<p>....but some say make it engaging....</p>
<p>I know we have covered this subject extensively here, but this is a nice summary article for those new to the topic. Plus, I have posed a discussion question below.</p>
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After working long and hard to win acceptance to Cornell University this fall, D.C. high school senior Isabela Guimaraes thought she could finally take a breath. Then she decided to enjoy an entire year of them. </p>
<p>The 18-year-old, who will graduate from Georgetown Day School, is taking a gap year to travel to her native Brazil and to work in hospitality management. </p>
<p>"This coming year will be a way of learning and guiding my professional interest outside a classroom setting," Guimaraes said. </p>
<p>Common in England, gap years have become more mainstream in the United States during the past decade as "students consider jumping off the hamster wheel of high school for a bit," said Jennifer Desjarlais, dean of admission at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, where in recent years the number of students taking a gap year has gone from about 10 to 20 out of a freshman class of less than 600. </p>
<p>More students are seeking a gap year because opportunities for travel, work and social engagement have proliferated, officials said. Some students need a gap year to save up money for college. </p>
<p>Several admissions directors said they support most students who seek gap years and think many return with new maturity and vigor. </p>
<p>Some schools, such as George Mason University, don't ask for a reason, according to admissions director Andrew Flagel. GMU grants about "a handful" of requests a year, he said. </p>
<p>But other schools insist on a plan to engage students' brains in some fashion. "Sitting around and watching television is not a plan," said Gregory Pyke, senior associate dean of admission at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. </p>
<p>Admissions directors said they urge students considering a gap year to go ahead and apply. Whether they're looking to enter college this year or the next, the competition for admission will still be stiff.
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<p>So, corollary question: is declaration of taking a Gap Year (with appropriate "engaging" details) during the admissions process an admissions advantage or disadvantage?</p>