USA Gap Year Fairs

A gap year is a semester, year, or other set period of dedicated time "off" from traditional academics or work, and instead spent focused on experiential learning and personal growth. The most common time to take a gap year is during academic transitions like after graduating high school, but there is really no age limit for taking a gap year. No matter the age, a gapper is intentionally investing time in their personal development by exploring their passions and curiosities instead of following an expected academic path or career trajectory. Gappers will often seek an enriching, intercultural experience abroad, such as interning, teaching, volunteering, or learn a new skill or a foreign language. Others may simply travel and see the world or see more of their home country.

Gap years are ideal for those transitioning between different stages of life who would like to take an active role in shaping their own learning. A gap year is considered beneficial for a number of reasons — recharging your batteries to avoid academic burnout, growing both personally and professionally, expanding your worldview, meeting people from different backgrounds, enhancing your résumé, and gaining meaningful life experience are just a few of the major benefits. Long gone is the time of employers and universities looking down on breaks after high school or during college. Actually, schools and employers are seeing gappers as having an edge among their peers, due to expanded life experience, self-awareness, and soft skills development.
Related Content: Why Should Students Take a Gap Year

There’s no denying that opportunities for prioritizing experiential learning and developing life skills are valuable. Studies by the Gap Year Association show gap year participation leads to increased GPAs, graduation rate, and job satisfaction. That said, a gap year is not for everyone and there are many considerations as to how best to structure an intentional plan for your gap time. Go Overseas provides extensive resources to help you determine if taking a gap year is a good fit for your life circumstances, as well as how to plan, budget, and make the most out of your gap year.
Related Content: The Pros & Cons of Taking a Gap Year

Absolutely! In fact, many US high school graduates and university students have chosen to take gap time this past year since the prospect of continuing with online learning isn't particularly appealing. The coronavirus has changed all of our lives and the way we learn, interact, work, and travel, but it shouldn't stop us from living our lives to the fullest. While a gap year of international globetrotting might not be safe or even possible right now, there are still plenty of options for life-changing experiences.

Go Overseas offers resources for both virtual gap years as well as gap year programs designed for small groups in the United States and abroad. Be sure to register to attend our USA Gap Year Fairs virtual events to stay up to date on the latest gap year program information, including international options.

Gap years allow you to take control of your education through experiences outside your normal schooling or work. This means what you do on your gap year is completely up to you, but many people decide to do one or more of these experiences:

• Travel domestically or internationally
• Learn a new language
• Volunteer
• Work exchange
• Internships & career exploration
• Pursue passions like photography, writing, activism, etc.
• Adventurous activities like snowboarding, surfing, hiking or backpacking

Go Overseas provides a comprehensive, searchable database of gap year programs and reviews to help prospective gappers explore and choose programs experiences based on their specific interests or goals. Since there's such a wide variety of program options to choose from, one may want to work with an experienced gap year counselor to help craft a customized gap year plan.

Both program providers and counselors help structure gap time to make the end-to-end planning process easier. You may want to consider enrolling in a gap year program or working with a gap year counselor if you’re asking yourself any of these questions:

• Are gap years safe?
• What do I do on my gap year?
• How do I plan for a gap year?
• How do I get from place to place when on a gap year?
• How do I meet new people while on a gap year?
• Where do I go on a gap year?
• How can I get the most out of my gap year?

Choosing a gap year program and/or gap year counselor will provide structure and support and ‘be by your side’ to answer these questions every step of the way.

How your gap year impacts your university application, chance of scholarships, performance in classes, and overall satisfaction will depend on many factors -- most importantly, what you did to make the most of the year. Spending time investing in yourself, learning new skills, and growing as a person will help, not hinder your college application. Your gap year may just give you the perfect story to tell in an application, and can help you frame why you are pursuing the degree that you are.

For those looking to balance taking a gap year with receiving academic credit, there are options for you. In fact, there are even some gap year programs that build college courses into their programs through university partnerships. To start, read this article on how to earn academic credit on your gap year.

If you've deferred your college acceptance, you'll want to check in with the admissions office or your academic advisor to see if your college or university accepts transfer credits for incoming students, as each institution has their own policies.

Everyone’s life circumstances are different, however it is very rare for people to regret taking a gap year, especially when they’re spent improving your wellness, building stronger relationships, experiencing other cultures, expanding your perspectives, volunteering, or learning new skills.

High school seniors often wonder if they will feel behind or miss out if they don't go to college right away. However, it's important to note that most US undergraduates take 5+ years to graduate. By taking gap time before college, students actually increase their likelihood of completing their degree within 4 years and consistently outperform their non-gapper peers. In this way, the time invested in taking a gap year before college helps set students up for success during college.

Regardless, to avoid regrets it is important to view a gap year as a year “on” instead of a year “off.” Be intentional with how you invest your time and make the year your own!

Yes! Go Overseas will be opening the $10,000 USA Gap Year Fairs scholarship application in January 2021. Be sure to check back here for more information about this opportunity and additional scholarships offered by eligible programs and counselors. In the meantime, feel free to read about more gap year scholarships.