Affordable Gap year ideas for modest income families?

[Anonymous]

I've done a lot of searches on this topic but most of what comes up are ideas for COVID-related gap year/virtual programs and that's not what we are looking for!
Anyone have some resources or ideas for gap year plans for families who need financial aid just to afford college? Besides just living at home and working, which is a possibility.
We can't afford the fancy gap year programs.

[Anonymous]

Americorps or City Year

[Anonymous]

Wwoofing

[Anonymous]

Au pair

[Anonymous]

Don't do a program.

They get a job and work from home and save the money from that job for half the year. During this time, they can visit friends at nearby colleges on the weekend, take classes (not even necessarily academic classes -- take a dance class, a painting class, whatever), and also do regular family dinners plus contribute at home. Job does not need to be full time and doesn't need to be drudgery -- point is to make some money and be productive, but they don't need to support themselves.

For second half of year -- some travel, including some time abroad if they are interested and the money works. Also some free time and relaxation, maybe a family vacation that coincides with your schedules, maybe a personal project related to their interests.

The point is to tailor it to what they want and need. Do they need a break? Amp up down time and non-academic matters. Are they itching to travel? Take a language class and then travel to a country where that language is spoken. Is this a time to figure out what they want to do? Focus on maybe an internship in an interest area, visiting friends at different schools to get a feel for it, etc.

Those gap year programs are for bored rich kids who have to have everything planned for them and aren't creative. Even if you were wealthy, I'd suggest having your kid do something like I outline above, but sub in volunteer work instead of working for pay, because the point of a gap year is personal growth and taking a breath between academic endeavors. It's not about a ready-made packaged program. That's what college is!

[Anonymous]

What is the young person interested and do they have particular skills they want to build?

[Anonymous]

Work construction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Work construction.

+1 or landscaping, or waitressing. Good cash and work ethic is required.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wwoofing

+1 or Americorps depending on interests.

[Anonymous]

Explore a career field they might be interested in by getting a very basic job in that field. There are lots and lots of low paying bottom level positions available in the DC area.

I would stay away from food service / restaurant work unless they are leaning that way for a career--lots of bad habits can be formed that won't help them in college, but they can make more money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Explore a career field they might be interested in by getting a very basic job in that field. There are lots and lots of low paying bottom level positions available in the DC area.

I would stay away from food service / restaurant work unless they are leaning that way for a career--lots of bad habits can be formed that won't help them in college, but they can make more money.

Oh boy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Explore a career field they might be interested in by getting a very basic job in that field. There are lots and lots of low paying bottom level positions available in the DC area.

I would stay away from food service / restaurant work unless they are leaning that way for a career--lots of bad habits can be formed that won't help them in college, but they can make more money.

most entry level white collar jobs require some kind of a degree

[Anonymous]

My dd fashioned her own gap year and the basic guidance I gave her was it needed to be safe and it needed to be cheap. It was both of things and she had a great time. Check out WWOOF and Workaway For all kinds of interesting opportunities both domestic and international. These are essentially situations where you trade labor for room and board but what’s nice is they have reviews so you can base a decision on more than just the description on the website. You can also look for opportunities that are intended to be short or long depending on your preference and interest. My DD’s year was a combination of work exchange she set up through these two organizations, a paid job doing something she had always wanted to try (line cook), and some backpacking and road tripping with a few other kids who were gapping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't do a program.

They get a job and work from home and save the money from that job for half the year. During this time, they can visit friends at nearby colleges on the weekend, take classes (not even necessarily academic classes -- take a dance class, a painting class, whatever), and also do regular family dinners plus contribute at home. Job does not need to be full time and doesn't need to be drudgery -- point is to make some money and be productive, but they don't need to support themselves.

For second half of year -- some travel, including some time abroad if they are interested and the money works. Also some free time and relaxation, maybe a family vacation that coincides with your schedules, maybe a personal project related to their interests.

The point is to tailor it to what they want and need. Do they need a break? Amp up down time and non-academic matters. Are they itching to travel? Take a language class and then travel to a country where that language is spoken. Is this a time to figure out what they want to do? Focus on maybe an internship in an interest area, visiting friends at different schools to get a feel for it, etc.

Those gap year programs are for bored rich kids who have to have everything planned for them and aren't creative. Even if you were wealthy, I'd suggest having your kid do something like I outline above, but sub in volunteer work instead of working for pay, because the point of a gap year is personal growth and taking a breath between academic endeavors. It's not about a ready-made packaged program. That's what college is!

Taking random classes for fun and traveling abroad IS a rich kid’s gap year.

[Anonymous]

Gap year - community college or job. Gap Year's are absurd.