Is it possible to take a gap year without being accepted to college? Like, I want to take a gap year to get another shot at a school I got denied from, so wouldn’t it make sense if I take a gap year without being accepted to any school?
Great forum with great resources. Glad to see BOTH of my questions have remained unanswered.
Um, you posted it during a work and school day, so maybe most people are busy? Of course you can take a gap year without being accepted to college. My son did. You can apply when you’re ready, and hopefully have some additional activities to include on your application.
Taking a gap year after being accepted to a college that you plan to attend is deferring the acceptance.
Taking a gap year for any other reason such as doing study abroad, retaking SAT/ACT and reapplying to better schools etc… is also perfectly acceptable.
I wouldn’t count on getting accepted the 2nd time around if you were denied this year. Were you accepted to any affordable schools?
If you want a shot at a school that you were denied from, then you probably need to do something to improve your record to gain admission the second time around. If they see you coming back with the same record, one year later, “nothing” to show for it, then it’s hard for them to make the case to accept you. If on the other hand you go away, improve your grades or do something amazing like start a foundation that solves World Peace/ MacArther Genius Grant (exaggeration but hopefully you get what I mean), they they might say: wow this guy is really something! We should take him." In other words: for Round 2 for your application you should not look like a flake, but should look like someone with purpose building his career/passion/resume.
Probably your best bet for getting into your desired school is to go to a “lesser” college, getting As, and apply as a transfer. Reason is that transfer apps don’t count toward the All Mighty USN&WR stats. If your stats weren’t good enough for them the first time, then they won’t be good enough the second time with a gap year (unless: World Peace/ MacArthur Genius Grant). And they have already shown they aren’t willing to take the hit for you. Transfer: they can fill a slot emptied by a non-returning sophomore; they can round out their school (a LAC that needs boys for example, if you’re a boy) and dip in the stats; and they know that you can handle college at their level. They will get the reward of you without the downside, which is that hit to their USN&WR stats. If you don’t go to Lesser College, then you’re essentially risk appearing as a flake with same unproven academic record competing with a fresh new class out of high school.
What will a year of playing around and doing nothing do to earn you admission to your dream school?
Answer: Nothing.
Yours truly,
“Great forum with great resources.”
Since you’re young, I’ll post another:
Unless you have a worthwhile plan for the gap year, either a reasonably good job or a unique travel/charitable experience, attend the cheapest school you got into instead. Work your butt off, get impressive grades, shine in a few extracurriculars. Earn your spot at your dream school.
Otherwise, you’re re-applying a year later with the exact same credentials that got you denied from your dream school now.
There’s nothing wrong with a gap year for a meaningful work or charitable experience, but it would have to be something compelling to give you a chance at a dream school admission that you were denied for.
I think OP is readying her/himself for attending a backup school, or busy starting his/her foundation already.
“Attend the cheapest school you got into instead”
It’s important to bear in mind that this advice comes at a cost. Typically the best financial aid is extended to freshmen, so attending a school instead of taking a gap year can be a financial net loss for the student.
On the other hand, there are some great transfer scholarships out there, so if one can earn a sufficiently high GPA to qualify for transfer merit aid, it can be a net win. But that’s a very big if.
And if OP’s dream school does not offer significant aid to transfer students, the gap year may be the better plan.
But “a worthwhile plan for the gap year” is an absolute must for that plan to have any benefit.