Gap years can look good on applications

Q: I have heard that gap years are becoming more popular. Are there different types?

A: Gap years (a term generally used to describe a structured program the year after high school and before college) are definitely gaining in popularity among American students. Although the office of admission at Harvard University has encouraged its admitted freshmen to take a gap year for many years now, no elite institution of higher learning has formally created a gap year program for its admitted freshmen - until now.

Princeton University announced that it is planning to put together a "program to send a tenth or more of its newly admitted students to a year of social service work in a foreign country before they set foot on campus as freshmen," according to a recent New York Times article. Princeton hopes to begin the program in 2009.

Princeton's president, Shirley M. Tilghman, echoing the sentiments of many proponents of taking a gap year, said in the article that "such a program would give students a more international perspective, add to their maturity and give them a break from academic pressures."

However, Princeton's proposed program only highlights one type of student that can be helped by taking a gap year - the highly motivated student that has already been accepted to college. Another type of student for whom a gap year can be very advantageous can be someone who struggled in high school and may need a break before applying to college. These students, with a well-planned and -executed gap year, may find their true calling and determine exactly what they're looking for in a college and academic program.

There are a few agencies that will help to match students with an appropriate gap year opportunity. One of the oldest (founded 1980) and most well-respected is the Center for Interim Programs. According to its founder and president, Cornelius Bull, many students "through structured risk-taking, become more independent and self-reliant. Many regain self-esteem and self-confidence that the SATs and a grade-oriented academic system can undermine. Time away from the traditional classroom often rekindles their interest in formal academics."

Another good gap year company is the Dynamy Internship Year. A Dynamy Internship Year "combines internships, independent living, individual advising, and an Outward Bound experience into a nine-month exploration of your skills, ambitions, and the world around you."

If you think taking a gap year might be the right step for you, I would recommend meeting with a college counselor to find out more information so that you can make a well-informed decision. This advice applies equally to high-achieving students, struggling students and those in-between who want to mature more before starting their higher education.

http://www.paloaltodailynews.com/article/2008-3-1-katz
Reprinted by permission, Palo Alto Daily News. Jason Katz ©3.01.2008 All rights reserved. This article may be printed for your personal use, but may not be reprinted in whole or in part in any publication or website without permission. www.jkatzcollegecounseling.com