Excited about college but not quite ready to start? Or are you ready for deep learning that doesn’t include four walls and a desk? Each year, students across America are choosing to postpone their traditional academic plans and participate in a gap year experience. This is a standard practice in European countries, for so many reasons, and the US is catching on!

A gap year is a year spent taking time off between life stages. An increasingly popular option, it provides time for traveling, volunteering, learning a new language, or experiencing any number of other activities for personal growth. Typically, students take a gap year after graduating from high school and before attending college.

While there are many compelling reasons to take a gap year, one of the most common is the opportunity for students to explore their interests and develop a purpose for their future. Students can take a break from intense coursework and focus on enriching life experiences.

Whether they spend the year traveling, volunteering, working, or all three, students who have completed a gap year are often revitalized for their return to the academic world the following year. According to David Hawkins, director of public policy and research at the National Association for College Admission Counseling, taking a gap year  …could actually help students succeed in college,  since participants may be more focused, mature, and motivated for their undergraduate experience.

Many students also find that their gap year allows them to help others. For students choosing to spend the year volunteering abroad, some of the benefits include:

There are no rules when it comes to taking a gap year, so the possibilities are truly endless. Luckily, there are organizations that specialize in helping students organize their adventures. For example, some companies assist with everything from finding a host family, to setting up the volunteer project, to taking care of meals and travel insurance.

Areas of focus students may choose from for their gap year activities include:

As exciting as a year off before college may sound, there are several important issues to consider before embarking on a gap year.

Gap Year Base Camp is here to help. There are thousands of companies offering Gap Year travel experiences, whether it’s volunteering, educational, cultural, or a guided gap year. Begin to google and it’s quickly overwhelming and can be very expensive. Gap Year Travel is big business and not all companies are reputable. At GYBC we can streamline your choices according to your desires and tailor a program that is PERFECT for you, your educational track, your passions, and your aptitudes. AND with groups and organizations that we know to be doing amazing work. We can work within any budget and offer scholarships and a sliding scales to those who need it, because we think EVERYONE benefits from a gap year experience! To read about a very unique Gap Year go here. It illustrates how powerful the experience can be. Get excited! You could be next.

This article is excerpted from the Princeton Review.

We would love to meet you and help you plan your gap! Jump over here and take the survey and then we can schedule a free consultation. Gap Year travel is our passion! We offer counseling/consulting , portfolio/resume programs , and super affordable gap year training trips.

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