I am an intl student wanting to apply to USA. I am leaning towards taking a gap year.
I do not want to simply travel as i heard that it looks bad on your application. an admission officer might just take it as someone burning daddy’s money
id love to go for a long term internship, or as a volunteer or a an exchange student- preferable for 6 months or more.
Can someone please link me to organizations/ websites that offer such programs to intl students in USA, Europe etc?
i want to apply for communications major.
Anything!
No, seriously, there are many options, and a lot of them are viewed positively by colleges. I’m almost finished with my gap year, and it was by far the best decision I’ve ever made. I was accepted to many competitive schools this admissions cycle, and I think the admissions officers liked that I balanced my time.
I audited a number of courses at a university (if you choose to take classes, audit only – if you accept credit, schools will most likely view you as a transfer student), held an internship for over 6 months (and was hired for future summers), and I also had the opportunity to travel abroad for a number of months.
You don’t have to participate in a fancy program or work for a large organization that requires you to pay a fee to volunteer (this type of gap year plan does not go over as well with colleges). Instead, find something local, something that benefits your community. I found my internship through a contact at my high school. I also traveled independently. I bought a plane ticket, found an apartment to rent, and studied at a language school in a foreign country. Language schools are often geared towards professionals and immigrants who need to learn the language so that they can seek employment, but are open to students.
Best of luck!