Should I Take a Gap Year?

Covid-19 has turned the college world upside down, leaving high school seniors (and families) questioning whether they’re willing to attend or pay for online learning at a college without a campus, or to take a break - in favor of a Gap year!

So, what is a Gap year ? 

First, I’m going to tell you what a Gap year isn’t! It’s not staying at home and doing nothing! And it’s not a place of limbo where you wait until you figure out what to do next.

A Gap year is a structured and deliberate break from formal education in order to learn about yourself and the world. It should be challenging, put you outside of your comfort zone and ultimately set you up for success in college or whatever your post high school plan may be.

What type of students take a Gap year?

Normally, the type of students who are interested in taking a Gap year are experiential learners, or sometimes facing a particular challenge in life (mental or physical) requiring some time/space to work things out, or an overachiever in need of a break before leaping back into a highly-competitive academic environment, or a student who just might not be ready for college, looking for one more year of maturity. 

But this year is anything but normal! The Coronavirus Pandemic has left families with economic uncertainty, job loss, health concerns, and in some cases loss of a loved one. As a result, students who might never have considered it, are now asking their future college for a deferral (holding their spot at school for a year) – in order to take a Gap Year!

What do students do during a Gap year? 

Typically, Gap year students travel abroad to become immersed in another culture, volunteer domestically or abroad, explore a potential career, gain experience and maturity, learn a new skill or language, or do a combination of these things.

But, amid the coronavirus pandemic many Gap year programs involving travel abroad are not happening or necessarily a safe option, plus they can be expensive! There are other domestic opportunities to consider or you can create your own Gap year experience which can cost very little, and in some cases provide an opportunity to earn money through a job or paid internship (potentially virtual for a while.) Students can learn more about a Gap year and explore accredited Gap Year Programs through the Gap Year Association. They can also work with an accredited independent educational consultant (college counselor) helping them to craft and design their own personal Gap Year. Whatever you decide to do remember your goal or purpose of a Gap year should be to deepen your practical, professional and personal awareness. 

What if I just want to take classes online or at a community college? 

If you’re considering taking courses online or at a community college to knock off some Gen-Ed requirements you need to know that many colleges do not allow students to take any, or a limited number of courses during a Gap year. If you take too many, you will no longer be considered a First-year student, requiring you to reapply as a Transfer Student the following year. And scholarship funds available for Transfer Students are a lot less than what is normally offered to incoming freshmen. Before enrolling in any classes, be sure to check your future college/university’s policy and actually talk with admissions to be sure you understand. I’m hearing that some colleges are actually being more flexible with their policy, so be sure to ask.

What do I need to do if I decide to take a Gap year?

Keep in mind a few things: 1. You must be approved to take a Gap Year, 2. Not all colleges/universities have the same Gap year or deferral policy however, some are reviewing them in context of the current pandemic and 3.) There is a deferral deadline (usually between May-July) and some schools are placing a cap on how many they will accept for the incoming class of 2020-2021.

After researching their policy online, you should reach out to admissions to ask if they are still accepting requests from students. I would advise when you speak with someone about “the possibility” that you do not mention coronavirus as the reason for taking a Gap year. Your focus for taking a Gap year should (always) be what you plan to do and learn during this break and how you will grow from this experience. 

You will be required to put down a deposit for enrollment (if you haven’t already) and formally request a deferral. For some schools that may be all you need to do, but for others you will be asked to submit an essay or personal statement (for approval) outlining your Gap year plan with all the details.

So many students are asking their parents and college counselors what they should do. Proceed as planned and make the best of the situation? Or defer enrollment in favor of a Gap year? There’s no right or wrong answer. A student may be asking for advice, but what they need now, is a conversation. If taking a Gap year is just an idea a student is toying with, maybe ask these questions:

• If you took a Gap year, what would you do? What do you think you would gain from the experience? 

• Are you considering a Gap year because you are concerned about what your first year of college might look like? Tell me how you imagine it? How would you feel if it were just the first semester or the whole year?

• Many of your friends may be starting college, some with a hybrid of online courses, while others will actually start school on campus (depending where they are attending.) How do you feel about that?

• Are you considering a Gap year because you are concerned that we can no longer afford it (due to a pay cut or layoff we experienced during coronavirus?)

• Are you thinking about a Gap year because of comments you might have heard us make when talking with other parents?

• In general, do you have any other concerns about going off to college?

Obviously. there are many benefits to taking a Gap year as long as it’s a well thought out plan with specific goals in mind. But there are things to consider on the flip-side of that:

• If your student does decide to move forward with their first year of college (potentially online to start) you could be saving money. Room and board and other fees are a huge cost that you will not incur as long as your student is not physically living on campus. And if your student defers their enrollment for one year, their last year of college will most likely be 9% higher due to inflation.

• Some colleges will hold scholarships and financial aid for deferred students, but it varies, so you need to ask. And any need-based aid will need to be recalculated annually with FAFSA

• If your student is putting off college for a year, they may be sacrificing a year of job experience and earnings on the back end.

Although some colleges have started to make announcements on how or when they plan to open campuses, there’s still no guarantee. As bans are lifted and people start to move around more freely things could change, so you need to think through every scenario, and imagine yourself in it, before making your decision.