Defer College for Therapeutic Gap Program

As a parent, if you are worried that your high school Senior is not ready for college due to mental health issues and the need for growth in areas around executive functioning (i.e. time management, emotion regulation, etc.) then this article is to for you. Good news: therapeutic gap programs exist! Bad news: it’s hard to find them on your own. You’ll want to seek out a Gap Consultant who specializes in knowing what programs exist, and to be able to assess which option is best for your child.

There are programs that are urban vs. rural. There are some that are international, and a lot that are in the US. There are some that offer college credit so parents can access 529 funds. There are some that are for specific populations, like young adults with Autism. Some that have rolling admissions vs. a cohort start date. Some are for 2 months, or others between 9-12 months. There’s a lot, and sometimes it’s hard to know what to pick. There are questions parents often ask when they are starting this search, and fortunately I created a FAQ’s page on this exact topic.

In the end, college isn’t going anywhere. If you’re already aware that your high school Senior really ought to take a year to grow up and continue to get support emotionally and mentally, then you are loving parent who clearly cares about the wellbeing of your child. Not that parents who send their students off to college don’t care, it’s just that you’ve got the foresight to understand that maybe not going off to college right away is the best plan. Kudos to you for starting this search!

For questions or comments contact Joanna.