Fill the gap: some seniors consider stalling college
December 4, 2015
Gap years are becoming a much more common occurrence for high school graduates before they attend college as students recognize the benefits of waiting to start their college career.
Every year there are two to three kids that take gap years after graduating from Algonquin. There are many programs available for high school graduates to experience work or community service opportunities for a year before going to college.
Guidance counselor Kathryn Mulcahy used to be an admissions officer and has seen several kids taking gap years.
“Some go to a formal program; it could be overseas or domestic,” Mulcahy said. “Some just work to save up money.”
According to Mulcahy, the school is becoming more progressive in its potential gap year programs.
“We’re recreating our website and that’s part of it: gap year and alternative programs. People come and talk about their programs and what they have to offer,” Mulcahy said.
Senior Brennan Stevens plans to take a gap year to travel overseas or across the United States before enrolling in a college or university.
“There are a lot of programs for high school seniors taking a gap year overseas to do community service or volunteer work so something like that,” Stevens said. “Maybe I would travel or drive across the country.” As gap years grow in popularity, more options for students become available.
“There are government programs, like the Peace Corps, and you can find them online,” Stevens said. “You send in an application and then they decide where you go. It’s normally a third world country.”
Volunteering for the Peace Corps can be very competitive, and is a serious two-year commitment. In addition to applying, prospective volunteers require interviews to be accepted into the program.
When taking a gap year, the college application and enrollment process can be just as easy as it is for students not taking a gap year.
“You just defer for a year and then everything’s the same; you just have to apply for financial aid again,” Stevens said. “So you apply now and then once you get in, you defer for a year. You don’t tell them until after you get in.”
A large concern regarding gap years is that they could hurt a student’s chances at his or her potential schools.
“I talked to my guidance counselor about it and he said that he’s never really heard of a college having a problem with a student taking a gap year,” Stevens said.
“You can apply for a gap year program to colleges, and they’re almost always on board,” Mulcahy said.
Senior Tyler Kerwin is interested in taking a year off before college to bike across America.
“I would go on a trip across the country via bicycle,” Kerwin said. “I would bring a tent and sleep at camping sites and stay at people’s houses.”
Without participating in a program, Kerwin believes he could run into trouble funding and organizing his endeavor.
“For funding, I’m thinking of starting a gofundme account: donations via the Internet,” Kerwin said. “I have a job at Boost Fitness, but I’m not sure I could make enough to support this adventure.”
Algonquin class of 2015 alumnus Johnny Leach is currently taking a gap year.
“It was either just go to school or pursue my hockey career, and I figured school would always be there if hockey doesn’t work out,” Leach said. “So I chose to play junior hockey in the pursuit of a college hockey career. I am also working at Tavern in the Square in Northborough.”
“People take gap years for all different reasons,” Leach said.
As gap years become increasingly popular, the benefits of them become more noticeable.
Time Magazine’s 2014 article “Why Your High School Senior Should Take a Gap Year” reported that “Robert Clagett, who served as a senior admissions officer at Harvard and is also the former dean of admissions at Middlebury College, has found that those who delay a year before starting college have GPAs that, on a 4.0 scale, are 0.15 to 0.2 higher than otherwise would be expected.”
The article goes on to explain that waiting to form a fuller opinion about one’s life options can be very beneficial for high school graduates.
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