Game Plans for Gap Years
You’re thinking about taking a “gap” year between now and the start of college — but you’re worried about how that may look on your application for admission down the road.
Done right, a gap year can be a transformational experience that actually helps your college admission prospects. Here’s what you need to know:
You Need to Make Deliberate Choices About Your Time
A well-designed, fruitful gap year doesn’t happen without planning — and the last thing you want to explain to a college admissions board is that you spent the year just hanging out and relaxing. That won’t do anything to enhance your college application.
Consider, however, what your gap year might look like to an admissions officer if, during your gap year, you:
- Wrote your first book and learned how to self-publish and promote it
- Completed a series of paintings and held your first art show
- Took a coding class, designed and launched your first app
- Spent time abroad to fully immerse yourself in a different culture and language
- Took an internship in the field you intend to study for real-life experience
- Dedicated yourself to volunteer labor that helped an underserved community
All of these are life-enriching experiences that emphasize self-discovery, and all of them look great on your application for college.
Do Your Research and Consider the Financial Demands of Your Goal
Once your goals for your gap year come into focus, you need to address practical concerns. Try to map out your plan so that you have a rough timeline to follow (otherwise, it’s far too easy to get lost in the moment and completely off-track).
Any good gap year game plan has to take your financial means into consideration. If money is an issue, you can look into financial aid and scholarships for your gap year — or you can start looking for a part-time job now that will allow you to finance your goal.
You also need to research your plan. There are tons of videos, articles and online programs designed to help people structure their gap year in constructive ways. The more you put into your research now, the less difficulty you’ll have in the future making your gap year productive.
Don’t Forget the Value Your Gap Year Brings to the Admissions Process
Finally, consider another benefit your gap can bring once it is time to apply to college: You may have some excellent, unique material for your application essay.
The competition for admission to top-tier universities has become increasingly fierce, so admissions boards are increasingly looking beyond test scores and grades to decide who gets a slot in the next class. If you parlay your gap year into an incredible essay, you can set yourself apart from the pack.
Figuring out a direction for your gap year isn’t always easy, especially if you have tons of curiosity and a broad aptitude for learning new things, so take some time to ask yourself what you really want to do. After all, if you’re going to trade a year of your life for something, it’s wise to have some clear goals.
