and search for the college(s), under the admission tab there is a line ‘Defer Admission’ which indicates whether the college allows students to defer admission or not.
I’ve never heard of a school rejecting a request to defer for a year, and I’ve known many students who have done what you’re proposing. That said, “work in a ski town” doesn’t sound like a great use of a year, but who asked me.
If you google the common data set for the school there is a box that the college checks if they allow a year deferral. Every school I’ve looked up for my son has been checked.
@Marvin100 Glad you brought this up! That’s really what my question circulates around…kids here at CC…they’re so academically motivated…so focused…and my D is too…she can compete with the best of them…but what if kid just wanted to take a year off…without the trappings of "academic enhancement’…just a chance to make money, experience life…and then back into the school year…i’m not saying this will happen but interesting to mull over…
Yes, check each school’s policy on whether an admitted student can defer enrollment.
I just saw this today:
A friend of my daughter’s is taking a gap year before starting at Harvard. He’s training as an EMT and just lying around reading the rest of the time and loving it. Many colleges–perhaps most–recognize that some students need a break before starting four years of school.