What is a gap year?
Originally popularized in the United Kingdom, a gap year is a year students take between high school and starting college most typically to travel, volunteer or work.
Often, these students will have already been accepted into a college who work with admissions counselors to defer their starting dates. Some universities are more willing than others to do this, but its becoming a more accepted practice each year.
Why take one?
While the practice is certainly still far from common, taking a gap year is slowly gaining popularity.
Students may choose to take a year away from classes because they want to try out a few career options, because they want to find out more about themselves, because they want to make a difference in the world, because they are already burning out, etc.
Whatever the motivation for taking the gap year, there have been various studies showing that those who take that year off and go back end up performing better in school than those who went straight into it from high school.
However there is also a lot of skepticism, wondering how many of those intending a gap year never end up going back to school.
Either way, it's a consideration that more and more people are starting to think about.
Can I take a gap year? How?
The biggest criticism of a gap year remains that is only for a certain group of people: those who can afford it.
That is certainly true for certain programs. Or for those who choose to spend an entire year traveling Europe on their own.
But there are a huge range of options:
AmeriCorp City Year Members spend 11 months helping teach at schools in high-poverty communities. Those who are accepted receive a monthly living stipend, health insurance benefits, and are eligible for college scholarships after completing the programs.
Global Citizen Year Students travel to either Brazil, Ecuador, Senegal or India to spend 7 months in apprenticeships and training seminars while living with a host family. The programs are expensive, but they offer significant financial aid and scholarship opportunities.
Rotary Youth Exchange Hosted by local Rotary clubs, the exchange program gives students aged 15-19 the opportunity to travel to another country and live with a host family for anywhere from a few weeks to a full year. Each local club offers its own programs at its own costs so contact the one closest to you to find out more.
Outward Bound Offering backpacking trips, mountaineering trips, whitewater rafting trips, canoeing trips, dog sledding expeditions, sailing trips, the Outward Bound school is for those who want to find themselves in the wilderness. They offer short 4-15 day trips and full semester-long programs.
Up With People This Denver-based organizations offers one of the most unique gap year experiences, combining travel and service with performing arts. Participants spend 6 or 12 months traveling with a professional musical stage production meant to inspire communities through art.
Thinking Beyond Borders Combining travel and service, their global gap year program includes time in South Africa, India, Cambodia, Ecuador and Peru. Students live with host families and complete fieldwork and academic study during the 7-month program. This is an expensive option.
Carpe Diem Three- to eight-month travel and service programs in the U.S. and abroad. Students are also eligible to receive college credit through Portland State University (but be careful - some universities don't allow students to get credit during a deferral period). This is also a fairly expensive option.
National Outdoor Leadership School One option through NOLS is a semester in the Rocky Mountains including backpacking, mountaineering, winter camping, wilderness medicine, rafting, etc. They offer a wide range of scholarships and financial aid.
WWOOF: Participants learn what it takes to own and operate a farm as well as organic growing techniques around the world. In exchange for 4-6 hours of work per day, volunteers are provided food and accommodation on a host farm.
Experience Mission This Christian group offers short term and 3 to 6-month immersion mission trips in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Students can either sign up to go as a participant and pay tuition or apply for an internship to plan, coordinate and lead the trips. Interns are paid a stipend during trips.
Oyster Worldwide A great resource for finding gap year opportunities. They have categories for volunteer work, coaching, internships, travel, ski instruction, and paid opportunities. Just be aware, its based out of the UK so most of the programs are abroad.
American Gap Association This accreditation association has information on many more programs as well as deferral policies for many colleges and universities, gap year planning resources, etc. They also have financial aid and scholarship opportunities.
Gap Force A group organizing and leading a wide range of trips from service to adventure, volunteer to paid weekend to year-long. They have both US and UK-based branches.
Did we miss your favorite program? E-mail amanda.kesting@9news.com and I'll add it to our list.
