!#8# Are You Game for a "Gap Year" After High School?

!±8± Are You Game for a "Gap Year" After High School?

There's a famous saying by Mark Twain "Whenever you find you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." Do you think it's a good idea to pause and reflect once you've completed your high school? Do some serious soul searching to find out what is it that you would really like to pursue in the future? The trend of taking a year off after high school or a "gap year" is becoming increasingly popular nowadays among high school seniors. After an extended period of academic grind, it's natural to feel ambiguous about attending college especially if you're not sure what you'll do when you get there. If you're yearning to explore the world after your high school and find a career that really interests you, maybe it is the time to contemplate taking a year off before college.

Your gap year can be extremely rewarding if you learn something new and valuable. Of course, if your time off consists of nothing but watching TV and being a couch potato, all you'll have at the end is a wasted year. But with research and planning, you can design a year that offers a great learning experience for you. It will also act as an added incentive when you decide to go back to schooling. Colleges are bound to look at your gap year favorably, if it has been utilized in doing something constructive.

What Are Your Gap-Year Options?

Travel & Volunteer Work If you harbor a humanitarian spirit and a deep desire to explore the world outside of your boundaries, you can involve yourself in volunteer work and do your bit for the less fortunate in developing nations. There are countless volunteering opportunities for students which allow them to make use of their inherent skills to give back to the society. You can also plan an international traveling year to learn an entirely new culture or a foreign language.

Internship Apply for an internship in a field that interests you. After a few months of working, you might be in the position to gauge if your chosen career path is the right one for you. If you really enjoy it, then you have an added incentive to excel in your college major.

Work Get a taste of the real word by working full-time. One year of work can give you extra funds to pay for college, plus valuable, real-life experience. You can also consider saving up for your college by doing work-at-home jobs that require you use the Internet and online resources, for example: online tutoring or freelance writing. With your savings and earnings of one year, you'll be able to bounce back to your college and the world of education with a renewed vigor.

Academics If you have a desire to acquire an expertise in a particular field, you can pursue a specialized course before your college. You can also consider a post graduation year to strengthen your academic record and ensure an entry to a good college.

Business If you have a burning entrepreneurial spirit, why not execute that business idea which has been playing around in your mind since school? Initiate your own business or a start-up and experience the real challenges of being an entrepreneur.

It's best to have your college plans in place before you initiate your gap year. It's advisable to complete the college admission process before your gap year, as it is much easier while you're still in high school with easy access to your school's college resources, your counselors and teachers. Contact the college you plan to attend and request your admission to be deferred for a semester or a year. Due to the rising trend of taking a gap year, most colleges are open to the idea of students wanting to defer their admission temporarily.

Although taking a year off after high school is an adventure, it's certainly not going to be an easy journey. But if you plan it well with strong intention, you'll be rewarded with the gift of time to learn the two essential things about life: yourself and the world around you.

Resources for Planning Your Time Off
Books
The Gap-Year Advantage: Helping Your Child Benefit from Time Off Before or During College by Karl Haigler and Rae Nelson Taking Time Off by Gail Reardon Taking a Gap Year by Susan Griffith But What If I Don't Want to Go to College? A Guide to Success Through Alternative Education by Harlow G. Unger. The Back Door Guide to Short-Term Job Adventures: Internships, Extraordinary Experiences, Seasonal Jobs, Volunteering, Work Abroad by Michael Landes (not specifically for high-school students) Alternatives to the Peace Corps: A Directory of Third World and U.S. Volunteer Opportunities (9th Ed.) by Joan Powell (Editor)