The Wall Street Journal
Eighteen-year-old Monika Lutz had dreams of a career helping solve economic and social problems in poor nations. So after high school, she took a year off before college to work with a company that is trying to bring solar power to a remote village in India.
Gap years have long been common in England, but organized programs are gaining traction in the U.S. While many students take a year off to earn money for tuition, programs involving international travel or service work are more common among affluent students or those from competitive high schools, where pressure to get good grades and gain admission to an elite college is most intense. Lower-cost options have increased in recent years, as government community-service programs have expanded.
College-admission letters are starting to roll in, but a growing number of students will decide to take a year off to try out potential careers or broaden their horizons. Gap-year activities range from doing volunteer work or taking classes, to working for pay, traveling or tackling outdoor adventures.
More colleges and universities, such as Amherst College, Princeton University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, are adopting formal policies allowing students to defer admission. "Gap fairs" promoting various programs (usagapyearfairs.org) have multiplied fourfold in the past four years to 30 nationwide. Read More
I'm Ron Denaro and thanks for joining College Campus Chatter today!
Ron Denaro is the president of College Campus Trips, a tour company providing high school students with tours of college campuses, nationwide. For more information, call (954) 567-5751 or e-mail: ron@collegecampustrips.com
