Gap year

[Anonymous]

Gap years are not a new thing...I'm 45+ and had several friends who took gap years between high school and college. The reasons varied from needing to be more financially secure (work to save money), needing a break from a stressful high school time to feeling the need to mature before heading out. There is nothing wrong with it and the idea that kids will "screw around for a year" is silly. For most kids it is a very beneficial year.

Also, in the case of Malia Obama hasn't anyone thought about the fact that maybe she would like to start college after her father is out of office? She might like to venture out on her own without the burden of the oval office. She's had it for a long time...give the girl break!

[Anonymous]

PP - also meant to mention that gap years are very common throughout many parts of the world and no one gasps in horror...I have many friends overseas (mostly Europe) whose kids chose to take a gap year and are doing just fine. And despite the misconception, they are not all from wealthy families.

[Anonymous]

There's a thread on this on the College Forum -- lots of interesting comments from folks with kids who have taken gap years. I know about a dozen kids who've done this in recent years, including my DS. I know of only one who regrets it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a thread on this on the College Forum -- lots of interesting comments from folks with kids who have taken gap years. I know about a dozen kids who've done this in recent years, including my DS. I know of only one who regrets it.

What's the regret about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a thread on this on the College Forum -- lots of interesting comments from folks with kids who have taken gap years. I know about a dozen kids who've done this in recent years, including my DS. I know of only one who regrets it.

What's the regret about?

This student did an expensive, pre-packaged travel program and hated it. The other kids we know, who set up their own gap years, really loved the experience. Some of the things they did: worked as an EMT, volunteered in schools, did ski patrol, volunteered in a theater, volunteered on a political campaign, worked as an au pair in France, interned in a public defender's office, hiked the Appalachian Trail, and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. To earn money, they worked in restaurants and grocery stores, baby sat, tutored, worked in a bike store, and taught spin classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd like my son to take a gap year. That is, of course, if he wants to. I'm not sure I can afford it, though. I didn't really know about a gap year while saving for college, so I feel a bit behind the 8 ball here.

For a lot of kids who aren't 100% sure about what they want to study, a gap year might really underscore what's important to them and give them more focus.

And yes, the additional year to mature is always helpful, IMO.

What would you plan to pay for?

I took a gap year -- in order to finance it, I got a job. And worked various jobs during the year, also. I think much of the value of this is in your kid having the experience of having to be self sufficient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I plan for my kids to do a gap year. I am more annoyed that COTUS is doing one, now prices will go up.

I also tell my kids they can graduate in more than 4 years.

what prices?

Agree. Who can afford to pay for more than 4 years of college these days?

[Anonymous]

About half my high school cohorts took a gap year. I only know of one who actually ended up going.

I imagine Obama will be an exception and go, but often normal people get caught up in life and never get back.

[Anonymous]

I'm hoping/planning for my DD to take a gap year. I don't think they're weird, our two friends from Scotland both did one--one as a foreign exchange student, one as an au pair. I went into undergrad thinking I wanted to be a Spanish teacher and by the time I was a junior and started student teaching I realized I really didn't want to teach. I thought maybe I could do something IR-related with my Spanish but after I studied abroad, also my junior year, I realized...nope, not for me either. And then had to figure out what I did want to do. I think if I had taken a gap year and gone somewhere to volunteer as an English teacher or teaching assistant or something, I would've realized all that a lot sooner. So I'm going to encourage DD to take a year to volunteer/intern/start a business/be an exchange student/work at a coffee shop while trying to be a starving artist...just get a little life experience before making big, expensive, time-intensive decisions about what to study.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Firstly, I push my kids to do what's good for THEM, not to do what other people do. Secondly, my DD is taking a gap year but

A. it's AFTER she graduated from college, and
B. she graduated from college young

That sounds suspiciously like she is going to spend a year unemployed. It's a gap year only if she has something lined up for the following year already. Not sure "start looking for a job next year" counts as a gap year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Firstly, I push my kids to do what's good for THEM, not to do what other people do. Secondly, my DD is taking a gap year but

A. it's AFTER she graduated from college, and
B. she graduated from college young

That sounds suspiciously like she is going to spend a year unemployed. It's a gap year only if she has something lined up for the following year already. Not sure "start looking for a job next year" counts as a gap year.

A gap year after college will just make it look like she had trouble finding a job.