saving money for their Gap Year, learning valuable life skills along the way. With these experiences under their belts, moving onto a university campus is less like moving into a new world and more like one more step along a greater journey. Without the stress of learning how to “adult,” students can spend more time focusing on their studies and less time panicking over how to balance a budget. According to the 2015 National Gap Year Alumni Survey, (Hoe, Nina PhD, Institute for Survey Research, 2016), after taking a Gap Year students are more likely to know what direction they’d like to take in life. 77% of Gappers felt that their time away helped them to find a purpose in life and led them towards a career they were passionate about. Gap Year programs are designed to help students to get hands-on with the world and
leadership roles on campus, while also choosing to study a topic with which they’re more connected. ese students are more likely to stick with their original major of choice and more likely to have a game plan for life a er graduation. As a result, Gappers are o en well equipped to handle the new workload and to perform at the top of their game. Studies have shown that students who took a Gap Year almost always over performed academically in college, usually to a statistically sig ni cant degree, and most importantly, the positive e ect of taking a Gap Year was demonstrated to endure over all four years. (nordic.businessinsider.com/bene ts- of-a-taking-a-gap-year-2016-9/) Worried that your student might never return from her Gap Year? Don’t be. According to three separate studies, 90% of students who
took a Gap Year returned to college within a year. (wsj.com/articles/SB 10001424052970203513204576047 723922275698). Most students set goals during their Gap Year and use their college years to achieve them. Universities have begun to notice the academic success of Gap Year students. As time goes on and these statistics hold, universities are making it easier for their applicants to take a Gap Year. Across the U.S., no fewer than 160 colleges and universities have begun to embrace
THINKING BEYOND BORDERS
CROSS CULTURAL SOLUTIONS
to find ways to apply those experiences to their daily lives. As a result, 86% of Gappers report being “satisfied or very satisfied” with their careers once they begin them. As an example, one Gap Year student spent her time in Northern Canada, working with indigenous groups. She’s now studying indigenous law. Others may become doctors, journalists, business managers, or scientists, drawing from their own direct experiences and again, thankful for the first-person experience of being involved in the work prior to committing Junior year in college. Best of all, Gappers will find that their Gap Year experiences not only have personal benefits, but they also translate directly into resume boosters, inevitably launching them into the top percentile of applicants (https://www.gooverseas.com/blog/how-use-your- gap-year-improve-your-resume), garnering greater attention for the unique accomplishments they’ve achieved, and global perspective their experiences demonstrate. Just recently, another student who graduated from Yale was being interviewed for a position only to find that the overwhelming majority of his job interview was focused on his Gap Year as the more defining and informative element of the interview process. As colleges get behind the Gap Year in greater numbers and support, they are also understanding better the ben e ts to their own campuses: Gappers have real-world experience to aid them in balancing budgets, keeping up with their schedules, and managing the stress of university life. In fact, many colleges are now o ering Gap Year programs, Gap Year Scholarships, and Leadership awards for which Gapping quali es students. Additionally, most Gap Year students tend to take on greater
the idea of a Gap Year. Many universities now have deferral policies (www.americangap.org/fav-colleges.php) in place for Gap Year purposes and some are beginning to prioritize Gappers over other applicants. e University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill o ers some leadership in this way, o ering scholarships to students wanting to take a Gap Year through their Global Gap Year Fellowship at the Campus Y. (admissions.unc.edu/explore/ enrich-your-education/global-gap-year-fellowship/). Other schools such as T u s, Princeton, Elon, Warren Wilson, Naropa, Florida State University, Portland State University, and many others have emerged with their own methods to engage and reward Gap Year students. Feeling like a Gap Year might be exactly what you’ve been looking for? Getting started is easy . e AmericanGapAssociation provides free access to hundreds of resources for students, parents, and Gap Year organizers alike. is is where you’ll nd guides to planning your very own Gap Year, questions to ask a potential Gap Year provider or program, Gap Year statistics and articles, and Gap Year counselors to answer your questions and start you on your way. Good luck! --- Ethan Knight is the Executive Director and Founder of the American Gap Association. He has traveled to over 50 countries, led countless leadership training seminars, been a TEDx speaker in Portland, OR., and worked with over 2,000 students over the course of his career. Ethan co-wrote this article with Hannah Miller, a Gap Year alum and current university student, who took an independent Gap Year prior to starting college.
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