Taking a Gap Year during College

Taking a gap year while in college is okay.  In fact, it is more normalized than most people realize.  No matter if you are rounding on your Freshmen year, or are pulling a Van Wilder, enrolling in a gap year program is available to you.  If you are burning out in college, feeling less motivated, and just needing to breath – participating in a gap year program could be the ticket you need.  A mid-college gap year experience could truly be the re-energizing opportunity providing an opportunity for self-exploration that a young adult may need.

Benefits of Taking a Gap Year During College

Why could this be beneficial?  First, it could be cheaper than one semester on-campus.  In addition to that, your young adult could still potentially be earning college credits while participating in their gap year experience.  Secondly, most young people who participate in a gap year experience walk away with a clear vision on their academic or career goals.  This is important to highlight, especially if they were struggling on campus with this exact issue prior to enrolling in their gap year program.  And lastly, it really allows your young adult to reflect on their experiences up until this point. Without pause and reflection, they may not see the forest from the trees.  In this case, a lot of college students lose sight on why they enrolled in college to begin with.  By stepping away, when they return not only with them be re-engaged, but they will also be recharged and excited.  You can’t argue against an opportunity that would facilitate this resurgence.

Certainly, those high-level takeaways may be the same across programs, but you need know that not all programs are alike.  Some categories that distinguish one program from another include: average age, national or international destinations, option to earn college credit, language immersion, global stewardship, cost, and duration, just to name a few.  Truly no programs can compare.  Navigating where to go, what to do, and when to enroll can present as an arduous process.  Make it less overwhelming by hiring a Gap Year Consultant to help you.

Returning to College After a Gap Year

After participating in a gap year experience, some students may have different outcomes.  They may return to their original institution, or they may consider transferring.  Regardless of what they do, you will want to encourage them to have a plan.  Good news though, chances are because of their increased self-efficacy and self-advocacy from participating in a gap year experience, they will already have a plan and not need coaching.  Do not fret if they decide to transfer.  At the end of it all, a diploma will only show the name of the university from which you completed your degree, not where all your credits came from. 

Taking a break from college is okay.  But not having a plan is setting oneself up for failure. Know that returning to your childhood home to recharge will not have the same end results as participating in a gap year experience.  This is the opportunity of a lifetime!  If you struggled with the switch to virtual learning in Spring 2020 and fear that it will remain virtual for the Fall, do not muddle through.  Hit pause on college and hit play for a gap year experience.

For questions or comments contact Joanna.