Gap Year
Students typically take a gap year between the last year of high school and the start of college for a variety of reasons. Students take this time to explore various areas of interest, develop independence and new skills, as well as discovering their passions and goals. For all of these reasons and more, taking a gap year is becoming a popular option for high school students after graduation.
We would recommend that a student still go through the college application process and then decide if they would like to pursue a gap year. Colleges generally allow accepted students to defer their attendance for one year of planned activities in order to grow and mature before starting on their campus. When planning on taking a gap year, it is important to have a structured plan in place with a similar structure or length of a school year. Experiences may include internships, volunteer experiences, mission work, employment, travel, immersion programs, training in various trades or skills, etc. If you are interested in gaining a better understanding of how gap years work from an admissions perspective or different options to explore, reach out to your BHS Counselor or a BHS Post-Secondary Counselor for more information.
- How a Gap Year Prepares Students for College
- Gap Year Fairs - Annual fair every January at New Trier High School
- Gap Year Association - Great resource covering all of the aspects of taking a Gap Year
- Teen Life - Searchable database
- Go Overseas - Searchable database