Anonymous wrote:Our senior has struggled a bit through high school and has some learning differences. He does not seem interested in college at this point, and honestly, he is not ready. Our hope is to have him enroll in a couple classes at community college, but an alternative would be to have him do some sort of gap year. I think he still needs to "find himself" and discover something he is passionate about. He seems open to a gap year, but he currently has a part-time job and wants to continue to be able to make money. Are there any gap year programs where the kid can earn money? I'd rather not have a gap year where he is just working because I think he would benefit from being away from home and distractions here.

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?

Anonymous wrote:I’m from the UK where gap years are very common. I appreciate it is very different here but it is common in the UK for kids to either get a job for say 6 months to save money and then use the money to travel for the remainder, or to go work and travel somewhere else (e.g. in Australia or Thailand or somewhere with a lot of travelers). Some kids also do gap year programs which usually involve a combination of volunteering, working or studying. Some of these are expensive but others are not.

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.

Wow, this surprises me. I know MANY people who had really successful gap years, myself included and it was a year & a half! Went to a highly ranked SLAC in New England, graduated in 3;5 yrs, went on to a masters program after that and work at an international organization. My gap year shaped my life in amazing ways.

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.

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.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m from the UK where gap years are very common. I appreciate it is very different here but it is common in the UK for kids to either get a job for say 6 months to save money and then use the money to travel for the remainder, or to go work and travel somewhere else (e.g. in Australia or Thailand or somewhere with a lot of travelers). Some kids also do gap year programs which usually involve a combination of volunteering, working or studying. Some of these are expensive but others are not.

What this sounds like to me is gap year is for rich kids from wealthy families who have money to blow (waste on non-productive adults), and these kids travel for 6-12 months to basically party, smoke weed and sleep with people in other countries. That is my takeaway.

No thank you, my kid is not interested.

This seems like a very American perspective. While kids from affluent backgrounds certainly partake, I know many middle class European and British kids who are entirely self-funded. These kids grow up much more independent than Americans, and interailing and hostelling can be extremely affordable for kids who plan ahead. Travel within Europe is much more affordable than Americans might be used to, and trips to SE Asia and even Australia can also be done on a budget. American kids are much more likely to do a structured program like Where There Be Dragons or NOLS and nobody bats an eye, but maybe just accept that kids the same age as yours can plan affordable gap year adventures. Have a nice day!

Anonymous wrote:DP. We have a kid with a blah attitude towards homework and grades but definitely wants to go to college, that too a large public, and has gotten into a few Publics.

We would like him to take a gap year or at least consider a private uni. but he wants the party/football experience.

What would y'all recommend?

Anonymous wrote: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.