usa gap year fair presentation
TRANSCRIPT
Profiles of Potential Gap Year Students
• A student who isn’t ready to take advantage of college
• A student who wants to volunteer, intern or travel
• A precocious or energetic student that wants to see/do things before college
• A student who is young for their grade
• An academically-inclined student burnt out by school and college search process
• A student with college acceptance or financial aid issues
• A student frustrated by the traditional classroom experience
Gap Year students show a clear pattern of having higher G.P.A.s than traditional students, and the positive effect lasts over all four years.
[ http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com]
Advantages of aGap Year
• Break from the classroom • Independence• Personal growth• Worldliness • New Skills• Make new friends • Maturity • New Experiences
Common ConcernsParents
• Affordability• Safety• Ending up at
College
Students• Being “old”• How to choose a
program
Types of Gap Year Opportunities
• Volunteering
• Internships
• Work Exchange
• Exploring/Traveling
• Study Abroad
• Service Learning
Making It a RealityCollege
• Defer admission to your top choice school
• Financial Aid – check the next year’s packages
• If you haven’t applied, factor that into your plans
Timeline• Start research/initial ideas jr. year• Make decisions after college apps
are in senior year • Brainstorm flow of year• Think about combinations of
activities & geographic locations
Budget • Domestic vs. International• How much can be contributed?• Fundraising/working• Financial Aid• All the costs: airfare, program fees,
insurance, gear, meals etc