Gap year

"Having a wide range of experiences was also important;"

"Executive Summary... this study represents the most comprehensive exploration of gap year experiences of Americans to date. Highlights Include:"

"The general experience of “being in a new and different environment” was the most meaningful element of the overall gap year experience;"

"Gappers currently experience higher levels of job satisfaction and civic participation as compared to national norms..."

"Key characteristics of a transformative gap year: It is purposeful and practical, involving some element of service to others; it takes students out of their comfort zone, challenging them to learn new skills and try on new perspectives; it offers the right balance of autonomy and mentoring to help students build self-confidence and a sense of purpose; it is accessible to students from all economic backgrounds."

"For those who are thinking about taking a gap year, regardless of what stage in life they’re at, Amar encourages them to take the opportunity and go for it. “It can be difficult to make decisions about your career or indeed your life at 18 when the majority of your life experience has been in your hometown,” he says. ” Taking a gap year gives you a much needed break from education and allows you to re-charge and re-focus giving you a better and more rounded perspective on what you want to do... this applies to everyone.”"

"An increasing number of students are choosing to break up their studies by travelling overseas for extended periods... But while a freewheeling attitude and sense of adventure are key to successful backpacking, careful planning is equally essential... There are so many places to visit in the world and there’s no pressure to see them all at once."

"So youve decided you want to take a gap year, and that you want to spend it travelling. Brilliant! Now to decide what to do, where to go and how to plan your route. If youre overwhelmed with destinations and dont know where to start... have figured out the most popular destinations, based on hashtags."

"Gap years are becoming increasingly popular among high school graduates. Former President Barack Obama’s daughter Malia took a gap year after graduating high school and before attending Harvard, which brought gap years into the news. But even before that, Prince William and Prince Harry both took gap years before attending college. Many colleges in the U.S., some of the most prestigious Ivy League schools included, are even starting to support the idea of taking a gap year before attending college."

"The most important reason, at least for many students, for taking a gap year is to give students the opportunity to explore their personal interests and find out more about what they want to do with their future. Students often don’t know themselves when they get out of high school. Their brains haven’t fully developed, and even though many may think they know what they want, it’s not uncommon for students to change their minds multiple times during college about what exactly they want to do with their lives."

"The gap year may be a solution for some students to grow socially and emotionally, to gain maturity, or to get a stronger financial footing...Even decades ago people took gap years for a variety of reasons... According to data from the freshman class of 2015, 2.2 percent of students in the U.S. took a gap year before college... By contrast, 15 percent of Australian students and over 50 percent of students from Norway, Denmark, and Turkey took gap years. Students participated in a variety of activities including work, service, travel, and learning a new language."

"Universities are starting to understand the benefits of the gap year and making deferrals easier, even offering their own gap year service experiences...[some] are offering scholarships to make gap years available to students of diverse backgrounds..."