Washington, D.C. as classroom!

This review was written by a parent of a student who participated:

I cannot think of a better program for high school graduates who are looking for a meaningful experience before starting college than American University’s Gap Program. The semester-long program combined a mentored internship (my son interned at Earth Day Network) with an experiential learning-based seminar on international affairs (with a healthy dose of environmental studies), for which students earned college credit (7 credits!), set on a vibrant university campus (Gap students are integrated into AU’s residential community life) in a culturally rich and diverse city (students are provided with an unlimited-ride transit pass, costing $1 a day, to commute to internships, make site visits for the seminar, visit museums and galleries). From the initial admissions interview through the farewell assembly, it was clear that this is a well designed and well run program, for which the administrators and faculty have succeeded in defining the right mix of activities to prepare Gap students for college (and life after college!), to encourage them to bond as a cohort, and to invite them to participate in the many offerings of AU and take advantage of the countless opportunities awaiting them in Washington, D.C., indeed itself a classroom of American University.