If our daughter gets into college ‘X’ but defers enrollment at ‘X’ to take a gap year, will she have to attend college ‘X’ next year? Or could she apply again to other colleges and perhaps reconsider? I wasn’t sure if this was unethical to reapply and then perhaps elect to attend college ‘Y’ if she got in next go-round. Does it harm anyone to defer with the possibility—but no guarantee—you’ll go elsewhere if you fare better next year?
The policy will vary from school to school. Some will allow you to defer but restrict you from applying elsewhere. Others do not have this rule. Admissions will be able to let you know their policy.
Some schools communicate with each other, so violating a school’s policy could affect other schools’ decisions. However, no school can or would try to force anyone to attend where they don’t want to be, and schools are reasonable, understanding when circumstances change beyond an applicant’s control.
Where do you see language about being forbidden from applying to other colleges during a gap? I couldn’t find anything for he few colleges I googled.
Is it commonplace to reapply to colleges during a gap (while holding onto a deferral)?
When you request the deferral, the school will state the terms such as no arrests, no taking classes at community college (or that you CAN take classes), if a program is required, a date by which you must reconfirm your acceptance, etc. The condition could be put in there.
I think if you do want to apply to other schools, you should ask if it is allow when you set up the deferral.
No, it is not commonplace. A deferral isn’t a deferral on the decision to attend, it’s a deferral on the attendance itself for a year.
But life happens, and I agree with the sentiment that schools don’t want you to attend if you’ll be miserable. Certainly my son was considering it on his gap year for a number of reasons, but did not do it.
For the most part, when you request a deferral for a gap year, the schools are going to consider it a commitment to attend the following year much like an ED commitment. It is, therefore ,unethical to apply to other schools during that time. Deferring isn’t designed as a way of keeping your options open and playing the field for another year.
Here’s the language of a college I chose randomly, Wesleyan, which is very typical of the language used by many. my guess is if you look online, you can find the policy of any schools you are considering, assuming they do allow for deferrals (not all do):
“Is it possible to defer enrollment at Wesleyan for one year if I am admitted?
Yes. Typically, 20 to 25 students are granted deferred enrollment in each class. The non-refundable $250 admission deposit must first be paid to secure matriculation. Upon approval, Wesleyan will grant deferred admission for one year. In order to obtain approval, applicants must submit a plan for their “gap year.” Deferred enrollment requests must be submitted in writing (letter or email) and approved prior to June 1st. Students granted a deferral cannot submit further admission applications to other institutions or enroll full-time in any other institution of higher education. Once the student’s request for deferment is received and approved, a formal letter acknowledging their deferred status will be sent. An essay, briefly describing deferral activities and reaffirming intention to enroll at Wesleyan is required by March 1st of the deferral year.”
Does a deferral in essence “hold” a spot thus you’re taking away a spot from someone?
I thought I’ve read about students re-applying to target colleges during gap and holding onto the best college they got into the year prior. But I could be mistaken. I didn’t know there were rules.
If they do so, they are gaming the system and being unethical. Not saying that some folks don’t do it, but it is not kosher.
It could also screw over your high school’s rep with that college.
So is reapplying during gap actually an odd thing thus subject to enhanced scrutiny?
I don’t know about the enhanced scrutiny since our family honored our commitments but yes, given that you signed a statement that you wouldn’t do so and it is therefore unethical, I would consider it an “odd thing” and something the vast majority do not do. I like to think most people are ethical and stand by their agreements.
You seem to be looking for a loophole. What are you getting at here?
No. I mean NO deferral and reapplying to colleges during gap year. Is that seen as odd?
When I started thread I didn’t know ‘playing the field’ during gap was abnormal and unethical. Now I understand it is and there are rules against it if you’re holding a deferral. Now my question is is it weird to be applying during gap year? Seems majority doing gap are holding a deferral, thus odd to be an applicant during that year?
It’s done but not sure how much it helps unless something impressive is accomplished during that short period of time off until its application season again that would enhance one’s chances over the previous application season or you made a really poor application list the first go around.
There are kids who take a gap year after high school without having applied anywhere. Maybe they weren’t ready or didn’t know what they wanted to do. Others want to boost their GPA by having the entire senior year counted. Whatever the reason, all of those kids who want to attend college would have to apply during a gap year.
Kids who applied during their senior year may end up taking a gap year for a variety of reasons. Some defer attending a particular school for a year to travel, or to raise money, or to take a break. Others didn’t get into their dream school or only got accepted to unaffordable options. The kids who defer at a particular school enroll there the following fall. The others have to apply to a new list during the gap year.
Students who apply during a gap year have to submit an essay to explain why they’re taking a gap year and how they’re spending it. So it’s not “odd” but I guess you could say there’s more scrutiny. I’m not sure why that would matter if the student is being honest on their apps.
My kids HS would not send transcripts to colleges during a kids gap year (which is becoming increasingly popular) without “proof” (usually a copy of the email would suffice) that the kid had withdrawn from the college he/she had committed to and from whom kid had successfully gotten a one year deferral.
HS’s philosophy was that a gap year was a commitment to attend. And until that commitment was resolved (either kid matriculating as promised, or withdrawing officially) there would be no “shopping” for a better offer.
I don’t know if it’s “odd” but it is done enough so that my kids HS had safeguards in place to avoid temptation. Once you’ve sent in the enrollment deposit you are done until you withdraw officially.
Some schools (including at least one on every prestige-seeking applicant’s list) ask this very specific question in their applications: “Have you applied to XYZ college before?”
They don’t say how this information is used, but I would guess they don’t want students to take a year off and try again just to get into a “better” school in the absence of exceptional circumstances.
My son is interested in taking a gap year.
He asked at one school and was told that it was fine so long as he didn’t take any classes anywhere else. Nothing was said about not applying to other colleges but the issue wasn’t raised, either. Frankly, if he decided to take a gap year from a specific school, I would want all of these things ironed out beforehand. These are teenagers. After a year away from school, even if they legitimately intended to go the school when they deferred, they might not want to after all and I wouldn’t want him to be precluded from exploring other options. I would, however, make him inform the first school asap if he changes his mind.
" After a year away from school, even if they legitimately intended to go the school when they deferred, they might not want to after all and I wouldn’t want him to be precluded from exploring other options"
Yes, read the specifications closely and ask even to make sure things are ironed out. That’s not how it typically works.