I knew Baret would change my life simply by the unique proposal the program has to its essence, however, I could have never predicted the lessons this gap year delivered. It went beyond finding independence, or meeting new cultures, to me Baret prompted a deeper understanding of myself and my role across the different relationships in my life, including my role in the world. Logistics, safety, housing, and other concerns were smooth, I would trust the team with it over and over again! Great experience.

There are infinite ways I could describe this program because there are infinite benefits I gained. This program is not just about travelling and seeing the world, but it is about learning from everything you experience and see. It is a program about asking questions and understanding why things are the way they are.

Baret Scholars gave me the opportunity and freedom to explore the things that interest me, but also to discover the unknown. I was able to pursue my passions of filmmaking in LA while discovering the secrets of the environment and indigenous communities in the Amazon rainforest. The possibilities were endless.

The best thing about this program is that you can be utterly confused about your future or have a plan for the next 10 years. You can find things that fit you because nothing is unreachable. This year can be a break where learn by living.

Not only does a door to opportunity open, but you will also meet and find the most amazing people. The Baret community brings together people from all over the world with a range of ideas and beliefs. You will have a life-changing conversation at breakfast and then be further blown away by the morning program.

The only thing you need for this year is the need for adventure and a lot of questions.

Even though I am writing this four months after Baret ended, I still have not processed all the incredible and wonderful experiences I’ve had during the journey.

From sleeping in hammocks in the Amazon rainforest, to climbing the Kilimanjaro, to celebrating Holi in India. These travels thought me so much about the world we live in and about myself. I really appreciated the freedom and guidance we were given during Baret and it definitely helped me with my uni decision. The thing I am most grateful for are the Friends I made along the way. Baret introduced me to the most amazing people and I feel like I have many homes around the world now.

Some four years ago, when I’d started feeding my budding interest in anthropology, I’d analogized the human experience to a singular ray of white light diffracting through a prism of geopolitical barriers into a colorful spectrum of cultures. My eight-month journey with Baret Scholars to seven socioeconomic regions of the world with a little over a hundred incredible people my age, because of which I can now recognize Turco-Persian influences in Hindustani classical music and draw parallels between the caste systems in South Asia and West Africa, has only substantiated that understanding. The meticulousness with which Baret curates not only its cohort but also the guests invited to interact with the cohort has exposed me to and connected me with some of the most brilliant minds across national and generational borders. I still run down memory lane and replay Mahmoud Haidar’s talk on enjoying the simple pleasures in life and learning for he sake of it as an act of defiance against its commodification in my head eight months later. The program might only have aimed to let me experience the world before I step into it, but the truth is, it has managed to help me figure out where I fit into the puzzle and how I can leverage that knowledge to become the version of myself I’ve envisioned for the future. I can’t recommend this program enough to any college-aged student interested in immersing themselves in diverse cultures across the globe during their gap year.

Hi! I’m Bohdan, and I’m from Ukraine.

A year ago, I was extremely fortunate to join the Baret Scholars Program—at the time, I had no idea what kind of journey was waiting for me ahead...

Travelling across 7 global centers, learning from leading experts, and growing alongside a cohort of ambitious youngsters is just the tip of the iceberg of what this program offers.

Stepping into orientation in New Hampshire felt like walking into a concentrated version of the world itself—a group of 100 people, each bringing different ethnicities, belief systems, motivations, and perspectives. By the end of that first week, my head was buzzing with new ideas, emotions, and the excitement of what the next 38 weeks would bring.

One of the things I cherished most at Baret was the freedom to simply be myself—while also constantly growing through the people and places around me. Here, authenticity wasn’t just welcomed but celebrated. Whether it was sharing stories, listening deeply to others, debating late at night, or simply making jokes, it all created an environment where everyone could question assumptions, embrace ideas one had never considered before, and experience real growth and discovery.

Before embarking on this program, I hesitated, wondering if I should take the leap. Looking back now, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second. So, if you have a chance to join Baret Scholars -- GO FOR IT! Learn about the world before stepping into it— Baret is the best thing you can do before your next big step in life!

Hi, I’m Lindi and I’m a Baret Scholars alumna from the Netherlands!

I discovered Baret Scholars while searching for something to do during my gap year and let’s start by saying that this is the best thing I’ve ever stumbled upon. Being the inaugural cohort meant that there wasn’t much information available about the program when I signed up, but like the rest of my cohort, I took the leap and stepped onto a plane to Boston.
From my very first interaction with my fellow scholars, Baret quickly proved itself not to be to good to be through like a lot of us thought before haha. We actually travelled to the most incredible places! From seeing the Statue of Liberty in New York, hiking in Argentina, holding turtles on the coast of Kenya to graduating next to the Great Wall of China - I am eternally grateful for this experience.

It is not only the travelling that made this experience so incredible, it’s also the people. The speakers in the morning program made me rethink my interests and even changed my mind about the plans I had for university, the fellows were always there to help you through it all, and I made my absolute best friends in the cohort. I have never been in a more welcoming and supportive community than during my time with Baret Scholars.

I would definitely recommend Baret to anyone who’s thinking of taking a gap year (also after university) and who is interested in travelling!

Hello there! My name is Mohamed, I am from Morocco, and I am a Baret Scholar alumnus now!

If you’re reading this today, it’s because I can’t get over this truly memorable, unique, and different experience that my friends and I have lived moment by moment: it was the best thing that has ever happened to me - zero exaggeration, and here’s why: (Also, I chose to write voluntarily because of the amount of gratitude I hold for this program.)

After I got in last year, I was full of uncertainty, as it was newly started. However, the idea of being part of the beginning of something as interesting, ambitious, and life-changing as Baret encouraged me and 100 amazing scholars from more than 40 countries that later on became my best friends to embark on this journey, and based on a poll we had in our graduation, about 98% of the cohort affirmed this journey impacted and changed them! Plus, who wouldn’t want to travel the world?! I went to 11 countries in 9 months, stayed in 4-5-star hotels, ate authentic food in its original place, visited 3 world wonders, and I even got an upgrade on my flight back home. How crazy is that!!

From the very second I stepped into Boston’s airport to my final departure for Casablanca, I can confidently state that every day I lived in Baret was a day I was excited, joyful, and proud to have spent.

I followed on with my passion for AI and founded my very own startup, thanks to starting things (an afternoon class with our founder, Chris Whittle, teaching us how to successfully create a business). Additionally, I have practiced written and spoken journalism by writing a series of essays about the places I’ve been, creating a blog where I rated the dozen airlines I flew with, and making personal content…

At this point, I don’t even think my experience in college will be any better than this one. Ha-ha! This year, I’ve hosted webinars, written articles, and spoken to applicants not promoting the program, rather speaking the truth and encouraging people like yourselves to apply, because it only takes that one click! Don’t hesitate to literally just do it.

Good luck! You got this, I am rooting for you!!