GAP Year

GAP Year --- "It can be structured or unstructured, and directed toward career, academic or purely personal pursuits. Most fundamentally, it is a time to step back and reflect, to gain perspective on personal values and goals, or to gain needed life experience in a setting separate from and independent of one’s accustomed pressures and expectations."

Time out or Burn out for the Next Generation
By William Fitzsimmons-Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid - Harvard

Cultural Immersion Programs - The Guide

Remember that taking a Gap Year isn’t for everyone. If you already know exactly what you want to
major in, and you think that you are mature enough for the intense work that comes along with college, then you probably want to continue on to college right after high school.
Weigh out your options and pick the best decision for you.
If you do decide to take a year off, it is best to apply to college during your senior year of high school. After you receive an acceptance to the college, you can request to have the acceptance deferred for one year. Some colleges will allow you to defer; others will request that you reapply.
Be sure to make a plan and set goals for your gap year. Decide on an activity that will be beneficial for you in the long run, such as volunteering in a foreign country, exploring different career paths, or improving your study skills.
Whatever you decide to do, one thing is for certain: you will enroll in college a changed person.

Here are just a few programs
American Field Service www.afs.org

AmeriCorps (Corporation for National Service) www.cns.gov/americorps

Amigos de Las Americas www.amigoslink.org

Audubon Expedition Institute www.aei-audubon.org

Au Sable Institute for Environnemental Studies www.ausable.org

British American Education Foundation www.baef.org

Bridges: Study Abroad www.bridgesstudyabroad.com

Broad Reach www.gobroadreach.com

Center for Interim Programs www.interimprograms.com

City-Year www.city-year.com

Dynamy www.dynamy.org

Earth Corp www.earthcorp.org