Why I'm a Big Fan of the Gap Year

My View

Most American Students enter the education elevator as 5-year-olds and ascend continuously until they emerge as young adults ready to join the workforce. This model works for the majority of learners interested in higher education, but it is not the right fit for everyone. And that includes me.

As a high school student growing up in Shelton, Conn., I wanted to go to college. However, I was not ready to start the semester after high school graduation. I thought I would be more successful if I delayed entry by a year. I hoped the maturity and experience I gained during the year off would help me focus in college.

My guidance counselor disagreed. He believed I was ready as a 17-year-old for college and worried I would not attend if I took a year off.

This remains a common concern. Many educators do not recommend students delay their entry to college. This is unfortunate. A gap year can be an excellent way for students to advance their education outside of school and enter college ready and able to excel. The American Gap Association estimates at least 30,000 students annually take a gap year.

Personal Benefits

Taking a gap year can help students in several ways. Gap-year students I’ve met are just as likely to attend college as students who move straight to postsecondary studies. When they do arrive at their college or university, gap-year students are usually more motivated about their studies than their peers and earn higher grades.

Following graduation, gap-year students often face better employment opportunities. Employers know that gap-year students gain many skills during their time away from school, including a better understanding of themselves and the ability to empathize with others. This was true for me.

I spent much of my gap year in 1989 serving in the Army National Guard. The demands of life in the military were significant. To succeed, I had to be responsible, self-reliant and dependable as a team member. My fellow soldiers and I were a diverse group. We represented a range of racial, cultural, socioeconomic and religious backgrounds. From them, I learned that our differences made us unique, our diversity was a strength and our shared human bond was stronger than anything that would divide us.

A Structured Path

For students to benefit, they must consider the gap year a part of their education rather than a break from learning. Typically, this means having a structured way to spend the time and an idea of how and when to start college. Educators should work with interested students on developing gap-year plans that are based on the students’ interests and include college transition.

When developing my gap-year plan, I secured an admission deferment from the university I wanted to attend. With that in hand, it was much easier to structure the intervening time in a beneficial way. I knew serving in the military would provide me with opportunities that would shape my life. Still it was difficult watching friends go to college while I went to boot camp, but it was worthwhile.

My 12 months of service was a beneficial experience. I learned important skills, met interesting people with backgrounds and beliefs different than mine and entered college with a degree of maturity I did not have at the end of high school. The skills and perspective I gained in the military before starting college helped me to focus on my college course work, pursue a career in education and work for a better country and world.

I encourage educators, as I do in my current district, to help potential gap-year students understand that a structured gap year, with a clear college transition plan, can be one of the best learning experiences of their lives.