John Locke Institute

Palworld

Back in my day, you could go to various countries (Japan comes to mind) and teach English for a year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Realize he may never end up going to college after the gap year. It is hard to go from making money, as you said he wants to do, to being a full time student. I think gap years work for kids who are purposeful and have a concrete plan for what happens next. Honestly, I’d encourage him to at least go to community college to keep his head in the game.

If you defer your acceptance, I don’t think you can attend college at all during the gap year (even community college). You lose your spot at your university. Someone correct me if this has changed in recent years!

You can’t be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at another school, but you can take classes.

My step-son is of a similar temperament and in a similar predicament. He just kind of rolls through life with this "blah" attitude. No passions, no interests. Definitely immature for his age in terms of responsibility.

Recently started getting on him about his grades, future and options after high school and we have seen a complete 180.

While bio-mom and step-dad don't see the urgency and are prepared to house him in their basement through their own retirement, we know that it's best to push him now and be the bad guy if we have to.

We don't feel a gap year is any more or less productive than taking general education credits during his first year anyways.

I understand your concerns and desire to give him room to explore, sometimes you just need to live life trial by fire.

Anonymous wrote:play fortnite

you post this every two weeks?

play fortnite

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not encourage that and help him find a good school fit as he may never want to go after a year out.

I agree. I think gap years can work for kids who are focused on using that time to prepare for a near-future college endeavor, with a defined end date and plan for that gap “year”. I honestly don’t know of any person that had a successful gap year. The ones I know ended up being bums and dropouts, and in some cases became drug addicts.

Otherwise this just sounds like a bullsh#t term used by parents who don’t want their friends and family to know that their kid just doesn’t want to go to college.

Both my kids did gap years, but we are german so it’s definitely normal and no BS. maybe American children due to other helicopter parents are too immature and emotionally underdeveloped to do a gap year?

Many of us aren't rich enough to pay for health care if they are not in school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not encourage that and help him find a good school fit as he may never want to go after a year out.

I agree. I think gap years can work for kids who are focused on using that time to prepare for a near-future college endeavor, with a defined end date and plan for that gap “year”. I honestly don’t know of any person that had a successful gap year. The ones I know ended up being bums and dropouts, and in some cases became drug addicts.

Otherwise this just sounds like a bullsh#t term used by parents who don’t want their friends and family to know that their kid just doesn’t want to go to college.

Both my kids did gap years, but we are german so it’s definitely normal and no BS. maybe American children due to other helicopter parents are too immature and emotionally underdeveloped to do a gap year?

Cousin worked at club med for a year.

play fortnite

I haven’t read the whole thread, but your child should apply to college, get an acceptance and THEN delay fall admission in order to do a Gap Year.

That’s now Gap years work.

Otherwise it’s just called not going to college and working.

Check out GapYear Solutions - company that helps you design one

Consider looking into Maryland service year program. https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/10/27/maryland-launches-nations-first-state-backed-service-year-program/

Anonymous wrote:What about a JOB???

This. A kid who doesn't want to go to college now and isn't ready to (OP's description) shouldn't be forced to go. Not even to a CC class or two (which he'd probably fail). And he shouldn't be applying to colleges now with the fingers crossed that he'll mature enough to benefit from the experience following a gap year. Gap years can be great for kids who are academically ready for and interested in college but just need a break. Or for kids who are academically ready for college and want to go but are socially/emotionally young. But a kid who isn't ready and doesn't want to go should instead be focused on figuring out how to make a living after graduating from HS. That's not a failure, that's meeting him where he is. A year or three down the road, he might well be ready for and excited about college. Great, that would be the time to go, not now. If he wants to be a very strong candidate down the road for schools he couldn't even sniff today, he should enlist (and register for the GI Bill). Not for everyone, to be sure, but it can offer just the time and experience that some kids need at that age to set them up to thrive in college. Good luck!