Anonymous wrote:DH has a friend who went to a fancy prep school and got into Harvard after a gap year.
OP I would only do the gap if the fancy school absolutely positively guaranteed admission in a year.

Yep, these are the President's/Dean's interest kids- but they only have so many spots a year they can use for this so some have to take a gap year. Those are usually the ones with either lower stats, so the Gap year means their data isn't reported, or they are lower down on the totem pole and got bumped by someone whose parents are higher status than theirs.

Sure.Why not ? Spending a year working at the Gap will give your kid valuable retail experience.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it meant getting into HYPSM. Assume the non-gap option is a state flagship, and money is not an option. This is not hypothetical, and I can respect and understand if many would require more information in order to answer - but I am not providing any more info as I will doxx my kid.

I will bite, so this is a kid with rich/famous family but perhaps not the best stats who has been offered a spot at a HYPSM if they delay their start until the following fall (for those who don't know that is one of the ways these schools handle celebs/donor kids). I'd say take it, so long as they will be able to do the work. There are great gap year programs, just send to Patagonia to volunteer or the Island School to learn to sail for their gap year. . . .

finally a non-moronic answer - sigh..

You have a nasty attitude OP.

DH has a friend who went to a fancy prep school and got into Harvard after a gap year.
OP I would only do the gap if the fancy school absolutely positively guaranteed admission in a year.

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I think gap years can be very valuable re of what college kid ends up at.

re means regarding not regardless.

Yes. I think gap years can be very valuable re of what college kid ends up at.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it meant getting into HYPSM. Assume the non-gap option is a state flagship, and money is not an option. This is not hypothetical, and I can respect and understand if many would require more information in order to answer - but I am not providing any more info as I will doxx my kid.

I will bite, so this is a kid with rich/famous family but perhaps not the best stats who has been offered a spot at a HYPSM if they delay their start until the following fall (for those who don't know that is one of the ways these schools handle celebs/donor kids). I'd say take it, so long as they will be able to do the work. There are great gap year programs, just send to Patagonia to volunteer or the Island School to learn to sail for their gap year. . . .

finally a non-moronic answer - sigh..

Anonymous wrote:it meant getting into HYPSM. Assume the non-gap option is a state flagship, and money is not an option. This is not hypothetical, and I can respect and understand if many would require more information in order to answer - but I am not providing any more info as I will doxx my kid.

I will bite, so this is a kid with rich/famous family but perhaps not the best stats who has been offered a spot at a HYPSM if they delay their start until the following fall (for those who don't know that is one of the ways these schools handle celebs/donor kids). I'd say take it, so long as they will be able to do the work. There are great gap year programs, just send to Patagonia to volunteer or the Island School to learn to sail for their gap year. . . .

Sorry, I cannot imagine any guaranteed admission to next year's freshman class, unless perhaps it's for a sports team, in which case I would balk, because managing a demanding courseload plus athletics is going to be grueling, so it would have to be a very physically healthy, mentally strong kid indeed.

And the 4 universities you cited are very different from each other. If one of them has extended an offer, does your kid love this school, and do they want to go?

With such non-info, the replies will be a garbage in, garbage out situation. Not helpful for you, OP.

No

Depends on the kid. Is the HYPM a good fit? Will they be happy there? Or are they only going for the prestige and networking? Is that the environment where they are going to find their people?

Yes. I'm not providing any more information either.

“money is not an issue” not “money is not an option”

it meant getting into HYPSM. Assume the non-gap option is a state flagship, and money is not an option. This is not hypothetical, and I can respect and understand if many would require more information in order to answer - but I am not providing any more info as I will doxx my kid.