Gap year how does it work

Many colleges and universities support students taking a gap year. It provided insights on time off amid pressures that students face to get in the right school, the right job, etc. Do you feel like switching to another career? Are you satisfied with your current job? These matters need introspection and maybe someplace conducive to think hard about what you want.

Taking the time to find personal growth and explore prospects has produced positive results, as the survey above showed. A gap year can be that much-needed downtime from a hectic life. Seeing the world presents many opportunities to learn about people and their quirks.

Learning a foreign language, editing videos, organising events, making presentations, taking pictures, budgeting, cooking, changing tires, and washing clothes are some of the many skills you can pick up during this immersive break.

It can be a journey of self-discovery, where motivation, discipline, flexibility, tenacity, resourcefulness, determination, and even survival skills are developed. Your experience and skills will look good on your resume too. Burn-out results from chronic workplace stress and is classified as an occupational phenomenon by the World Health Organization.

If you are feeling this way, think of taking a year off from deadlines and productivity thresholds. You can go on adventures, do odd jobs, and best of all, spend time away from your computer. Also, consider a gap year as a preventive measure to burn out. Embarking on a gap year is like working toward your future, where and who you want to be. Be the first one to hear our global opportunities, latest news and updates. Get Blog Updates. What Is a Gap Year It is time away from school or work.

Filling in the Gaps How much does it cost? By using our site you agree to our use of cookies. Read our Cookie Policy for details. Choose Experience. Online Programs. Interested in a Gap Year? Start Your Search. Expedited apostille services. Reduce the stress and time involved. Back to top. Fruitful can mean seeing incredible, life-changing sights! Is a gap year a good idea? What do you want to achieve on a gap year?

How gap years work Basically, gap years work how you want them to work. To do this, ask yourself some high-level questions, such as: Why do you want to take a gap year? Where will you go? How will you pay for it? How are you going to make the most of your time? Where will you live? Take the next step! Decide when the right time is During high school?

The location you choose for a gap year can shape your whole experience. Choose where to go While you can go anywhere you choose, some countries are friendlier to gap year travel than others.

Browse programs If you are super confident and happy to buy tickets wherever you heart desires, then you can go it alone. Set goals A gap year could become a wasted year if you have no idea what you want to get out of it.

Get your gear Go hands-free on your gap year with a trusty backpack. Apply for your visa and book your flight Remember, you cannot just turn up in some places on a whim. Recommended Destinations. Find More Programs. Related Articles. Moreover, financial aid could shift. Scholarships or grants offered by the institution or a third party may or may not carry over, depending on availability.

Of course, applying to college is just half of the process. She goes on to say students should extensively research all their options and the different programs they are considering.

How do the programs set themselves apart from the rest? Students should also speak with program alumni and program directors. All gap year programs will be happy to talk about their programs, walk you through itineraries, explain the admissions process and support you through the decision process.

Once you're accepted to a program, you'll receive much more information about next steps and how to prepare. Program staff are always available to help you navigate this next step, but you should also do your own research online.

Nor have I ever had a client who failed to transition to college successfully after completion of a gap year. Some students decide to apply to college after a gap year rather than defer. Mauler points out this may be a good option for students who either lack the grades and test scores or simply started the college application process too late in the year. Waiting until after the gap year can help these students put together a more compelling application.

Below, Mauler and Miller offer tips for students who plan to wait until after their gap year is over to apply to college. Know the college requirements and deadlines and start working on college applications at least three months in advance of those deadlines.

Set aside dedicated study time each week or work with a test prep company to make sure you go into that test fully prepared.

A strong test score can indicate your potential and ability in cases where your transcripts are lackluster. Mauler: Request recommendations before you graduate high school. You can always set up a Common App account now, invite your recommenders to submit a letter through the system, and roll over your account to the following year when you are ready to submit applications.

Miller: If you participated in a gap year program or if you interned or worked, get letters of rec from program leaders or employers. They'll have amazing insights into your recent experiences and can highlight aspects of growth such as responsibility, maturity, leadership and commitment.

Mauler: It can be difficult to get transcripts sent after you have graduated from high school, especially if they are sent electronically through a software system like Naviance, which is only accessible to current students. Meet with your counselor, discuss your gap year plan and make arrangements to ensure your transcripts will be sent on time. Mauler: In addition to your personal statement, be sure to also write the optional essay to detail why you decided to take a gap year, how you grew through the experience and what new skills or talents you have acquired that you will bring to your future college.

In fact, I advise students in this situation to write the outline of this essay before they embark on their gap year because it can be used as a roadmap to ensure they are meeting the goals they set out to achieve. Highlight your areas of interest, and what you'd like to focus on. Be as specific as possible. This will again distinguish you as someone who is dedicated, self-directed and ready to take advantage of the academic setting.

The best gap year program will really depend on your personal goals. Take your pick between service, travel, learning and self-discovery. Below are 10 programs that highlight the diversity of gap year experiences. Aardvark Israel. For Jewish students who have completed high school, Aardvark runs nine-month programs split between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Students live like locals, volunteer or intern with local businesses and community organizations in the morning, and take college-level courses from the American Jewish University in the afternoon. These include Hebrew and other Israel-related topics. Participants can add the Selah Program to study Judaism more closely.

Art History Abroad. Lovers of the Italian renaissance can get their fill of paintings, sculpture and architecture via these four- to six-week programs. The art courses start four times throughout the year and take participants around Rome, Venice and other major art-producing towns. Students who want a longer time away can take the semester course, which adds time in London, Paris, southern France and Tuscany.

Camps International. Camps runs volunteer-centered programs — everything from two-week excursions to Ecuador to four-plus month trips that span Central and South America. Not to mention retreats to Kenya and Southeast Asia. Volunteer projects focus on improving community infrastructure often schools and protecting shared resources. Carpe Diem. The three-month excursions, which combine service and cultural exchange with a bit of travel, are led by overseas educators who speak the language and know the terrain.

Participants can get credit through Portland State University. The Gap NZ. The program splits into four stages: learning, exploration, self-direction and reflection. In short, after some group bonding, the group plans its own journey via service learning. The training, which seeks to expand creativity, self-awareness and harmony with nature, lasts for four to six months and is nonresidential.