High school students, college students and very often their parents, have a lot of concerns before deciding to take a Gap Year or not and if yes: when is it the best time? Many students miss the special opportunity for a life-changing and defining experience by choosing not to take a Gap Year to volunteer abroad.
Katherine Stievater founded Gap Year Solutions to help students successfully transition from a gap year to college. She serves on the Board of Advisors and the Standards & Accreditation Committee of the National Gap Year Association and is a Professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association. Katherine is a keynote speaker for USA Gap Year Fairs and discusses the many benefits of Gap Years in talks at libraries and schools across the country.
Katherine answers six of the most popular questions that students ask us:
- 1. Would I be behind after taking a Gap Year?
- Absolutely not! We understand that this is a common concern of both students and parents though. One of the ways they express their concern is wondering if missing math or not being “academic” for a year will cause a form of learning “atrophy”. This turns out not to be the case. Studies have shown that students who take a Gap Year end up graduating with higher GPAs. In fact, students who take a Gap Year feel more prepared, ready to learn and are more engaged academically and socially after they arrive on campus.
- 2. What happens if I choose a gap year program that is not related to my major?
- While there are no absolutes when it comes to the deferral process and college policies regarding majors and other areas such as transfer credits, for the most part, students will find that colleges are flexible. We find that colleges are willing to work with Gappers to accommodate changes in majors and undergraduate programs. It is up to the student to take the initiative to reach out to their college and ensure that things are in order for their enrollment.
- 3. I would like to apply for College, should I apply before or after I take a Gap Year?
- We highly recommend that high school seniors apply to colleges as they normally would. Students would then decide on their school, and put down a deposit to hold their place by the deadline. Seniors who are considering a Gap Year will often be thinking about and researching options during their last semester, and checking in with their school of choice to make sure they understand the deferral policies and process. Currently, every school has a unique process, and while there are many similarities, it is super important to understand how it works for the student’s own school. Having said this, we have worked with students who choose to apply to college during the first portion of their Gap Year. This is for many reasons, including not knowing what they want to study in college, not getting accepted to their preferred schools, and sometimes simply because they delayed the whole college application process.
- 4. How to find the right gap year project for me?
- Typically students participate in multiple activities during their Gap Year. We tend to think of a Gap Year as broken up into segments, almost like college semesters. There is almost never just one “project” during this time (examples of a long, single activity would be something such as City Year or a year-long language immersion program). We work with our students to structure a Gap Year plan that includes a number of experiences based on their interests and goals. These include internships, jobs, service and volunteer opportunities, travel, adventure, leadership, and many others.
- 5. Are there gap year scholarships or financial aid available?
- Many programs offer financial assistance and volunteer abroad scholarships to help with affordability, and there are also other grants available specifically to support Gap Year experiences. We suggest enrolling in structured Gap Year programs as early in the process as possible since funds do run out. Parents can utilize funds from 529 accounts if there will be college credits earned during the program. Also, some colleges are now offering stipends to support admitted students who are deferring enrollment to pursue a Gap Year. UNC has done this for several years, and Duke will be awarding up to $15,000 to support their Gap Year. In addition, many of our students work during their Gap Year and will often use their earnings to help pay for a Gap Year program. Lack of financial resources should NEVER be a reason not to consider a Gap Year!
- 6. Do Colleges like Gap Years? and/or Will my application to College be accepted after I take a Gap Year?
- Colleges love Gap Years! We recently surveyed U.S. colleges and universities about their attitudes towards Gap Years, and with few exceptions, schools embrace the benefits that Gap Years bring to students. A few comments we received during our research:
- Boston College: “We fully support the decision to take a gap year”
- Reed College: “We support the passions of admitted students and how they achieve their educational goals, which we understand may involve a gap year”
- NC State: “We see them as beneficial to a student’s intellectual growth and maturity”
- Clark University: “We love students who participate in experiential and alternative learning experiences”
United Planet offers many volunteer abroad opportunities and gap year volunteering programs across the globe. United Planet gap year programs are celebrating their 70th anniversary this year. Please email us at quest@unitedplanet.org, call 617-874-8041, or fill out our contact form to learn more. Our team will be happy to assist you!
ABOUT UNITED PLANET
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
