Gap Year is a possible post-high school choice

By Emma Juchau,
BlueDevilHub.com Staff–

According to the American Gap Association, a gap year is defined as “an experiential semester or year ‘on,’ typically taken between high school and college in order to deepen practical, professional, and personal awareness.”

A gap year is considered a time of personal reflection, and a chance for people to find their own purpose in the world. In the 2015 National Alumni Survey conducted by the AGA, 77 percent of gap year alumni reported that their gap experience influenced their career decision.

There are many pre-planned gap year programs that are available to students. These organizations often incorporate wilderness education, community service, and international programs. According to the 2015 NAS, some of the more popular gap year organizations are the National Outdoor Leadership School, Global Citizen Year, Carpe Diem International Education and Where There Be Dragons.

A gap year doesn’t necessarily mean traveling the world with an AGA accredited organization, however—or be a year long.

According to the AGA, a gap year is anything longer than two months, and can be created individually to meet a person’s needs. The AGA and associated organizations add that a gap year is not “sleeping through life, doing “whatever your friends are doing,” or chasing a diploma for the sake of a diploma.”

Gap years according to the AGA are about self discovery, building relationships, and experiencing the world in a new way.