Spencer Hodge stands over an A/C unit like the ones he worked with at Goins Heating and Air Conditioning during his gap year. Planning the gap
Tips to prevent your child’s gap year from becoming just a gap:1. Make sure your child goes through the college application process. Not only does it provide skill development, it also ensures your child has a solid plan when his or her gap year ends.2. Talk with your child about his or her interests and passions to help determine the most productive activity or program for a gap year.3. Set specific, measurable goals for the gap year. What does your child hope to gain or accomplish?4. Decide whether your child will be able to work independently or if he or she will need a defined regimen.5. If your child is interested in a gap-year program, find out if it offers college credit and if that credit can be transferred to the school of your child’s choice.6. Consult a guidance counselor and do some research online. AmericanGap.org is a great place to start.
Finding a gap
The amount of gap year programs available to potential gappers is, honestly, quite overwhelming, and each program has its own unique appeal. Whether your child is looking to hike through Machu Picchu or sail from island to island, start your search at usagapyearfairs.org/programs, which offers a comprehensive list of some of the best programs across the country.
No one can tell you exactly why the “gap year,” defined as the year-long hiatus some students take between their high school graduation and their first year of college, is gaining so much popularity in the United States.
Maybe it’s because publications like The New York Times are calling the concept “a self-exploratory sabbatical.” Or because Ivy League schools like Harvard are touting its success. Or maybe even because President Barack Obama’s oldest daughter, Malia, announced her decision to take a gap year back in May.
Whatever the reason, the idea is taking the country by storm and becoming something parents and high school seniors consider while applying to college.