<p>^Oh wow do I understand this! My D is 17 and won’t be 18 until October. She has been told that exact thing (I want to be like her when I grow up) by other adults as well. 
Age and maturity are not the same thing. ;)</p>
<p>This really helps me take a calming breath, as I will likely not be able to attend the MT program of my choice this coming fall due to finances. Taking a gap year, training, working, and reauditioning is definitely on my radar.</p>
<p>If you want to go into the performing arts, taking a gap year is not a big deal at all. Actually, if I were you, I would take the gap year and spend it auditioning and training. Like other people said, keep organized and occupied.</p>
<p>Also, I’m not sure what your end goal is (do you want to be an actress? Broadway? Opera? Hollywood? etc.) But keep in mind that landing auditions in this field is largely based on talent (and ability), and not as much (if at all) on where or if you studied in college. So spend a gap year auditioning! You might land something and start making money before the year is over.</p>
<p>@MTthewayforme </p>
<p>I also wanted to add, think about spending the gap year in NY, LA, Chicago, or even abroad in London, where you can explore performing opportunities, get access to training workshops and managers/agents, and where you will have the ability to audition.</p>
<p>Gosh that sounds really great but that is an incredibly expensive proposition for someone that is already indicating difficulty just with the application fees. A recent high school graduate cannot easily decide to move to London, NY, LA, Chicago without air cover just as Rachel and Kurt in Glee could never afford the apartment they have in NYC, the flights home to Ohio, never mind Rachel wiggling out of her housing contract at NYADA which isn’t real either. </p>
<p>Gap years that involve training with minimal living expenses (as in … can you live at home or with relatives or friends? Or if not, maybe be a nanny in one of those theatre cities where you could take classes at night or similar?) is certainly something worth thinking about. The rest I know some bold souls attempt but wow, it’s not easy without support from someone when you’re 18 and just starting out.</p>
<p>That’s the kind of gap year(s) my son envisions–living in New York, training, working. I can’t imagine how we’d afford it unless we spent his college money. We’d all regret that when he finally decided to go.</p>
<p>serendipity9 - Do you have any idea how hard it is to even be seen for an audition without an agent? And even if you could get an agent to see you, you’d have to be drop dead, blow me away talented for an agent to want to work with you, especially if you were going to leave for college in a year. That is a very unrealistic and naive goal, about as likely as being discovered at the Woolworth’s counter!</p>
<p>We have a couple friends who have been successful with a gap year. One took a gap year because she didn’t get accepted anywhere, and the other took a gap for financial reasons. Both lived at home, worked, and continued to take voice and dance lessons. They auditioned locally and did some community theater. And one of them hired a “national” MT coach. Both auditioned again and were accepted to 2 or 3 programs and are happy where they are. </p>
<p>Many kids who take gap years do not have finances to travel or work with expensive coaches, but that doesn’t mean that a gap year can’t be beneficial.</p>