I think the theory is it a break you can take to explore something new without having to explain a resume gap.

Exactly. Just check out the other thread where everyone is competing over what internships their college freshmen were able to land for the summer. Kids end up on a never-ending hamster wheel as they go through life: Need a good internship to get the next internship. Need the next internship to get a job when you graduate. Have to keep the GPA high. Can't take a semester abroad because your friends will all be doing things on campus without you. And on it goes...

Anonymous wrote:Is the theory gap year student party less once at college, therefore higher GPA?

No, I don't think that's the theory. I think the theory is it a break you can take to explore something new without having to explain a resume gap.

There was a significant percentage of Big 3 graduates last year that decided to do gap years even before they had to pick their colleges. Gap years offer a chance to mature, evaluate priorities, etc. They have always been quite popular in Europe.

Anonymous wrote:It's not always the immature kids who are taking gap years. They are also popular with some of the ultra high achievers, who want a breather from the high-stress academics and want to experience something different for a year.

This! The reason we are talking about it with our DC.

Anonymous wrote:PP is incorrect - the Harvard admission letter discusses that you can take a gap year. Their website advertises that they encourage ALL students to take a gap year.

https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/preparing-college/should-i-take-time

Pomona does the same. As do other schools.

No shame in a gap year, it's not a hidden signal that the student was not fully admitted in high school grad year.

No, the PP you mentioned is absolutely correct... there are students who are absolutely required to take a gap year by Harvard as a condition of being admitted. Other elite schools have a similar program. Please read this article: http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/4/3/the-legend-of-the-z-list/

Anonymous wrote:Some top colleges, like Harvard, offer students on the "bubble" (often kids of donors, athletic recruits, etc. who aren't quite at the academic level of the other admits) admission on the condition they take a gap year.

Some of these people might claim to be taking a gap year by "choice" or "it's trendy" but were really forced to as a condition of admission.

Yes, I have an extended family member who was admitted to Harvard within the last 10-15 years that way.

PP is incorrect - the Harvard admission letter discusses that you can take a gap year. Their website advertises that they encourage ALL students to take a gap year.

https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/preparing-college/should-i-take-time

Pomona does the same. As do other schools.

No shame in a gap year, it's not a hidden signal that the student was not fully admitted in high school grad year.

It's not always the immature kids who are taking gap years. They are also popular with some of the ultra high achievers, who want a breather from the high-stress academics and want to experience something different for a year.

Some top colleges, like Harvard, offer students on the "bubble" (often kids of donors, athletic recruits, etc. who aren't quite at the academic level of the other admits) admission on the condition they take a gap year.

Some of these people might claim to be taking a gap year by "choice" or "it's trendy" but were really forced to as a condition of admission.

Anonymous wrote:
Why is redshirting popular?

I think there's debate it actually works, as far as academics is concerned. For sports, sure, obvious benefits.

For a gap before undergrad there seems to be little debate. It's always a good idea. I don't see how an 18 year old is transformed in 12 months. If college partying and being a slacker interests you, it seems confronting it, and possibly getting it out of your system is the only way to overcome it and not be interested in it anymore.

Or maybe I'm missing the point of a gap year.

I don't know. We are "early admission to kindergarten" kind of people.

Anonymous wrote:Yes. $60k is a lot of money to waste on an immature kids who isn't ready to take on college.

Immature 18 year old becomes studious and above it all a year later ... because why? I'm a little skeptical is all.

Yes. $60k is a lot of money to waste on an immature kids who isn't ready to take on college.

Why is redshirting popular?

Is the theory gap year student party less once at college, therefore higher GPA?