A semester or year of experiential learning, typically taken after high school and prior to career or post-secondary education, in order to deepen one’s practical, professional, and personal awareness.
Interested in learning more about what it takes to the most of your Gap Year? Register for this workshop sponsored by Walt Whitman HS and learn from MCPS alumni and students! The online workshop is January 29, 2026 at 7 p.m. Registration Link
Providing clarity and purpose, the student will have a better grasp on what they want to study.
Improve earning and business potential with a global background that is tested in the workplace.
Improving academic outcomes such as GPA, time-to-graduation, and leadership.
According to the National Alumni Survey, 90% of gap year students go on to enroll in a four-year institution within one-year of completing their gap year. Studies have shown that taking a gap year not only are tied to increases in college GPAs, but more significantly tied to improved job satisfaction.