I have spent 25 years touting the benefits of taking a gap year. From school auditoriums, conference podiums, press panels and zoom rooms I have delivered anecdotes, data and laughter to thousands of people who are looking to understand both the options and outcomes of a well-designed gap year.
I hear: “I am afraid my child won’t go to college if they take a gap year.” And I reply: “In fact, 90% of gappers return to college after their gap year. And furthermore, gap year students on average graduate college in 4 years!”
They say: “My child will lose their study habits if they take a gap year.” And I urge: “Follow Bob Clagett’s research: students who take a gap year achieve higher GPAs than their non-gap peers.
It’s assumed: “Gap years are frivolous, glorified vacations.” And I reveal: “98% of students report they grew as a person, 84% say they gained skills helpful to their careers, and 73% say they are better prepared for college.”
I am far from the only one who is actively redirecting gap year myths and misconceptions with facts and figures. Since its founding nearly 10 years ago, the Gap Year Association (GYA) has made it a priority to research, consolidate and make accessible the data and benefits that show the outcomes of a well-planned gap year. We know that a gap year provides students with greater focus and sense of purpose, immediately reflected in their college success through higher GPAs and graduation rates. We know that a gap year enhances a student’s perspective, resiliency, skills and resume, resulting in better and broader career options. We know that – perhaps most importantly – students emerge from their gap years feeling happier, more confident and determined in their life’s pursuits, from college to career and beyond.
Our collective work and words have made a significant impact. But I believe that it is the passion and voices of our gap year alumni that will truly help elevate the gap year movement, which is why I became co-chair of the Gap Year Association Alumni Committee. In addition to creating a place for gap year alumni to contribute their knowledge and network within our field, our hope is for the Alumni Committee to equally leverage the profound voices of our gappers to create more information and access to hopeful gappers around the world.
“I took a gap year to explore what life was like outside of school and to get real world experience in a field I was interested in. I also needed a break from school, and, with covid, this year seemed like the perfect time to take a more unique path. I am so glad I took the leap; this year has been one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling of my life!” – Gap Year Alum Emma
Every fall there is a fresh buzz around gap years. We are contacted by press reporting on the latest and greatest in our industry. We hear from public and private schools wanting presentations for their seniors. We partner with speciality schools – therapeutic, LD, vocational, homeschool and more – who are committed to sharing alternative pathways for their graduates. As we put together panels of experts to respond to these requests, we are always looking to save a seat at that table for our passionate gap year alumni.
To address the important question of how to take a gap year during COVID-19, we at the Gap Year Association Alumni Committee launched a new recruitment effort this past summer.
We asked every GYA accredited program and consultant to nominate 2 gap year alumni who we then invited to become Gap Year Ambassadors. With minimal obligation on behalf of the alumni, our aim was to have dozens of Ambassadors at the ready to join us as presenters for press, panels and presentations around the country.
We held our first training in August to demystify the obligation of being a Gap Year Ambassador, ease any worry of public speaking, and to empower these gap year alumni to tell their OWN stories. In our initial introductions, we asked gap year alumni to use 2 words to describe their gap years.
Pictured above is the complete list of their words, with no edits or omissions. In addition, comments like Nathan’s were not uncommon: “I’m so happy I chose to take the year off. I never imagined I could do the things I did.”
Or this one from Elizabeth: “Whenever someone asks about my gap year, I can’t help but gush about it. I have gained skills and knowledge that I know will be useful in my college career and beyond.” No amount of data can compare to the sentiments or words of our gap year alumni, which is why we remain so dedicated to finding more ways to raise our gap year alumni voices!
Are you a gap year alum looking for ways to stay connected to your gap year experiences, network in our field for future employment, or help get the word out on a national level about the benefits of taking a gap year?
We have lots of ways for you to be involved, and we would be honored if you would participate in any or all of the below:
- Join our Alum Community on Facebook.
- Email alum@gapyearassociation.org with your questions or ideas! If you are interested in joining our committee, or being a Gap Year Ambassador, this is the place to let us know.
- Become a GYA Member and join our Alum Committee Mighty Networks Group.
- Write an article for your school or local city paper.
- Start a Gap Year Club on your school campus to connect with other like-minded folks
Are you a GYA Accredited gap year program or consultant with alumni who want to share their stories or who are looking for ways to stay connected to our community?
- Email alum@gapyearassociation.org with their names and email addresses and we will reach out to them to see if they want to be a Gap Year Ambassador or join the Gap Year Alumni Committee!
We hope that you will join us in this movement, and on this journey, of making a gap year more accessible for all. If you have any questions, please email me at alum@gapyearassociation.org or jane@j2guides.com. We would love to add your voice to the gap year conversation!
“I have wanted to take a gap year since my sophomore year of high school because I wanted to take a break from the stress of school, grow as a person, travel the world and experience different cultures than the one I grew up in, and learn skills that are impossible to teach in a classroom. My gap year definitely accomplished all of these things. I also think that having these experiences, especially at the unique age between high school and college, set me up to better take full advantage of the once in a lifetime resources and opportunities ahead of me.” – Gap Year Alum Noah
Jane Sarouhan, co-founder of J2Guides, has been an experiential education and gap expert for 25 years. She is a GYA Accredited Consultant, co-chair of the Alumni Committee, and former Board Member. She has been a keynote speaker at the USA Gap Year Fairs since 2011, and promotes the gap year on a national level for schools, conferences, and press. Jane travels the world to vet quality placements, advises new programs on best practices and strategic development, and best of all works closely with families to curate the gap year options that will best meet the needs, interests, goals and budget of each courageous gap year student.
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