Anonymous wrote:Fully funded scholarship to study foreign language abroad at a foreign university.
Enrolled at UVA after that.

That isn’t really a gap year. That’s a year studying abroad.

Anonymous wrote:Adding on to my post, I was a 4.0 student with all honors and AP in HS but not a strong student. Never studied at home. Things just came easy and I have strong memory and recall skills.

You, the marine?

Adding on to my post, I was a 4.0 student with all honors and AP in HS but not a strong student. Never studied at home. Things just came easy and I have strong memory and recall skills.

I took a gap year after HS. Not for any real reasons. Mainly just wanted to do drugs for a year. I then had no formal assistance with the college application and selection process and hastily applied to a dozen schools with no visits and attended the one that awarded me the largest scholarship. Found out 10 minutes after arriving that it was a religious college with mandatory religion classes and school wide bible based assemblies in the basketball arena on Tuesday mornings. I dropped out after 2 months and joined the Marines. Best decision I ever made.

Oh geez, learning bell ringing in Europe. I can only imagine my dad’s reaction to that one 😝

Yes. First semester worked an ordinary job and took a cc class. Then second semester did a program with other gap year kids. Plus summer jobs and set some personal goals (reading, fitness).

Maybe more important: exhaled a bit, and in the exhale was able to think a little more deeply about who they were, what they wanted out of college, maybe life.

Was great. A real gift of time, experience, self-reflection.

One of my kids volunteers with a rescue squad and is hoping to take a gap year to become a paramedic with the goal of continuing to volunteer at that level.

I have no idea if this would work.

Anonymous wrote:Fully funded scholarship to study foreign language abroad at a foreign university.
Enrolled at UVA after that.

Were they considered a transfer student, or did they not try to keep the credits earned at the university abroad?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fully funded scholarship to study foreign language abroad at a foreign university.
Enrolled at UVA after that.

What is the scholarship?

M&D Scholarship (aka Mom&Dad Scholarship)

Anonymous wrote:Fully funded scholarship to study foreign language abroad at a foreign university.
Enrolled at UVA after that.

And how was it enrolling in at UVA after that, academically and socially? They were entering with kids who graduated a year after them in HS.

Anonymous wrote:Fully funded scholarship to study foreign language abroad at a foreign university.
Enrolled at UVA after that.

What is the scholarship?

Joined the national guard, completed basic and job school during the gap year and saved money. Finished 4yr degree program on-time with no debt. Visited family every drill weekend. Completed his 4 year one weekend per month and final 4 years subject to recall. Has veterans benefits such as low interest rate VA loans.

Fully funded scholarship to study foreign language abroad at a foreign university.
Enrolled at UVA after that.

No. But, I know kids who did things ranging from studying photography and learning bell ringing in Europe to working to save money to volunteering in foreign countries to going to a prep school before applying to college.

Did your kid take a gap year? What did they do during the gap year? And after?