How to Write a College Deferral Letter for a Gap Year by GYA admin Photo: Where There Be Dragons With college decisions looming, many high school seniors are weighing their options and trying to decide what their post-graduation life will look like. Let’s start this conversation by talking about some numbers from GYA’s 2020 National Alumni Survey, which analyzed responses from 1,190 gap year alumni across the United States: 97% of gap year alumni reported an increase in maturity and self-confidence as a result of their gap year experience 84% of gap year alumni reported an increase in academic motivation…
Advising
An essential and holistic best practice for study abroad and gap year programming includes staff training about the life stage of Emerging Adulthood. Understanding the gifts and challenges of 18-25 year-olds is key. Knowing who our students are broadens professional skill sets for preparing students and staff for successful learning experiences in new and different contexts. Characteristics of Emerging Adulthood (J. Arnett. 2004) include a long period for exploring a wide range of possibilities for career choices and relationships. Of particular note is that Emerging Adulthood is a stage of optimism and possibilities.
Advice for Parents from Gap Year Parents by Julia Rogers As a GYA-Accredited Gap Year Consultant, I work closely with students to design meaningful plans for their year out. Whether a consultant is involved or not, parents play a pivotal role in their child’s gap year. They can help set reasonable boundaries, provide encouragement, and offer support during this transformative rite of passage. I always remind parents that a gap year is also a milestone in their lives – watching your child fledge is full of its own set of emotions. In many ways, gap year parents are asked to…
Gap Year to College to Career by Holly Bull Planning for, taking, and unpacking lessons from a gap year can impact a young person’s journey for the better. Students learn planning skill and languages, engage with global and domestic communities within and outside their cohorts, and build resilience as they navigate uncertainty. Andrew, a 2017 gap year alum, landed a full-time position after completing a gap year and his undergraduate education. While a linear path isn’t the only indicator of success, it is one indicator of success and we love to see students reach back out to tell us about how…
Guidance Counselors Should Reconsider the Gap Year By Robin Pendoley Ed.M, originally published on Psychology Today website. Re-published with permission from author. It happened again yesterday. A mother of a gap year student shared — raved, actually — about how important the experience has been for her daughter. She was a strong student in high school, but she didn’t love learning anymore and didn’t have the sense of purpose and direction she was going to need to succeed in college. The gap year program she participated in helped her find a passion for learning and is sending her into higher education knowing…
How a Gap Year Consultant Can Help Make Your Gap Year Better by Hannah Miller You’ve read a few gap year related articles. You’ve started marking a map with your dreamdestinations and your room is littered with guidebooks. You’ve puzzled over budgeting andsavings and you’ve told everyone who will listen that you’re planning on taking a Gap Year. But how will you put all of the pieces together? Planning a Gap Year can be an intimidating task. As the idea of traveling the world for a year before entering university gains popularity, the list of available gap year programs and…