@Ellebelle332 here’s the thing…everybody has trouble getting into the university of chicago…in 2013, they rejected 92.1% of their applicants. And those 90% folks were really smart! So when you’re going after colleges like that, you need tons of safeties. Anybody would. That said, the gap year is interesting and you should pursue… i believe there are some great posts here at CC on that very topic…