Consider a Gap Year

Do you want to meet people from around the world, practice your foreign language skills and help make the world a better place? Then you might want to consider spending a gap year as a volunteer through the Workaway organization.

Instead of heading straight from high school homeroom to college campus, more and more American students are taking a “gap year.” And volunteering in a new city or country can be one of the most exciting and eye-opening experiences you’ll ever have. Not only will volunteering look good on your resumé, you’ll also leave with new skills and friendships to last a lifetime.

If you do a quick search for international volunteer programs, you'll come up with an overwhelming number of results. However, almost all of these programs charge a rather hefty fee — so basically, you are paying to work for free.

But the Workaway organization is different. Because there are no agencies involved, the only fee you pay is for a membership that lasts for two years. You can sign up as a solo volunteer for $25 or with a friend for $35.

With Workaway, the deal is that you get free food and accommodation from the host in exchange for helping out for about four or five hours each day, five days a week. And this means weekends are free for you to explore the area, travel and do whatever you like.

Why volunteer abroad?
Josh Wilson, assistant director of the SRAS Institute, a resource for Eurasian study and travel abroad, explains that venturing abroad doesn’t only teach you about the culture and language, “it teaches you to think outside the box and to realize that your ways of doing things are not the only ways to approach tasks. You become more creative, a better problem solver, more confident and a better multi-tasker.”

Language practice
Being a Workaway volunteer with a host that speaks your study language will give you an intensive opportunity to practice your language skills for free! Not only will you learn the language, but you will also get to learn the traditions and culture of your host’s country. Once you finally head to college, you’ll be at an excellent advantage and can even try testing into a higher language level in your college’s foreign language department.

Real world experience
By the time you’ve returned home, you’ll have realized, ‘Yes! This is what I want to do!’ Or, ‘I’m glad I tried that out, but now I need to go a completely different direction.’ Above all, you will realize how many opportunities in your field of interest exist — even abroad!

Get out of your comfort zone
As a volunteer, you will mix and mingle with other volunteers of all ages and cultures. No matter where you end up, you are bound to meet other Workaway volunteers. You will often be living in a very international community of travelers who each have their own stories to tell and unique skills to offer. Being part of a Workaway experience can really open your eyes to ideas and parts of the world you’ve never considered or maybe even heard of before! As Wilson points out, “Spending a bit of time abroad is sure to explode at least a small part of your worldview — and that is the first step to a true education.”

How to get away with Workaway
After you sign up to become a member on the Workaway website (www.Workaway.info), you will need to fill out your volunteer profile and describe yourself, what kind of work or volunteer experience you’ve had before, what skills you have and what kinds of projects and countries you are interested in. The more details that you offer, the better chance you will have of getting positive responses from the Workaway hosts you write to.

Then comes the fun part — searching for Workaway hosts! Here are some recent examples from advertised Workaway hosts: helping at a lavender farm in France, harvesting olives in Italy, picking walnuts in Bulgaria, making apple cider in Romania, helping at a children’s art camp in the Czech Republic, teaching village kids in India, helping with baby elephants in Thailand. The opportunities are fascinating and endless, and the host list is constantly growing.

You’ll find Workaway hosts in big cities, but many tend to be in villages and small towns — possibly off the grid and definitely off the beaten path. So how do you choose from such an overwhelming list of hosts and experiences? Ask yourself these questions:

• How far do I want to travel?
• What is my travel budget?
• What do I want to learn or accomplish with this experience?
• How much time do I want to spend volunteering?

Ask as many questions as you need to feel comfortable with the host – ask them about their expectations from volunteers as well as what you can expect from them, and find out how long you can stay. If it’s only two or three weeks, see if you can arrange some other Workaway stays nearby in the country or region, which will help you save on travel costs and allow you to really explore and understand the culture of the area, instead of rushing right through it.

The earlier you start writing to your list of hosts, the earlier you will know if they accept you or not. And when you get an acceptance, you can start planning your trip!

Volunteering is an exciting way to define your skills and passions, explore the world around you and make an important difference before you head off to college. You never know who you’ll meet or what you’ll discover.

Suchi Rudra is a nomadic freelance writer who specializes in education, travel, sustainable architecture and business.

So you did it: you decided to take a gap year. Whether you made the decision because you:

(a) want to see the world
(b) want to reapply to your top choice schools
(c) are close to burned out from all those APs in high school
(d) several/none of the above, the point is that you made the decision. Congratulations!

But if you want to be one of those people who, 20 years from now, credits your Pulitzer Prize and impressive career to lessons learned during your gap year, you’ll need to be prepared. Rather than leaping headfirst into your gap year, with little clue of what, when, and how you are going to make those life-long experiences, take a few days (or even just a few hours) to put together a plan for your opportunities. The time you invest now will pay off over the course of your alternative year.

First things first: What do you want to do?
Go somewhere quiet, with just a pen, a piece of paper and your thoughts. Then think.

• Do you want to learn a new language, explore a new culture and become a part of the global community? Then travel should probably be a part of your gap year opportunity.
• Do you want to figure out your future career path, pad your resume or get a taste of the working life?

Then a job, internship, or volunteer placement is probably what you’re looking for. But don’t just stick to established programs—if there’s a company that you’re really interested in working for, it’s worth contacting the company personally. They might just be willing to have you join them!

Whatever you want to do, chances are that you can find the opportunity to do it. All you have to do is be proactive, ask for help and organize yourself as early as possible.

• Draw out a detailed budget for your gap year, inclusive of travel, food, housing and miscellaneous expenses. Then pool your resources and, if between savings and familial assistance, you don’t quite reach the sum that you need, figure out ways to make up the deficit. From working for the first part of your gap year, to applying for relevant grants, giving up needn’t be an option.
• Once you have your resources worked out, plan the logistics of your gap year. Set time frames for completing certain sections and must-do items. These time frames do not have to be set in stone, but will be helpful in preventing you from running out of time, with lots left to do.

Everything is more fun with friends.
Sure, chances are that your friends aren’t coming on your gap year with you. But that doesn’t mean that you should think a gap year is a solitary period. Talk to friends and family about your plans. You might have a family friend involved in an industry that you’re hoping to take a look into, or perhaps you have an aunt who lives in the country that you want to visit. People are often willing to help you, but you have to give them the opportunity to do so first.

• Most of all: have fun.

Yes, there’s a lot of planning that goes into a gap year. But the most important thing to remember is that you are doing this gap year for you. Just as you shouldn’t allow yourself to be pressured in to making college and career decisions, do not allow yourself to be pressured in to making gap year decisions. Remember what’s important to you, set manageable goals and remember not to stress out.

In the wise words of Henry David Thoreau: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”

Danai Kadzere is a German-South-African-Zimbabwean-American student from Greensboro, N.C., studying at Harvard University (www.harvard.edu). 

Looking to take a year off but not sure what to do? We spoke with Megan Meo, currently a student at Hampshire College (www.hampshire.edu), about her experience with World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms (WWOOF). Meo found an answer in this organization, which combines volunteering, travel and learning about different cultures and organic lifestyles. 

Read on to see if WWOOF could be the next step for you!

Q: What initially interested you in the opportunity?

A: Upon graduating high school, I knew I was not ready to go straight to college and decided that I wanted to take a gap year. I knew that if I went straight to college, I would most likely be studying for another four years and would not have the opportunity to travel. I realized that this time between high school and college was the best time to head off for several months because I had very few commitments at home. I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do besides traveling to a Latin American country to improve my Spanish. As I began researching, I learned about the WWOOF program. WWOOFing seemed the most accessible and would provide me with the opportunity to not only improve my Spanish and to become immersed in the Ecuadorian culture but also as a way to learn about organic agriculture.

Q: Where did you WWOOF and for how long?

A: I spent my first three months of my gap year at Rio Muchacho Organic Farm on the central coast of Ecuador. After traveling around Colombia, I came back to Ecuador to spend another three months with a couple in Estacion Carchi in the northern part of Ecuador. I spent time working on their farm as well as helping out at the elementary school.

Q: Can you explain a little about your experiences and day to day living?

A: When I arrived at Rio Muchacho, it was my first time traveling alone to a country where English was not the primary language. However, I immediately felt welcomed and comfortable at the farm because I was surrounded by about 10 other WWOOF volunteers. I very quickly got into the routine of life on the farm. We would wake up at 6 a.m. to feed the animals and then head to the main house to eat breakfast. We spent the next several hours either working in one of the gardens weeding, planting, or harvesting, doing maintenance on the buildings on the property, or working on our own independent projects. At the other farm, I spent a lot of time with the couple I was living with planting seeds and harvesting. Because they were in a very rural area of Ecuador, they had a very specific way they farmed, which I was able to become familiar with. It was an incredible experience to become so involved in where my food was coming from. I was the only volunteer and person my age in the town, which allowed me to get very close to the entire community.

Q: What did you gain from your experience WWOOFing?

A: Taking a gap year and WWOOF was an incredible experience. I was able to take a step back from academia and to really take the time to think about what I wanted to pursue in college. It gave me the opportunity to live freely and independently and to grow in a way that I would not had been able to if I went straight to college. 

Marissa MacKenzie Longstreet is a former intern of NextStepU Magazine and is a freelance writer based out of Rochester, N.Y.To learn more about World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, visit www.wwoof.org.

So, you have decided to take a gap year. Congratulations! But, what are you going to do in your gap year?

If you want to have a positive impact on a community while earning money for college in your gap year, then you may want to consider joining AmeriCorps. 

Three options: AmeriCorps consists of three programs: 

1. AmeriCorps State and National
2. AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America
3. AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps). AmeriCorps State and National members work with organizations to address community needs in education, public safety, health and the environment. 

VISTA members serve with community organizations to build programs geared toward bringing low-income individuals and communities out of poverty. AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time residential program for people aged 18-24, in which members work intensively in a particular community. 

Benefits of service

AmeriCorps members receive health coverage, training, deferment for student loans, a modest stipend to cover living expenses and many also receive housing assistance. Full-time members who complete their service receive $5,350 to pay for college, grad school or existing student loans. (Those who work part time receive a partial award.)

Giving back

One of the most rewarding parts of working with AmeriCorps is the chance to create a positive impact on others’ lives. Robin Solash worked with AmeriCorps’ Northwest Service Academy as an environmental education provider in Toledo, Ore. She implemented environmental service learning activities for middle school students and ran an after-school program.

“I got to meet many different people, and I also got a chance to help out in a community that really needed it.” 

Now that you know what to do in your gap year, start planning. Enjoy!

Visit AmeriCorps.gov for more info about each of its programs.

Are you adventurous and interested in seeing the world? Looking for ideas for a gap year? Or do you need a part-time job to help save money for college? Contract over-seas jobs conducting scientific research are a great idea to get paid and gain an intriguing addition to your resume. 

Antarctica is the coldest, driest, windiest place on Earth. Yet it is also one of the most pristine, making it ideal for scientific research. The National Science Foundation (NSF) manages the United States Antarctic Program (USAP) by funding hundreds of scientists to conduct research throughout the continent. Everything from atmospheric studies and astrophysics to glaciology and global climate change are studied there. That’s why the program needs hundreds of contract workers to provide logistical support for scientists. Sample jobs include housekeeping, electricians and pilots.

Who can go?

You have to be 18 or older to apply. If qualified, you must then pass physical and dental exams, as well as clear a drug test and a background check. Positions are mainly filled between March and August.Living thereThere are three permanent U.S. stations in Antarctica, as well as numerous remote field camps and two research ships, The Polar Sea and the Polar Star. The largest station, McMurdo, is located under New Zealand.

Working in Antarctica can be addictive

Some people make “the ice” their life-long career. Nancy Farrell, a 17-year veteran, says she keeps coming back because she “really liked what she was doing.” As the work order supervisor for the USAP, she spends half of her time actually on the “ice,” and the other half in Colorado, working for Raytheon, which specializes in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. Farrell says she “liked all the unique people she comes in contact with every year.”

Work week and recreation

Employees work a minimum of 54 hours weekly (nine hour days, six days a week). This still leaves lots of time for extra-curricular activities. There are countless forms of entertainment and recreational activities to keep you busy. Check out the assorted sports, exercise equipment and safe cross-country skiing and hiking routes. A library, educational classes and science lectures are available. BenefitsOn top of a weekly salary, personnel are supplied with free room and board, health, dental and vision benefits. Transportation to and from Antarctica, as well as travel funds, are supplied. 

Why this idea for gap year?

An opportunity like this is an excellent short-term way to save money, whether for college, a car or house, or to pay off school loans. And it is an eye-catching addition to your resume. As Farrell puts it, “Where else can you work six months and then take the following six months off if you want to?” 

Valerie Carroll of the Raytheon Communications Department offers this bit of advice: “Experience and skills are necessary, but personality and attitude weigh heavily.”So, get out there and see the world! Make some money. And have the experience of a lifetime during your gap year! 

How do I apply? 

Information on the U.S. Antarctic Program is available at http://www.usap.gov.

Kristin Malara worked at McMurdo Station, Antarctica.

Have you ever thought about backpacking through Europe? Volunteering in an underprivileged country? Tutoring young students? Becoming a ski instructor in Aspen?

All of these options and more could make for a rewarding college gap year.

What is it?

A college gap year is traditionally taking a year off between your senior year of high school and freshman year of college. Some students also take a year off between receiving their undergraduate degree and beginning grad school or even during college. “A gap year may consist of international travel, but could also be a chance for students to work or do some type of service project,” says Hillary Teague, assistant director of admission and coordinator of multicultural recruitment at Kalamazoo College (kzoo.edu) in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Gap years have been commonplace in the U.K. and Australia for decades (11 percent of college-bound students in the U.K. take one) and are becoming more popular in the U.S. Even colleges like Harvard and Columbia encourage students to defer enrollment to take an enriching gap year before enrolling in classes. (Most colleges allow you to defer enrollment for a year if you’re accepted.)

A college gap year might be a great idea for you and many other college-bound students.

Why, you ask? Well first of all, a gap year should be much more than just lying on your parents’ couch all day eating Doritos. Chances are no admissions director would encourage that. A gap year can give you a well-rounded view of the world, and can also invigorate you if you’re feeling burnt out. It could also help your résumé after you graduate from college.

In our increasingly global economy, employers are looking for people who can interact well with others and who can appreciate different points of view, Teague says.

International travel

Visiting historical churches and museums, sipping an espresso at an outdoor café, laughing with new international friends you meet at a hostel. Although backpacking might include all of those things, it’s much more difficult than you think.

Obviously, money is an issue when traveling abroad for a year. It is absolutely possible, and often necessary, to do a gap year on a budget. Hostels, cheap local fare and avoiding expensive souvenirs or other unnecessary purchases are vital to keeping within your budget.

The average gap year abroad costs between $10,000 and $20,000. You’ll either need to have that money saved up or earn a portion of it by working. Through the experiences of working an odd job in another country or navigating your way through foreign streets, you’ll become even more mature and independent. Imagine how ahead of the game you’ll be when you go to college. (Some freshmen don’t even know how to do their own laundry!)

Adrian Avila took time off while in college to travel to Australia and ended up attending college there.

I loved the atmosphere and how laid back it was compared to the U.S.,” he says. “I wanted time to relax and prepare myself for a career.
 

VolunteeringThere are many opportunities for service projects either overseas or right here in the States.

Americorps (americorps.org) is a program for young adults over 17 who want to give back to their community or other communities across the country. If you sign up for Americorps, you are eligible to earn up to $4,725 to pay for college. You can be involved in a number of different service projects, including tutoring disadvantaged youth, building affordable housing and helping communities respond to disasters.

Another similar program, City Year (cityyear.org), involves tutoring and mentoring children, organizing after-school programs and other community-based events. “City Year is a program for students aged 17 to 24 that is a good alternative to just working or traveling,” Teague says.

An international volunteer option is Global Learning Across Borders (global-lab.org), which combines international travel and service work. During their Explorations in China and Tibet program, young people ages 17 to 22 explore historical parts of each city they visit and volunteer in different places along the way, such as a health clinic in Guangzhou, China, and helping teachers in a rural Tibetan school. This program costs $10,845 and lasts three months.

Other options

Not every gap year has to be the same. How about taking a year off to work in a resort as a ski or snowboard instructor or just volunteering in your community?

The important thing to remember is that a gap year is more than just taking a year off to procrastinate.

Whether you decide to defer your enrollment or apply to colleges after your gap year experience, you have to stay focused on your goal of going to college. A gap year is a great way to gain a worldly perspective, a newfound independence and recharge your brain for college.

Prince William spent his gap year as a student volunteering in Chile and Belize, visiting Africa and working on dairy farms.

Prince Harry spent his making a documentary about orphans in Africa and also visited Australia and Argentina.

Matt Zaragoza-Watkins spent one gap year as a student working in Boston, and another working in New York City.

A gap year is taking a year off between high school graduation and going to college. Some people take a year off to work, some to travel, some to volunteer, others to do outdoor adventure or career exploration. There are programs that can help you decide what to do with your gap year, too, so you’re not spending it sitting on your parents’ couch.

Why consider being a gap year student?

1. It’s an excuse to do cool things
 The whole purpose of a gap year is to explore the world a bit before stepping back into academia. People taking a gap year—“gappers”—are encouraged to get out and do something.

“The last thing a student should do is hang around at home working in an uninspiring job or worse yet, waiting to find him/herself,” says Jim Zuberbuhler, executive director of gap year opportunity company Dynamy (Dynamy.org). “Gap years are intended to be active, challenging and introspective. The key to a successful gap year is to challenge yourself, test your interests and passions and reflect on your experiences.”

2. You can live like a student without taking classes
Zaragoza-Watkins is a two-time alum of City Year (www.cityyear.org), another gap year opportunity. Zaragoza-Watkins, a native of Davis, Calif., had been accepted to UC Berkeley and was looking forward to high school graduation.

But he wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to study in college—and that seemed like a good reason to put off enrolling. He considered the military, Peace Corps and AmeriCorps, then found City Year—a service corps for young people.

“In Boston, I taught math and science to second to eighth grade students with special needs,” he says. “It was an experience that required me to mature very quickly. I was living with seven people, so it was sort of like the “Real World” house with a little less drama and a little more idealism.”

City Year participants receive a small stipend ($250 a week) and are responsible for finding their own housing.

So gappers live like students (roommates, budgeting, on-the-cheap entertainment) without actually being students. What better time to explore the world—especially when living on a budget is something you’d be doing in college anyway.

3. Your gap year can help you get into college
Zaragoza-Watkins didn’t know what he wanted to pursue in college. But after spending two years in City Year, he has a better idea. Zaragoza-Watkins is now studying applied economics and management at Cornell.

“Colleges are looking for a diversity of experience, and this is something that sets you apart,” he says. “Often they say you need extracurricular activities. Well, this is the ultimate.”

A gap year can make you more aware of your life’s goals, and help you develop the path to get there.

“Challenge yourself,” Zuberbuhler says. “The beautiful thing about a gap year is that you can choose the type of challenge that you think will be most beneficial to you.”

Interested in taking a gap year? Get your parents’ support, and research gap year programs at the same time as you research colleges.

Katy Jane Tull of Austin, Texas, dreaded an overwhelming college experience after breezing through high school. So she took a year off to pursue other interests instead.You’ll be surprised, and maybe relieved, to learn that the European tradition of taking a "gap year" is gaining ground in the United States. "Gap year changed my life in ways I don’t even know yet," says Katy Jane. "I would encourage all students to consider this. It helps you get ready to learn how to be an adult."

Now a freshman at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y., Katy Jane’s academic and social adjustment has proceeded more smoothly than she expected.

For nature enthusiasts, Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass., through its Audubon Expedition Institute (AEI), offers gap-year students the opportunity to spend a semester or two studying environmental science from a mobile classroom that travels through the Pacific Northwest, the Atlantic Coast and Hawaii, says Lily Fessenden, program director. A typical session involves three weeks of travel on a bus fully equipped with a kitchen, a 500-volume library and file cabinets filled with articles.

"This experience is good for students coming out of high school. Instead of putting themselves in another box, this gives them a way to see the larger community," says Fessenden.

Emma Fawcett, who graduated from high school last June, deferred her entry into New York University to intern in communications at World Hunger Year. She is getting an insider’s view of journalism and international relations as she gains experience writing press releases and performing other communication-related duties. Following this internship, she plans to travel to Guatemala to teach English to Spanish-speaking children.

"The things I learn at NYU will mean a lot more," she says. "Gap year will give me a better perspective on life."

Jordan Comins decided to delay his entry into Harvard for one year after he graduated from Loyola High School in New York City. After two months of working at a local office supply store, he saved enough money to assume a full-time internship at Social Accountability International (SAI), which focuses on creating humanitarian labor conditions abroad.

"Even though I knew I would not be writing policy, SAI allowed me to obtain concrete experience in that particular field, something which cannot be gained in any classroom," he says. After his internship, Comins traveled to Baku, Azerbaijan, where he immersed himself in the culture and learned to speak Russian.

"Upon graduating from college, those who have taken the gap year will most likely find themselves with enough real-life experience that the pressure of leaving a structured environment, such as college, will seem less of a challenge," says Comins.

Harvard is among the growing number of colleges encouraging taking a gap year. William Fitzsimmons, dean and director of admissions, explains that some students risk burnout and stress as they face the challenges of growing up. He recommends a "time out" to engage in career-related, academic or personal pursuits and to "gain perspective on personal values and goals, or to gain needed life experience in a setting separate from and independent of one’s accustomed pressures and expectations."

Even though he never experienced a gap year, Ron Lieber agrees with Fitzsimmons’ assessment. He and childhood friend Colin Hall penned Taking Time Off, which chronicles the adventures of 26 individuals who worked, studied, traveled and volunteered before heading for the hallowed halls of higher education.

Lieber, a consumer reporter for The Wall Street Journal, calls his college experience "amazing," but believes that students who take time off get better grades and eventually better jobs. Hall, a London banker, delayed his college experience to work and travel before enrolling at Amherst College.

Students who take a gap year to explore the world bring a different perspective to the classroom that can enrich the academic experience for everyone and can help you decide what you don’t want to do with your life.

James Montague, director of guidance and support services at Boston Latin School, finds that parents often frown upon the gap year concept, fearing their children will become sidetracked and sacrifice higher education. However, if you are determined, there are volunteer opportunities, internships and work options available.

Montague worked a year before entering college, giving him the chance to mature. "My gap year served me extremely well," he says. "Whenever I faced frustration in college, I thought of working in a factory, and I didn’t want to do that all my life." Although not for everyone, a gap year might enable you to better assess your career choices, gain some maturity and, ultimately, land you the perfect job.

There are many opportunities to gain insight into your professional future and “try out” careers as you pursue your educational goals. Selecting a college major and researching careers are only pieces of the career decision-making process.

Interning, studying abroad and service learning are three hands-on strategies that you can actively participate in as a means of career exploration. You may think of it as a career “trial” or testing the waters to see what it’s like.

Internships and co-ops
Most colleges sponsor internship and co-op opportunities for students to pursue as part of the academic experience.

Internships can either be paid or unpaid positions. They usually require a certain amount of hours in a professional employment setting, and if you will receive credit for your work, an on-campus seminar to discuss your experience.

Advantages of interning include career testing, networking, professional skill development and being able to receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses.

One popular internship experience among college students is the Walt Disney World College Program, wdwcollegeprogram.com. Students spend an entire semester at the resort in Orlando, Fla., as a paid member of the Disney cast. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about corporate culture and explore a variety of roles within an organization.

Study abroad/international study
Spending a semester abroad can be a life-changing experience. Many students report it as being the best, most rewarding and exciting thing they have ever done. Generally, studying abroad is a semester-long experience that involves more than just coursework. It involves excursions, adventure, immersing yourself into another culture and learning about yourself. Benefits of studying in another country include getting an international perspective on academics and life, advancing your language and professional skills, seeing new places and experiencing other cultures.

Environmental science majors study the rainforest in Costa Rica. Architecture students study the masonry and design of piazzas in Italy. Check out your options at studyabroad.com.

Service learning/gap year programs

Gaining popularity among new graduates are gap-year programs or service-learning experiences between high school and college or college and full-time work.

Service learning entails taking what is learned in a classroom setting and applying it directly to what is needed in the community.

For example, students studying psychology can provide a year’s worth of peer counseling and teaching services to students at Boys Hope Girls Hope School in one of 17 cities across the U.S. Service-learning programs entail an application procedure and may provide a salary and health insurance for student participants. This can help you gain practical experience and explore what it means to serve and make a difference in someone’s life. The value of service learning involves gaining practical life experience and learning about yourself and the world. For more, see idealist.org.

Coursework and the college experience can provide you with introductory skills. Internships, study-abroad and service-learning programs are unique opportunities for additional personal growth and skill development that enhance your employability.

Avoid waiting for a career to find you. Go out and seek experiences that will provide opportunities for self-development and give you that edge you need! 

Tradition says you’re supposed to rush off to college right after high school graduation while your brain is still fresh. But more and more students now are taking a year off after high school graduation to explore other options, such as work, travel or study abroad. Prince William did it. Harvard even recommends it. Do you need a gap year?

What’s in a gap?
For many students, 12 years of school is quite stressful. Add four years of college on top of that, and it’s easy to see how quickly a student can get burnt out.

Emily Rivers, a 19-year-old freshman at Texas Southern University in Houston, says that with volleyball, student council and constant pressure to maintain straight A’s, she definitely needed a break before college. “There’s no way I would’ve kept up with my studies straight out of high school. I was exhausted. Taking time off was right for me,”she says.

Taking a gap year doesn’t mean you should just chill on your dad’s sofa and watch reruns all day. Get up and do something. Here are a few options to consider.

Study abroad. Looking to get cultural or to impress future employers? Try studying in China or teaching English in the Himalayas. Year after year, students choose to delay college entrance to spend time studying abroad instead. Sarah Connelly, a junior at California State University-Fresno, says, “In high school, I thought I’d major in music. But after teaching in Argentina, I realized my dream career is teaching. Needless to say, my major is education.”

Travel. Doesn’t matter if you go to Alabama, hike the Appalachians or roam Greece—just be sure to get out and explore. Richard Foley, an 18-year-old New Yorker who’s on his gap year, says, “Starting college right after high school wasn’t me. I wanted to be free and travel before hitting the books again.” Foley and three of his friends who are also “taking off” have been to Hawaii, Alaska and are on their way to Asia. On his year off, Foley says he’s learned things he never would’ve learned in a classroom. After his gap year, he plans to attend Lehman College in Bronx, N.Y.

Work. Having a little cash is always a good thing. So why not earn some money during your break? That’s what Jason Lewis did. “I didn’t want to have to quit school because of finances, so I took off a year and got a job.” Not only did Lewis work to save money, he also worked toward his future. “I worked at a crisis intervention center,” says the psychology major at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. “The experience will look good on my résumé.”

Find yourself. Who says you have to do something college-related? Take gymnastics lessons, learn to ski—heck, even go bungee jumping. Taking time off before going to college is all about learning more about yourself and your interests. Who knows—maybe that wacky thing you try will be the path to your career!

Benefits of the gap
Did you know that, on average, college students change their majors as many as three times? If you’re unsure about what you want to do, a break from school can give you time to discover yourself and find out what interests you.

For Monica Wilson, a sophomore at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., the greatest advantage of her time off was building self-esteem. “I didn’t know anyone, so I was willing to try things I would’ve been afraid to do at home. Because I wasn’t afraid of failing, I learned a lot of good things about myself,” she says.

Others say growth and maturity are the big plusses. Tony Hardwicke, a junior at Grambling State University in Grambling, La., who took a gap year three years ago, says, “When I returned to school, I felt much older than my peers. While they were partying and having a good time, I was more interested in my studies. It’s like taking that year off made me want to learn more.”

Is a gap year for you?
Even though everyone should consider taking a break after high school, there are a few signs that you’re a prime candidate for a gap year. If any of the following sound like you, maybe you should look into taking a year off.
You don’t know what you want to do in life.
You think you may have financial problems once you start college.
You feel burnt out.
You’re not sure you really want to go to a particular college or if you should go to college at all.

Ultimately, the decision is up to you. But it’s definitely an option worth considering. This may be summed up best in the remarks of Harvard’s dean of admissions: “The testimony from people who have done this [taking a year off] is extraordinary. It permeates the entire way they think about using university.”

Finding gap year info
If you’re considering or planning a gap year, the admissions counselor at the college you hope to attend can help you with information on deferring entrance. Here are a few other things you can check out.
www.takingoff.net- A service for students who are taking time off from the traditional classroom to pursue experiential learning.
www.gapwork.com -Gapwork gives information on jobs abroad, gap years, summer work, UK gap years and overseas voluntary work.

Books
Taking Time Off, 2nd Ed. by Ron Lieber & Colin Hall (Princeton Review, 2003).

Lonely Planet Gap Year Book by Charlotte Hindle, et al (Lonely Planet, 2003).

Taking a Gap Year, 3rd Ed. by Susan Griffith (Globe Pequot Press, 2003).

Misconceptions Busted!
There are many misconceptions about gap years and the students who take them.

Misconception: The gapper will never return to school.
Reality: After completing a gap year, most students have a clearer vision of what career path they want to follow. Some students will choose not to attend college, which may be the best decision for them.

Misconception: You’ll forget how to study.
Reality: Being away from school for just one year will not cause you to forget how to study. Taking time off can lead to more focus and a renewed interest in learning.

Misconception: A gap year is just a way to avoid real life.
Reality: Actually, the opposite is true. Gappers usually travel without their parents, volunteer or work to support themselves. So not only are gappers exploring themselves and the world, they’re gaining life skills as well.