Check out Americorps! National Service and an award for your college education!
I had the opportunity the other day to visit with one of my former students who did a “gap year” after high school. What is a gap year? It is a year between high school and college during which a student travels, does volunteer work, does an internship, or works. The gap year is very common in Great Britain and in Europe, but much less common in the United States. It is, however, gaining greater popularity here, and for good reason. It has many benefits.
Who benefits? Students who are burned out from years of scheduled activity, summer camps, tutoring and Advanced Placement classes. Since one goes through the college application and acceptance process and then defers from the college of choice (delaying entrance for one year) taking a year off can be very beneficial. It can recharge a student’s batteries, give them perspective, and give them time to breathe. For the student who needs financial aid it is a great way to earn an education award while giving service. Americorps (a domestic Peace Corps, more or less) gives an education award of almost 5,000 for each year of college up to 4 years (close to 20,000.00!), and some colleges match the award! A gap year is also good for a student who needs time to mature or one who is just not quite ready for college. A year of work or service will usually make a student quite eager to attend college, and a student who is eager to go to college has a much better chance of success.
I met with a former student who just returned from almost a year of service with Americorps. The experience was not entirely enjoyable, but it made a big difference in her life. Living on her own and working gave her a completely different perspective on independence, and on the value of an education. She had an opportunity to live in a very different environment and to travel in a part of the USA she had never been before. Her job exposed her to people with lives unfamiliar to her. Living with fellow volunteers was challenging, but again, a learning experience. I found her more mature, more focused, and more self-aware than she had been a year ago. She is tremendously excited about starting college in the fall, and I believe she is now ready to do it.
Do not be afraid to consider a gap year. The student accepts their spot at the college they choose before they advise the school they wish to defer for a year. 99% of schools encourage students to do a gap year if the year will be spent in service, educational pursuits, or meaningful work. Many parents fear that if their student does not go to college right away they will not go, but studies show that is far from the truth. A gap year generally makes a student more enthusiastic about college. Look into it!
