<p>I might not get into the colleges that I <em>really</em> want to go to this year and I was thinking about taking a year off and reapplying as a freshman a year later. My parents are willing to send me to study abroad for a year in China for like a "post' high school education and to learn to read/write Chinese. </p>
<p>Does anyone have any experience with this type of situation? Any advice?</p>
<p>If you're determined, I'd say go for it, especially since you'd be spending the year off doing academic-related things. In a way, it could even give you an edge in your applications to say you took a year off to learn Chinese. However, the flip side is that it may be hard getting back into the "swing of things." I've heard from people that it's really hard going to college after being away from school for a year. A lot don't even go back... But, I don't think you're those "type" of people, so I think you'd be fine. :)</p>
<p>Don't do it.......</p>
<h2>the people that do these sorts of things almost never go back....</h2>
<h2>-</h2>
<h2>-</h2>
<h2>-</h2>
<h2>-</h2>
<h2>-</h2>
<p>-</p>
<h2>It's not smart.............</h2>
<h2>-</h2>
<h2>-</h2>
<h2>-</h2>
<h2>-</h2>
<h2>-</h2>
<p>-
just go to the best college you can get into THIS year....</p>
<p>what if you don't get in as a freshman to that one place you want? Usually I think these sound like a good idea, but it sounds like you're doing it for the wrong reasons</p>
<p>Wrong reasons? By whose standards?</p>
<p>So has anyone actually done something of this sort, or known anyone who has?</p>
<p>We're giving you advice. If you choose not to heed it, that's your problem. I'm just saying, if you take a year off, you're more likely NOT to go back to school after that year or two (or three, which it has a huge chance of becoming) than to faithfully return and get your bachelors.</p>
<p>Rbase07, I think I know me better than anyone, and that advice certainly doesn't apply to me. All I really want to know is if others have had similar experiences and how it was, especially with reapplying after a year.</p>
<p>Whatever. do what you want. but I think others will agree with me that the words "Any advice?" implies that you do not care what the opinion of the reply is, you just want to hear something. It sounds to me like you only want to hear what you WANT to hear. I know several people who have done this "year abroad, backpacking across Europe" thing, and in EVERY instance, it was stupid, pointless, a waste of time and money, and distracting the former student from returning to college to get a degree.</p>
<p>Besides, why would you take a year or 2 off from school only to get your Bachelor's in 5-6 years instead of 3-4? That would be just to get your bachelor's!!! It's a poor idea, and as Celebrian said, it sounds like you're doing it for the wrong reasons. You say you want to "learn to read/write Chinese." Couldn't you do that in college? Major, minor, whatever you want... You say that your parents are "willing to send me to study abroad for a year in China." Hundreds of top-notch schools allow you to do just that, but with the added bonus of studying towards that GOLDEN DEGREE at the SAME TIME. Use your noodle a little bit more, please.</p>
<p>Durran, the thing is that there really is no guarantee you will be able to get into the college you want after taking that year off. And as everyone has said, going back to college after a year of break can be really hard. What if you don't make it to the college you want to get into after one year? You really should have backup plans (which I am pretty sure you have, but I am just stating the obvious in case you don't).</p>
<p>Are you gonna major in chinese? What is the reason you picked Chinese, of so many other countries? Unless you are really determined, studying aboard can be extremely difficult (I am an international student, so I know). There are loads of other factors that you need to worry about besides studying. How good is your chinese? Can you communicate without much problem?</p>
<p>Good luck to you anyway. I hope you make the decision that will benefit you the most in the long run.</p>
<p>My dad wants me to take a year off and do the same thing - except spend like, 6 months in Germany and another 6 months in India (he's from India, mum's from Germany). I've told him no because I plan on either major/minor in German and studying abroad there - as for India, I'm just not ready to go there yet. Not at this point of my life. </p>
<p>Like I said - I'm not going to do it because I can do it in college (and get credits for my degree), plus I don't want to risk taking the year "off" and having difficulty getting back into the swing of school, and difficulty in applying for college. </p>
<p>To get out some of my "I wanna get out of here!" attitude, I'm trying to convince my dad of letting my mom and I fly into Ireland, then go to Scotland, travel down through Britain, across the channel into France and then get a Europass and travel all around Europe on the trains. You can't quite do that, but maybe your parents would let you go over the summer to China? There must be some sort of crash course over the summer to dabble into Chinese before freshman year of college - then resume in college and study abroad. </p>
<p>Just my two cents, don't get jumpy or anything.</p>
<p>well, i think that u should i plan on doing the same thing sortof, i'm just going to defer my application for a year and join an internship with crosswalk ministries and go to japan for there mission trip</p>
<p>don't take a year off but maybe a semester</p>
<p>I know that you can apply to colleges your senior year and when you are accepted, you can ask them to hold you a spot so that you can take a year off to do something interesting or important to you. I can think of atleast 3 people who have done this and said it was and awesome experience</p>
<p>And if you can get a college to hold a position for you, you might have more incentive to return to school after your year off.</p>
<p>I always kid around saying that I am going to take off a year but I never would. Its too risky.</p>
<p>i agree with sozo. only take a year off if ur guaranteed admission somewhere and then defer it. but then if you got into a school, you wouldn't want the year off right? you're just afraid of rejection. apply to a flagship state school bro and you'll be fine.</p>
<p>GO ahead and do it. CC kids are real knuckle heads. IF you have been planning on going to college, you WILL go to college. I dont know *** he means "less likely". that's BS. If you have a plan, you're not going to just throw it away.</p>
<p>So do it as long as you have a plan.</p>
<p>have u ever thought of the fact that these colleges aren't just going to accept you after a year.. if you apply get rejected then apply again without doing a year at a different school.. they are going to think that you have no abilitity to adapt. i suggest applying.. accepting a school(whether its state, ivy, wtuever) then reevaluating your situation come may. if you still feel you need a year off(from what i understand you'd only be doing this one year off just to get into a good college. otherwise why would you not do it if u got in the first time?). So you're not really dedicated to doing something special during your one year off, you're just looking at it as a competitive edge(thats horrible in my opinion..spending a year doing something just to get into college).</p>
<p>If you don't get into your dream schools, its not the end of the world. Apply to safety schools, go there, do well and then you'll have opportunities to transfer. Plus, you might actually enjoy your safety school and if you do well there, you'll have many opportunities to succeed.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses, but I don't consider "Don't do it" advice because I've already considered it and know for a fact that I be back for college. And yeah, I realize there's a good chance I still won't be accepted to my first choice colleges even after a year, but it's worth a shot (I do have a few safety colleges lined up, but I dont think they are good fits for me)</p>
<p>As for looking for a competitive edge (by taking a year off), yeah, but so what? Who are you to judge whether that's "horrible" or for the "wrong reasons"? I know where I want to go be and I'll do what it takes to get there. My dad had to apply twice to college in China. Didn't make it the first time but got into Fudan university (Equivalent of the top Ivies here for China) the second year.</p>
<p>Even if I do get into my top choices, I may get a deferal like some have suggested. I really do think that taking a year off may have great benefits for me later on. There may be more economic opportunities in China than in the US in the next few decades.</p>