Gap Year Benefits
Students meet unique challenges that they are able to solve by immersing themselves in different cultures, finding their passions, and getting to go on a once in a lifetime adventure in the prime time of their lives. With so many different options and programs for gap year students to choose, as well as gap year counselors who assist students in planning their year, the opportunity for self growth is endless. It is inevitable that students who take a gap year will only benefit from this opportunity and will return energized, focused, and motivated.
With recent endorsements from many institutions and college administrators including William Fitzsimmons, the Dean of Admissions at Harvard University, and studies from Mr. Robert Clagett, former Middlebury Dean of Admissions, showing that at Middlebury college specifically, students who took a gap year consistently had higher GPAs than those who did not. There are also studies showing that taking a gap year helps students find their passions and help them decide what they want to study in college, an advantage because this will reduce coursework load, tuition bills, and ultimately give students more time to do what they are passionate about. Many students also report taking a gap year helps tackle the burnout many feel after completing high school after endless standardized tests, college applications, and school course loads. It allows students to develop life skills and experiences that are professionally relevant.
In addition, in an increasingly competitive world, taking a gap year helps students set them apart from their peers. Gap year students acquire skills that aren’t teachable in a traditional classroom setting, and they are able to contribute unique experience and problem solving skills. Gap year participants become confident leaders, and are easily able to adapt and manage different situations and develop a different mindset, which is something very valuable today.
