In Pursuit of Profession: Mind the gap

With gap years becoming more popular each year, are they just another way for students to take a break before college? Or are they a hugely beneficial tool to figure out what career they want to pursue? We talk with an expert to find out.

I was at a dinner party recently when the following question was raised: “Do you have any regrets?” As we went around the table giving, I had a bit of time to think about mine before answering. Normally, I don’t like to look in the rearview mirror too much when it comes to life. I am firmly in the camp of whatever you have done, or not done, those experiences have helped create the person you are and the person that you are constantly evolving to become. But I did have one regret that has only recently become a bit of an itch in my side. Whether I lacked the perspective, or I’ve been simply too busy with work and raising a family, a road trip across the country this summer reminded me just how much I like to travel and experience new things.

The university I attended had all kinds of ways to do just that. They offered semesters abroad, summer group trips – we even had the entire month of January off and the school offered opportunities to live for a few weeks in another part of the country and do volunteer work to help those in need. I didn’t take advantage of any of those opportunities, partly because I thought I would get behind in school and it would affect my ability to graduate on time and partly because I feared the unknown. As I look back now, I realized that taking time to explore the world, and therefore myself, was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If I had studied abroad, I may have found a new passion while pondering great works of art and studying local history. If I had taken a January or two to live in another part of the country and help those in need, maybe it would have added depth and richness to my life. While I will never know the answers to those “what ifs” I can say now, as I look back, I would have benefitted from that time of reflection and introspection. And while not everyone has such opportunities, it does seem that spending meaningful time away from school is catching on.

Filling the gap

A “gap year” can be defined as a year in between high school and college where students spend time exploring career opportunities or discovering more about themselves. The end result is, hopefully, that they get to college matured by the experience and ready to delve into higher education with more focus and drive. “The gap year is a response to students' need for a year to find purpose in their lives or for them to take a break from achievement for its own sake and awaken their love of learning again,” said Kristin M. White, educational consultant and author of The Complete Guide to the Gap Year: The Best Things to Do Between High School and College.

With high profile young people, such as President Obama’s daughter Malia, taking advantage of this opportunity, we can expect the gap year to gain popularity. And while many students do use the gap year to travel or volunteer, often overseas, others use it find direction in terms of a career, or both. “The gap year is a great time to have an internship and explore a career. It's becoming increasingly common for ‘gappers’ to use part of their year to intern, either abroad or locally,” said White. “A paying job can be part of a gap year, and I often recommend a working block of time. The student can live at home and work at a full time or part time job to save money for a travel block of time.”

As with anything else in life, if you or your child wants to take advantage of a gap year, planning is a must, and so is saving. If your gap plan involves an immersive program abroad, get ready to pay upwards of $35,000. “Planning is crucial for a successful gap year,” said White. “I help students plan the entire 15 month period between their high school graduation and enrolling in college. They may have a working block, a volunteering block, a travel block; but what is important is that they have a plan and goals for each segment. I help them explore different options and ideas.”

Another must during the gap year, says White, is for students not to live at home the entire time. “A year spent at home runs dangerously close to not being a gap year at all, and simply being a year off. Students can live at home for part of the year while they work, but it's important to branch out and live independently and experience a new culture or region. Students with financial limitations have done free AmeriCorps programs or lived with friends or relatives in a different city while on their gap year,” White said.

Debts and credits

While very few colleges sponsor gap year programs, Princeton is one, more colleges are recognizing gap years can be a vital step in a student’s development. If the time will be used to earn college credit, the gap can be paid for by a 529 program or by college loans. Whether the gap will be used for working or studying, check out the American Gap Association (AGA) website, where many organizations list job postings, scholarships and grants. “Also check out the AmeriCorps programs which offer free gap year programs that include a stipend and college tuition money at the end,” said White.

At the end of the day, taking a gap year can be expensive and it might be a tough sell to parents that will be footing the bill. However, if you use it to learn more about yourself and are ready to tackle college more focused and prepared, which might mean you’ll graduate in four years rather than five or six, then a gap year might ultimately save you or your parents money in the long run.

This story was originally published August 26, 2016 at 4:49 PM with the headline "In Pursuit of Profession: Mind the gap."