I’m planning on taking a gap year, and I’ll also be applying to some US schools.
What do colleges expect gap year students to do? I can’t work officially due to visa issues, but I’m planning on doing small things like volunteering, tutoring, maybe playing hockey again, Taekwondo, programming on my own, etc.
Does that sound like a good enough plan or should I alter/add things?
Why are you taking a gap year? What colleges do you have in mind?
@intparent I’m considering some liberal arts colleges (considering Williams, Swarthmore, Colgate), state universities (UCs, UIUC, U Mich, UNC, W&M) and private universities (haven’t exactly decided which ones yet). I’m taking a gap year because I can’t really go to university this year (personal/family reasons), and since I’m a year younger than other people I’m not really losing any time by taking a year off and applying to new schools that I didn’t apply to before.
I just read some of your old posts. It looks like you are an international who needs financial aid. Much of your list makes no sense in this light. And gap year activities aren’t likely to help your admissions at the high level schools that rejected you this year. You should try to go to school in your home country. You mentioned physics in other posts. Many US doctorate students in physics get their undergrad degrees in their home countries.
I agree with @intparent. If you couldn’t afford to go to schools this term, why are you applying to schools that won’t give you aid? Most people take gap years to try to earn some money or to participate in special programs.
You’re an international student, so you don’t qualify for most US aid programs.
If you cannot get a paying job because of visa issues, then volunteer work is a good option to fill your time. Look for something that is related to your longer-term career interests. That will help you determine whether or not you truly are interested in that kind of work.
Go to educationusa.state.gov and contact an advising center in your country to get info on how to apply to US colleges from your country.