Gap Year

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"Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind."

- Seneca the Younger, Roman orator

For Parents

If you're visiting this site, you are probably the parent of a child considering a gap year before or during their college career. The practice of taking a year off before college is commonplace in many parts of the world, most notably in Great Britain. In America, gap years are becoming increasingly popular for college-bound students. Recently, a Harvard admissions officer released an article about the benefits of time off before college, thus further popularizing the idea.

If your child expresses interest to you about taking a gap year, the best immediate course of action is to listen. Sit down with your child and ask them why they want to take a year off and what they hope to do with their year. You might be surprised by what they say. Parental support is key to a successful gap year, and being able to communicate effectively with your child will make the gap year planning much easier for you both.

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Benefits of a Gap Year

Cosider the benefits to your child if they take a gap year.

Independence & Self Reliance
Planning, budgeting and executing a gap year offers excellent opportunities for your child to gain good decision making skills while navigating the real world challenges associated with travel and independent living. Even if under the guidance of a program or a homestay, your child will arrive back from a gap year with confidence and maturity. Back to top.

Thirst for Knowledge
Gap year programs and opportunities are designed to pique the interest of young minds, allowing them to apply skills and knowledge in unique settings. Designing a gap year to provide several different types of these opportunities encourages your child to begin or return to college with a renewed eagerness for learning in the academic environment. Back to top.

World Perspective
As Mark Twain once put it, "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness." As the world grows increasingly smaller, it is becoming more and more important to appreciate the distinct languages and cultures that make our planet so wonderfully diverse. Gap year opportunities often include cultural immersion techniques such as homestays, language training and youth partnerships in order to take advantage of traveling in a foreign country. Back to top.

New Skills
Cooking over a makaa stove. Recognizing Sicilian Baroque architecture. Safely tranquilizing African lions for radiocollaring. These are all abilities one could acquire while on their gap year. Some are essential for future professions, others remarkable yet less vital, but all increase the depth of one's character and suggest an intimate relationship with other areas and cultures of the world. Back to top.

Maturation
The various experiences your child undergoes while on their gap year will have a lasting impact. Oftentimes, if a young person volunteers in an underprivileged area, whether domestic or abroad, they return with enriched values and priorities. Besides the activities of a gap year, the year out allows time for your child to mature naturally. These elements combined can translate to a more focused and constructive college education. Back to top.

Harvard Supports It
Read an article from the Admissions Office at Harvard called Time Out or Burn Out for the Next Generation.

FAQ

Common questions from parents of students considering a gap year.

My child has already applied to college but is still interested in taking a gap year before they begin. Is this possible?
This is the best situation a potential gapper can be in! EnRoute strongly recommends applying to colleges senior year of high school as usual. Most colleges and universities allow accepted students to defer admission for a year in order to pursue a gap year. In fact, Ivy League schools like Princeton and Harvard are taking steps to encourage more of their incoming freshmen to take gap years, having analyzed the performance and general happiness of previous gappers who have attended their institutions. Back to top.

I am worried my child will not return to school if they take a gap year. What can I do?
This by far the most common concern expressed by parents of prospective gappers. Parents worry that their child will become enthralled with the "real world" and refuse to begin or return to college.
Every student is different, and while this can be a true concern for some individuals, by and large the students who take a gap year with the intent of returning to school do so. It's very important to frame a gap year as part of the college experience as opposed to independent of it. Designing a gap year in conjunction with a student's academic interests is central to integrating a gap year into college. This is one more reason why we recommend applying to college during senior year and then deferring admission to the student's college of choice. This way, they mentally prepare for college to follow their gap year experience. Back to top.

How can I make a gap year happen for my child during these tough economic times?
In these troubling financial times, you might feel hesitant to let your child take time off before college. Having a buffer year between high school and college can actually benefit your pocketbook, and here's how:

  • A gap year allows your college savings fund another year to mature.
  • If your child did not receive the scholarship or the financial package he or she was hoping for, a gap year allows time to reapply or explore other options.
  • Most gap year experiences can be paid for by the student themselves, through fundraising or working for a portion of their time off.
  • Allowing a year of personal exploration for your child gives them time to focus on their future career path. If a student goes to college with an idea of what they would like to concentrate in, the likelihood of switching majors is much lower. Sticking to one major decreases the number of semesters required for graduation, and therefore ends up saving you money.

A large part of planning a gap year is budgeting for the various opportunities your child wishes to experience. At EnRoute, we work very closely with parents and students to meet the budgetary requirements of your family. This includes accounting for the costs of programs, airfare and living expenses for the duration of their time off. Back to top.

What are the benefits of hiring EnRoute?
EnRoute takes the time to focus on each client individually, thus being able to design a gap year plan that is completely customized to the student's interests, budget and goals. Back to top.