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What is a Gap Year?
What is a Gap Year?
A gap year is a semester or year of experiential learning, typically taken after high school or prior to career or post-secondary education, in order to deepen one's practical, professional, and personal awareness. Many students take a gap year for many reasons before starting college. No two gap years are alike: Intentionality, deliberately expanding one's comfort zones, having a cross-cultural experience, and reflecting on your experiences are critical components to a quality gap year.
Top 3 reasons students take a gap year after graduating high school:
1) Gain life experience and personal growth
2) Travel, see the world, experience other cultures
3) Take a break form traditional academic track
Impacts of a Gap Year
Impacts of a Gap Year
According to the Gap Year Association, 98% of students reported that their gap year helped them develop as a person. There are many other self-reported gap year outcomes as reported on the graphic.
Students that took a gap year were more likely to graduate with higher grade point averages than observationally identical individuals who went straight to college.
For most students, gap year experiences have an impact on their choice of academic major and career- either setting them on a different path than before a gap year or confirming their direction.
Gap year students are perceived to be more mature, self-reliant, and independent than non-gap year students.
Taking a one year break between high school and college allows motivation for and interest in school to be renewed.
Source: Gap Year Association
Gap Year Guidance
Gap Year Guidance
Most gap year activities fall under these four categories. This can help you organize and prioritize possible activities.
1) Career Exploration - to understand what your interests / intended major looks like in the real world.
2) Service/Volunteering - to emphasize empathy and interdependence of us all.
3) Paid Work - for increased ownership of your gap year and financial literacy.
4) Free Radical - allow some space to explore the unknown.
Use the guide to assist in planning your own gap year.
Planning_Your_Gap_Year.pdfPage updated
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