A GAP YEAR COULD BE FOR YOU.
AND WHAT YOUR PARENTS NEED TO KNOW!
The GAP year is the chance of a lifetime! And it’s the moment to branch out and reach out and let your parents know how excited you are!
Your GAP year can open doors for your future, for choosing an academic major and for experiencing what it means to be a global citizen, a term used frequently these days. Just like you, young people from all over the world also want to take on new challenges, experience a different culture, learn something about others, but also about themselves. It’s like a study abroad program, and it’s one that you’ve designed, because you want to do it.
In talking with your parents, remember that a GAP year, at least in the United States, is a fairly recent addition to our educational structure; your parents may be only somewhat familiar with the concept. Parents often worry that a GAP year student might defer college permanently or be behind their peer group in the race to finish college. Actually, Gappers often are ahead in meeting and coping with challenges. And there are no statistics to bear out the fear of not going to college after a GAP year.
In fact, elite universities like Harvard, Brown, Princeton and many others not only endorse the GAP experience, but also easily grant deferrals and several have begun their own GAP like semesters in a foreign country. There are links to helpful articles under the Resources tab.
Your GAP year can open doors for your future, for choosing an academic major and for experiencing what it means to be a global citizen, a term used frequently these days. Just like you, young people from all over the world also want to take on new challenges, experience a different culture, learn something about others, but also about themselves. It’s like a study abroad program, and it’s one that you’ve designed, because you want to do it.
In talking with your parents, remember that a GAP year, at least in the United States, is a fairly recent addition to our educational structure; your parents may be only somewhat familiar with the concept. Parents often worry that a GAP year student might defer college permanently or be behind their peer group in the race to finish college. Actually, Gappers often are ahead in meeting and coping with challenges. And there are no statistics to bear out the fear of not going to college after a GAP year.
In fact, elite universities like Harvard, Brown, Princeton and many others not only endorse the GAP experience, but also easily grant deferrals and several have begun their own GAP like semesters in a foreign country. There are links to helpful articles under the Resources tab.
